Brisbane's Newest Park Is Turning a Wastewater Plant Into Wetlands As Part of a 150-Hectare Precinct

Thanks to Victoria Park's upcoming makeover, plus Northshore Hamilton's and also South Bank's as well, Brisbane's green spaces are expanding. Many of these are long-term projects, and based around the 2032 Olympics. But in the Archerfield area, the River City will score a new wetlands park from in early 2024.

When the $22-million Archerfield Wetlands District Park starts welcoming in Brisbanites next year, it'll do so with a big focus on nature just 12 kilometres outside of the CBD. And, it's taking over what might seem to be an unlikely location. The spot that the park will sprawl across used to be a sewage treatment plant.

Located off Bowhill Road in Durack, Archerfield Wetlands District Park itself will take up four hectares. That said, it forms part of an overall transformation of the site called Archerfield Wetlands that spans over 150 hectares. The entire space also includes the Archerfield Wetlands Discovery Trail, a walking and cycling path that stretches over three kilometres. Across the whole setup, there'll be also be eucalypt forests, open grassland, freshwater wetlands and creeks.

The Archerfield Wetlands project isn't new — it was first announced in 2019 — but Brisbane City Council has revealed that Archerfield Wetlands District Park is now officially underway.

"The transformation of Archerfield Wetlands District Park is particularly special because it will see a beautiful nature-based park created at the site of an ugly former sewage plant," said Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

"It will include a large adventure play space and water play area, a youth hub with basketball court, a bush foods garden and a catchment centre, with a native plant nursery to support the environmental rehabilitation of the Oxley Creek catchment," the Lord Mayor continued.

"The establishment of the park at this location is restoring and transforming the site as an environmental and recreational destination where people can slow down and connect with nature."

Thanks to the Discovery Trail, Archerfield Wetlands will also be home to more than 150 different bird species. So, expect birdwatching to be a feature.

The full makeover sits between the Ipswich Motorway, Archerfield Airport and Bowhill Road, and falls under $100 million, 20-year Oxley Creek Transformation initiative — which is set to give Brisbane's southwest a 20-kilometre-long corridor of green space stretching from Tennyson to Larapinta.

Archerfield Wetlands District Park is set to open in early 2024. Head to the Brisbane City Council website for further details about the overall project.