Whenever a boundary is altered (made smaller or changed) in a residential or rural residential area planning controls for subdivision is required (if two or more existing lots are consolidated this is not considered a subdivision).
Any proposals involving schools, hospitals, bed and breakfast accommodation, eco-tourism, housing for older people, retirement villages, childcare centres, music festivals are considered particularly vulnerable during bushfires and are therefore required to meet some specific requirements. In particular, an emergency/evacuation plan is considered an important component of the strategy to plan for any bushfire risk. The consent authority is the local council but only after the RFS has issued a BUSHFIRE SAFETY AUTHORITY.
At Harris Floating Wetlands, we're dedicated to ecological design and have been creating resilient floating wetlands since 2005. Born and developed in Australian conditions, our system offers robust, cost-effective solutions for stormwater management, using local NSW suppliers, free from international franchisee or multinational ties. Our wetlands retrofit existing water bodies, managing water levels, algae, and pollutants. We believe in fostering a real marsh environment, as evidenced by our successful installations at Tuross Heads Country Club and Sydney Olympic Park.
In 2019, we created a unique habitat for the endangered Green and Gold Bell Frog at Sydney Olympic Park's Northern Water Feature. We combined our standard floating wetlands with a bird protection cage, providing a predator-free sanctuary for these precious creatures. Similarly, we installed two bird habitat islands at the same park in 2020 and 2023, providing a secure roosting place for waterbirds.
WET SYSTEM DESIGN
We take pride in our wet system design, which supports real floating wetland species such as Baumea articulata, Schoenoplectus validus, and others. Our plants, embedded into coconut coir, become a living layer of roots and organic peat after 3-5 years, creating an ideal bacterial support medium. This ecosystem can support a person weighing 70kg for maintenance, and additional buoyancy is available if needed.
PROCESS & INSTALLATION
Our process is simple, from quoting and sizing according to your budget and needs, to advising on the best locations and configurations for optimal treatment. Installation is swift, thanks to our purpose-built trailer. We also guide you on the system's long-term maintenance and provide research resources on wetland effectiveness against various pollutants. For larger installations, we recommend a staged approach to gauge system effectiveness and site-specific conditions.
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Finally, we're committed to continuous research and development to refine our offerings further. We test design improvements at our own research sites before implementing them in the field. From protecting plants against bird predation and carp to stabilising eroded banks, we've got it covered. We can also facilitate smaller trial installations before you commit to larger ones, offering various design options and plant species for local conditions. At Harris Floating Wetlands, we're here to turn your water management vision into reality.