Point Fraser Development
31 Aug 2015
The Point Fraser development is a functional and attractive urban space in the centre of Perth. It is located on the Swan River foreshore in East Perth, Western Australia. The site was developed by the City of Perth in 2009. The Point Fraser Development represents the City’s commitment to innovation and sustainable development. As well as having urban amenity it forms an important part of the treatment process for stormwater entering the Swan River.
As well as forming an important part of the aesthetic landscape, the wetland is designed to treat stormwater from nearby urban areas before discharge to the Swan River. The wetland includes open pools and densely vegetated zones and utilises sedimentation, filtration and biological processes to remove pollutants from incoming stormwater.
The area is an attractive and interactive urban space. It includes parking, bike and kayak hire facilities, children’s playground and barbeques. There are interpretative trails through the landscaped area, including the wetland. It is a popular destination of walkers, families and is part of the local cycle track. Lake Vasto, a large lake and landscaped urban area, is nearby.
The Point Fraser development is located on a constrained 5.8 ha site. The site design had to deal with low slopes, high groundwater and the close proximity of the Swan River. Syrinx Environmental developed the design of the wetland. Work on the project commenced in 2002 and was completed in several phases by 2009.
The wetland has won a number of awards. it won the Interpretation Australia Association National Award for Best Practice Interpretation (2008).
Yandi Flood Model
31 Aug 2015
The BHP Billiton Iron Ore Yandi mine is located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, northwest of Newman. The mine opened in 1991 and has been operating continuously since. The mine’s current capacity is more than 40 million tonnes of ore per year. The mine is one of several operated by BHP Billiton Iron Ore in the Pilbara. Ore is mined by open-cut, crushed and screened at the mine then transported by rail for export from Port Hedland.
The mine site is located across Marillana Creek, a tributary of Weeli Wolli Creek and the Fortescue Marsh. Marillana Creek is a large stream which flows for short time after heavy rainfall events, often associated with cyclones. Flood flows in the creek can exceed 2,000 m3/s.
The mine produces iron ore from a number of open pits adjacent to the creek. To mine safely, the characteristics of the creek hydrology need to be well understood. Structures are needed to protect the mine for flooding and predictions of water levels in flood events are needed for input to the design process. Stormwater drainage on the mine is complex and changes frequently, as new infrastructure is built, so planning tools need to be able to respond appropriately.
Stirling City Centre
12 Aug 2015
Our work
The Stirling City Centre Alliance was formed in 2008 with the aim of progressing development of a high-density commercial and residential centre in the Innaloo/Osborne Park area, just north of the Perth city centre. A centrepiece of the development was modifying an existing stormwater drain to become an urban stream with aesthetic, hydraulic and water quality treatment benefits. The drain was to be integrated into a parkland setting through the development area.
Part of the Stirling City Centre development work involved quantifying the hydrology of the existing drain and catchment, including surface water-groundwater interaction, and working on design options for the development.
ARR testing
12 Aug 2015
Australian Rainfall and Runoff (ARR) is a national guideline document, data and software suite that can be used for the estimation of design flood characteristics in Australia.
The document Australian Rainfall and Runoff was first published by Engineers Australia in 1958. It has since become an essential guidance document for the practice of hydrology in Australia. The last major upgrade was in 1987.
The National Committee on Water Engineering, Engineers Australia, in conjunction with Geoscience Australia updated the document in 2016. The update included revision of the document, update of design information with new data and methods and development of new tools. The new guidelines, tools and data are available on the ARR project website.
The ARR revision project occurred over a number of years. The project contracted a number of industry practitioners to develop and test the tools and techniques.
Murray Flood Study
11 Aug 2015
The coastal plain south of Perth in Western Australia around the Serpentine and Murray River floodplains is predominantly rural-zoned land that is under increasing urban development pressure. The area has relatively flat terrain, high groundwater tables, surface ponding in winter, wetlands of significance, an extensive rural drainage network and periodic riverine flooding.
Floodplain management is a key component of the urban planning process for the area.
The Murray Flood Study project was part of a larger project that developed a drainage and water management plan for an area around Pinjarra.
South Road Superway
11 Aug 2015
The South Road Superway project is one of South Australia’s largest and most complex road projects. It consists of 4.8 km of expressway, including 2.8 km of elevated roadway and runs from the Port River Expressway to Regency Road.
The road connects industrial and residential sites and is an important part of Adelaide’s long term growth strategy. The total project cost was $842 million and it was completed in December 2013.
