A north Queensland caravan park has just been given planning permission to proceed with its vision of creating an artificial wetland.
The owners of Bush Oasis Caravan Park at Nome hope the $1.2 million project will attract more birds … and more visitors.
The wetland will be fed with treated wastewater from a new on-site sewerage system and the park will add van and tent sites around the wetland, as well as communal kitchen tents, a community tent and ablution block.
Having just received approval from Townsville City Council, park co-owner Fiona Lidgett told the Townsville Bulletin that she hoped the exciting expansion would prove a major drawcard.
“It’s very eco-friendly and sustainable, it’s a way to manage the environmental impact and create something that will become a habitat for wildlife,” Ms Lidgett said. “We have 400 species of birds in Townsville out of 800 in Australia and this wetland will create a year-round habitat for wildlife.
Ms Lidgett said the Townsville branch of Birdlife Australia would survey bird numbers around the park both before and after the improvements, while the park was also working with conservation volunteers to develop edu-tourism opportunities.
“This will be a really good thing to have because people are looking for this kind of experience. Being able to create that experience is going to be amazing,” she told the Bulletin. “It’s going to be a really interesting and dynamic project for the region.”
Some neighbours were worried that the development would exacerbate existing stormwater and wastewater impacts, but the council approved the plan on the condition that a qualified engineer certify the stormwater drainage achieved the outcomes being sought, and that erosion and sediment control management was installed.
Sounds great. Would have gone while we were up there recently.