Rye Bioinfiltration Basin
Our first coastal bio infiltration basin (also known as a coastal wetland) at the Rye foreshore is the largest stormwater treatment asset in a coastal environment on the Peninsula.
The community driven project overcame significant challenges, including: sand migration, prevailing winds, high tides, storm surges, and high groundwater levels, to produce a highly effective natural filtration system treating the stormwater prior to reaching the Bay. The basin was designed to work with the environment to combat these challenges. This includes maintaining a vegetative barrier and primary dune north of the basin to minimise the impact of sand drift.
Over 10,000 indigenous plants have been planted in this basin and were locally sourced, grown and planted (by local contractors and community members).
Since its construction, the coastal wetland has been delivering the following benefits:
- improved water quality discharge into Port Philip Bay
- enhanced visual amenity of the site
- enhanced biodiversity
- a boardwalk with improved access to the beach
- demonstration project enabling education to the community and the Shire.
The Rye Coastal Wetland has been awarded the Stormwater Victoria Industry Award 2022 for ‘Infrastructure Excellence’. This award recognises this project for improving the health of the bay, connectivity to the beach and the overall aesthetic of the area. This is an outstanding example of the integration of stormwater management and placemaking.
Mechelle Cheers (Rye Community Action Group) holding the Stormwater Victoria Award 2022 with Cr Race, Cr Bissinger and council officers Christopher Lyne and Brenda Lee.
This community driven project was funded by Mornington Peninsula Shire, the Victorian Government (Port Philip Bay Fund) and Melbourne Water (Liveable Communities Liveable Waterways Program) and was initiated by discussions between the Shire and Rye Community Group Alliance.