Yerrabi Pond: a floating wetland is on its way. Photo: Region Media.
Gungahlin’s Yerrabi Pond will receive long-awaited upgrades after a floating wetland was confirmed for the pond alongside its new rotunda.
The wetland will be 1000 square metres and form part of the ACT Government’s Healthy Waterways Program. The wetland is only the second floating wetland in the ACT.
“The floating wetland in Lake Tuggeranong was launched in March,” Minister for Water Shane Rattenbury explained.
“It was the first large-scale deployment of a floating wetland in the ACT and is a two-year trial, after which the wetland will either be left in place or transferred to another waterbody in the ACT. It is hoped that the wetland will compete for nutrients and light with blue-green algae, preventing them from blooming in the bay and then spreading to the lake.
“The people of Gungahlin have shown great interest in improving the water quality of Yerrabi Pond, so I am looking forward to seeing how the floating wetland will improve this popular pond,” he said.
The wetland joins the new rotunda at Yerrabi Pond, expected to be complete by mid-December.
The rotunda at Yerrabi Pond will be a very similar structure to this one. Photo: Friends of the Yerrabi Pond Facebook.
Member of the Friends of the Yerrabi Pond and President of the Rotary Club of Gungahlin Sandra Goldstraw has been instrumental in securing the rotunda funding. She would like to see the rotunda become a “focal point for the Gungahlin community”.
“We believe it’s essential in bringing the community together, but it’s also a feature that we’ve never had in a beautiful spot,” said Ms Goldstraw. “It’s something we’ve always dreamed of having in Gungahlin.”
The project received funding from the Federal Government’s Stronger Communities Grant which opened in February and has received further assistance from the Gungahlin Community Council and the ACT Government who will be providing paths to the rotunda and installing power.
The ACT will also become managers of the facility once it’s up and running.
The rotunda site is currently fenced off, with Woden Contractors responsible for construction, generously providing their service at a cut-rate for the community. If all goes to plan, the rotunda will be unveiled at an opening ceremony/concert event on Saturday, 11 December. It will be named the ‘Rotary Rotunda’.
While the upgrades confirmed for Yerrabi Pond are pleasing for Ms Goldstraw and the Friends of the Yerrabi Pond, they believe the area requires further upgrades to facilities, especially toilets.
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