Haoyang Wang

The Darebin Parkland is a unique constructed ecological habitat adjacent to the Darebin Creek. The park constructed up on the original landfill site where the soil was heavily contaminated by the sewage containing hazard elements. At the moment, there is a leachate system functioning across the park for water purification and prevent sewage flowing into the creek. The ongoing management effort is to resolve the high salinity issue of the Duck Pond due to high evaporation rate. High concentration of salt in the water will threat the habitat biodiversity, block the water circulation result in brackish soil, reduction of genetic diversity and botulism. The design proposal for the Darebin Parkland suggests a more sustainable water management strategy, and bridge the urban and parkland hydrology system by green infrastructure.

The design proposal is a green infrastructure network expanded out from the Darebin Parkland and stretch across several street blocks. This infrastructure system composes by rain gardens, industrial water treatment, runoff collection tank in the suburb and series of bio-filtration and sedimentation ponds in the parkland. The street and rooftop run off will be filtrated by the rain garden network, there is a net of collection pipes under the rain garden network that will direct rain water to the edge of the parkland. The water will flow through a shallow sedimentation pond, that will trap sludge in the water. Before the Duckpond, there are two bio-filtration wetlands to remove heavy metals in the runoff and retaining the storm water. In this way the parkland adopts resilient water management approach and there will be continuous fresh water supply into the pond. In the case of heavy rainfall, the Duck pond will be able to release water into the Darebin creek, and the permeable soil, water tank and series of ponds will maintain the runoff water during drought season, produce comfortable climate across the suburb.