The Burton West Wetlands Upgrade transforms a highly modified urban detention basin into a resilient landscape that supports stormwater management, biodiversity and community connection. Delivered for the City of Salisbury in collaboration with the Neilly Group and Salisbury Water, the project demonstrates how functional water infrastructure can become valuable public open space.

 

CLOVER developed the landscape concept design to strengthen the ecological performance of the wetlands while creating a welcoming environment for people to experience and enjoy nature. A layered palette of indigenous planting re-establishes habitat for local flora and fauna, improves water quality and contributes to long-term urban greening, cooling and ecological resilience.

 

New shared-use pathways and accessible connections integrate the wetlands with the surrounding neighbourhood, encouraging walking, recreation and informal nature experiences. Carefully considered planting, open space and habitat zones balance environmental function with community amenity, creating opportunities for birdlife, seasonal change and everyday interaction with the landscape.

 

Drawing on extensive experience in Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), wetland landscapes and biodiversity restoration, CLOVER delivered a practical and enduring landscape response that supports Council's environmental objectives while enhancing the character and liveability of Burton. The result is a contemporary wetland landscape that celebrates the important relationship between water, ecology and community.

 

More than a piece of water infrastructure, Burton West Wetlands demonstrates how thoughtful landscape architecture can transform engineered systems into places that restore habitat, strengthen biodiversity and reconnect communities with the natural environment.