Background

Champion Lakes Regatta Centre, which has been developed by the Armadale Redevelopment Authority (ARA) (a statutory corporation) as part of the larger Champion Lakes Regional Park, is a significant regional water-based recreational area that combines international-standard competitive sporting facilities with passive and active public water recreation, conservation and wetland habitat environments supporting indigenous fauna and flora.

The Project has strong links with the Main Roads Department of Western Australia’s extension of the Tonkin Highway adjacent to the site, through a co-operative arrangement whereby soil excavated from the Project to form the rowing course was utilised for fill beneath the highway extension adjacent to CLRC. This outcome had a number of benefits, including the best use of the sand resources at the site, which resulted in a reduced need to use other valuable sand resources, and a cost benefit to the Champion Lakes Project in that the bulk earthworks were completed as part compensation for the sand removed.

Of particular note in the development was the ARA focus on recognising the fragile water environment in the region within which CLRC is located.

The Champion Lakes Regional Park provides international standard competition design to a recreational facility for residents in the south-east urban corridor who wish to participate in active and passive water-based activities and the resulting economic and social benefits. It comprises 135 hectares which incorporates:

• a man made purpose built competition rowing lake to accommodate the requirements of the three flat water sporting disciplines of rowing, kayaking and dragon boating;
• a facilities island to provide sporting bases and sport viewing area;
• a future commercial precinct for the construction of hotel/short stay accommodation and potential white water park;
• a future Aboriginal Interpretive Centre to highlight the indigenous ties to the land;
• a residential estate; and
• extensive nature preservation/rehabilitation areas.

The site was identified as suitable for a major Perth international rowing course facility through strategic planning investigations which began in the late 1970’s. The Canning River no longer meets the requirements for an international rowing course being exposed to prevailing winds and tidal fluctuations. In addition, the river site is shallow and narrow in places and other river users disturb the water surface.

Prior to the development of CLRC the site included Wright Lake a small seasonal wetland and a large tract of land largely cleared, having been previously used predominantly for agricultural purposes, whose remaining vegetation was in a degraded state. The ARA was committed to rehabilitate the vegetation throughout the site where it can be retained.

Purpose

The Champion Lakes Regatta Centre located 21 kilometres from central Perth, within the boundaries of the City of Armadale, is the only international standard purpose built Rowing, Dragon Boating & Kayaking facility in Western Australia and the most recent purpose built facility in Australia. It has been built to a standard to cater to international competition in these water sports. In addition it can host Triathlon, Open Water Swimming and Cycling. The venue is the home to local, state and national events. The facility is also open to the public and is a major recreational park for residents of the SE metropolitan area of Perth.

The public has access the public beach for swimming, the lake for recreational paddling and the pathways for cycling or walking. The balance of the area has been set aside for conservation / rehabilitation and creation of waterbird and wading bird habitats. These uses are considered functionally, economically, and socially compatible with the intent of the Champion Lakes Regional Park.

The Champion Lakes Regional Park sets new standards in environmental management and water-sensitive design.

As part of the environmental approvals, ARA was required to adopt all practicable measures to minimise impacts on the environment including to implement a Wetland Mitigation Strategy to minimise adverse affects on wetlands and in particular Wright Lake. The ARA was also required to develop a Water Supply Development Plan and a Water Quality Management Plan to address water quality and quantity issues.

Description

The Champion Lakes Regional Park comprises 135ha which incorporates 26ha set aside for residential development, 15ha for a commercial precinct (including a future Kayaking white water park) plus a 55ha lake including a 2000m buoyed course for Rowing, Kayaking & Dragon Boating. The lake is encircled by a 3.5m wide event path suitable for triathlon, running, walking, coaching or use by the media during events and a 2.5m wide shared path for recreational walking and cycling.

The international rowing course is the principal focus of the development. The alignment of the lake is from south west to north east. Winds are predominately from the south west and east. Measuring 2165 metres long by 135 metres wide the lake varies in depth from 3.5 metres at the start to 4.5 metres at the finish. The depth is seasonally variable and ranges between 21 metres to 22.5 metres AHD. The design depth for competition is 21.5 metres AHD.

The Lake was initially filled from a saline plume in the Yarragadee Aquifer at 600m. Much of the water lost to evaporation is replaced by natural rainfall harvested from within the precinct. Salinity of the water body is in the region of 6900ppm. For environmental requirements, the lake is lined with approximately 660,000 square metres of plastic protected by a 1 metre layer of clay placed over the liner.

To complement the rowing course, there are a practice lake and a return channel to the rowing start line. In addition, there is an island to contain sports’ buildings and services infrastructure.

The racing course is 2000 metres long 135 metres wide and is set up for 8 lanes 13.5 metres wide for rowing competition and can be reconfigured to 9 lanes, 9 metres wide over the final 1000 metres for kayaking. Dragon boating can be accommodated within the existing setup.

The full length and width of the competition course is utilised for the self tensioning Albano style buoyed course. Longitudinal Kevlar cables extend to anchor points at the both ends and lateral cables are located every 250 metres across the course. The cables are located 1.5 metres below the surface.

Six anchor points comprising 1.5 tonnes of precast concrete each have been positioned at each of the possible starting lines. These anchor points have settled in the clay liner cover and are immovable

Potential future developments within the Champion Lakes Regional Park include an Aboriginal Interpretative Centre, White Water Park, resort-style accommodation, a high-quality residential area, conference facilities and small-scale business and commercial activities.

The Aboriginal Interpretive Centre will enable many facets of Aboriginal culture to be displayed and interpreted for the indigenous and non-indigenous communities alike.

Current Status

Sections of Champion Lakes Regatta Centre have been open for use by the public since May 2007. The facility can be booked for organised sports or recreational activities by sporting groups and other organisations. The 2006 Australian Dragon Boating Championships and the 2009 Australian Canoeing Championships were both conducted on Champion Lakes and the 2010 Rowing Australia Masters Regatta will be hosted at CLRC.

Champion Lakes Boat Club

A multi purpose boat club has since been formed at Champion Lakes catering for rowing, canoeing and dragon boating.  The Club is seeking new members and conducts community and novice learn to row programs.  For more information contact Daniel Foucar 0403 710 407.

Water Management

The major environmental issues associated with the development of CLRC were the source of water supply for the waterbody and management of the water quality within it. The ARA undertook drilling investigations to establish the water supply and was required to demonstrate that the water quality within the waterbody could be adequately managed and that any flushing would not have an adverse impact on the environment.

The Lakes required 2.31 GL (Gig litres) of water to initially fill to a depth of 3.5 metres. Loss of water through evaporation, seepage and other uses requires an additional 0.79 to 1.42 GL/year to maintain the water depth. As available superficial groundwater is insufficient to maintain an average water level of 3.5m the development involved the construction of a lined lake to isolate the partially saline waterbody from the groundwater reducing any impacts from saline seepage or high nutrient levels within the superficial aquifer.

To avoid the excessive build up of salt in the Lakes, routine flushing is required. This involves a discharge into the adjoining Southern River during winter. Although flushing may potentially impact the adjoining Riverina system in terms of water quality it has the benefit of helping restore environmental flows.

Water conservation measures were regarded as important design elements and were applied within the development. These include (but are not necessarily limited to:

• Promote use of plant species which have low water and fertiliser requirements;
• Utilise local native varieties;
• Consideration of the collection and transfer of road stormwater drainage to recharge the superficial aquifer or, if the quality is suitable, directly into the waterbody;
• Promotion of landscape treatments sympathetic to climatic conditions and prevailing site conditions – soil types, topography, environment, wetlands;
• Use of “cluster or clump” plantings to provide useable shade areas and better use of reticulated water in preference to single item or symmetrical planting regimes;
• Irrigation of grass and garden areas at appropriate times to minimise evaporative and transpiration losses;
• Ensure that irrigation regime is responsive to prevailing weather conditions;
• Passing harvested rainwater collected from the Western side of the Precinct through nutrient stripping swales before flowing into the water body.

Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) was undertaken to prepare a detailed site contamination assessment and management plan and a study was undertaken to determine the flushing requirements, associated impacts and management options, to the satisfaction of the relevant authorities.

Other relevant environmental factors

Other environmental factors relevant to the development which required detailed evaluation and attention for the purpose of the approvals by relevant environmental agencies, included:

(a) Terrestrial flora: (b) Fauna (c) Wetlands (d) Water quality (e) Groundwater quantity (f) Acid sulphate soils and (g) Noise.

Public Environmental Review

A Public Environmental Review (PER) was undertaken as part of the approval process. The PER described the existing environment and the potential environmental impacts resulting from the proposal, together with design and management strategies.

The PER recommended retention of 7.4ha of remnant vegetation within the development and creation of a 21ha conservation reserve and the preparation of:

1. Construction Environmental Management Plan;
2. Foreshore Management and Revegetation Plan addressing
   • revegetating and restoring conservation areas with appropriate indigenous flora of the Southern River and Forrestfield Complex
   • long-term monitoring of the success of the revegetation and weed eradication program;
3. Weed Control Program developed within the Foreshore Management and Revegetation Plan for the site focuses on eradicating the declared Priority 1 and Priority 2 weed species from conservation areas;
4. Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) within the overall; and
5. Drainage, Nutrient, Irrigation and Water Quality Management Plan (DNIWQMP) a copy of which forms part of the accompanying submission. The DNIWQMP includes a monitoring schedule and contingency in the event that unacceptable nutrient levels are detected in the waterbody and groundwater.