Restoring habitat at Elderfield Wetlands

The City's Elderfield Wetlands rehabilitation project is well underway, with 30,000 native sedges and rushes already planted to help restore valuable habitat. The 4 hectare wetland is home to more than 74 bird species and is a vital part of the natural environment in our City. 

This project is funded by the Swan Canning River Recovery Project, supported by Perth NRM through funding from the Australian Government. The grant of $120,000 will be used to grow at total 60,000 seedlings for the project.

Elderfield Wetlands is located at Sandon Park along the Canning River. Works on the three year rehabilitation project started in February 2021 with the removal of an unused section of grass which is prone to winter flooding. Reticulation that is no longer required has been removed, saving on watering costs.  

Revegetation is being carried out with the help of community volunteers. Four community planting days have been held this year, a National Tree Day event, two corporate events thanks to Woodside, and a planting day with year six students from Penrhos College.

The next stage of the project, planned to commence early in 2022, will include a new path to connect Salter Point Parade to the existing path network near Curtin University Boat Club. The path will allow safe access through the wetland while protecting plants and wildlife. 

Further works will include the creation of a nature play and interpretation node; improvement of the area surrounding Elderfield open storm water drain; and installation of 12 habitat structures including bird boxes, bat boxes and a bird hide. Weed control will be undertaken quarterly to ensure the success of the habitat restoration.

The project has grown from the City’s Clontarf-Waterford- Salter Point Masterplan which was developed in 2019 for the stretch of foreshore from Clontarf through to Waterford and Salter Point. The Masterplan provides a consolidated management strategy recognising the ecological, cultural and recreational values of the area.