Water sensitive Batavia Marina stage 2 development underway

Works have begun on a Western Australian project in an arid northern city featuring water sensitive urban design concepts motivated by CRC for Water Sensitive Cities (CRCWSC) researchers.

The Batavia Coast Marina Stage 2 (BCM2) development was started last week at the site of former rail marshalling yards in Geraldton, in a housing development known as Station Square.

The CRCWSC was invited by the City of Greater Geraldton last year to apply techniques on how water can transform the city to the specific site of Batavia Coastal Marina Stage 2. A research synthesis workshop was held in December and provided an opportunity to create a new water sensitive future for the site.

CRCWSC Western Region Executive Director Professor Anas Ghadouani said the project was an important application of the CRCWSC’s research in the regional context.

“The way that we manage water will play a part in transforming this site from a largely unused landscape into one which creates an urban oasis with the reimagined railway station platform as a centrepiece. Equally, the urban design can provide new levels of self-sufficiency in terms of water services and can actually reduce the pressure on wider drainage, water supply and sewerage systems in Geraldton,“ Prof Ghadouani said.

Developed by LandCorp and the Mid West Development Commission in partnership with the City of Greater Geraldton, the development is planned to be an innovative demonstrator of water sensitive cities principles. Incorporating sustainable practices that retain and reuse stormwater onsite will reduce the development’s reliance on existing infrastructure and potable water supplies while maintaining a cool lush public landscape and reducing the urban heat effect.

The CRCWSC will publish a synthesis report on our water management vision for the Batavia development soon.