Plant update - May 2025
20 May 2025
We are completing a series of works at our Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant while our project team continues to progress plans for the most significant upgrade of the plant in a generation.
Castlemaine WRP Project Update
Stream gauge repairs
We are planning to replace an old stream gauge in Campbells Creek near the Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant to better measure flow rates and other data in the waterway.
This work will involve will replacing the existing stream gauge, installing a new electric sensor and cleaning up the overgrown vegetation. Works will take approximately three weeks to complete and will begin in late May/early June.
Benefits of this project include being able to track live data in the creek, improving the health of the creek for animals that call Campbells Creek home and enabling us, DEECA and DJAARA to undertake a flow study on the creek.
Planning Permit submission
As part of the Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant upgrade, we’ve been working closely with Mount Alexander Shire Council to progress our Planning Permit application—an important step in delivering this critical infrastructure project.
The application was recently on public exhibition throughout April and early May, and is now moving through the next stages of Council’s assessment process.
We’ll continue to work in partnership with Council throughout the life of the upgrade project and will keep you informed as key milestones are reached.
Community update
There are even more exciting projects on the horizon that we’re proud to be developing alongside our community. Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing new initiatives that build on our work in the Campbells Creek area — from supporting the local platypus population to delivering infrastructure that better manages stormwater flows into the creek.
These projects are all about enhancing our environment, protecting native species, and creating a healthier, more connected landscape for generations to come.
We know how much our community loves watching birds at the Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant — and we love it too. That’s why, as we prepare for the exciting upgrade of our site, we’re making sure birdwatching remains a safe, accessible, and celebrated activity for everyone.
Our new bird hide will provide a secure, purpose-built space for birdwatchers to enjoy the incredible diversity of birdlife around our lagoons — even while major project works are underway.
We’re finalising our bird hide user agreement, completing all the necessary safety reviews, and putting the finishing touches on this unique space. New paths have been installed to make access easier and safer, and we’re excited to soon open the hide for community use.
We can’t wait to welcome locals and visitors alike to share in the beauty of our wetlands.
Did you know there’s a small but significant piece of local history tucked away on the edge of the Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant?
Adjoining our site is the Cemetery Reserve — a quiet, heritage-listed area believed to be the final resting place of eight individuals interred between 1852 and 1854. At its heart stands a monument erected by the Castlemaine Pioneers and Old Residents’ Association in 1887, recognising this important part of our early colonial history.
We’ve been proud to partner with the Castlemaine Pioneers and Old Residents’ Association to breathe new life into the site. Together, we’re restoring original pathways, enhancing the area with updated signage, and creating a story board to share its fascinating history.
When you visit, you’ll notice a large yellow box tree stump, which will soon feature in our landscaping. This magnificent tree once stood proudly over the Reserve until a storm in 2019 brought it down. Its presence remains a powerful symbol of the site’s endurance and natural beauty.
A new entryway and paths have already been added to the area and we are preparing for a spring planting of native trees and plants to further enhance the space. These plantings will help attract native birds, butterflies, and other pollinators — adding new life to this special place while building habitat for the future.
We’re proud to be working with the community to honour the past, enrich our natural landscape, and continue strengthening connections to this unique site.
We’re looking forward to hosting a community event in September, where we’ll talk more about the projects that keep us busy, provide updates on the Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant upgrade, and share what other works are in the pipeline. We hope to see you there!
The Castlemaine Pioneers and Old Residents’ Association erected this monument in 1887.
Operations update
Noise update – To help further reduce noise from the new blower, we are installing acoustic panels behind it to reduce sound travelling towards town. We will also be installing a second new blower in the coming months.
Maintenance works – The program of essential maintenance works we began in March are almost complete.
We are moving onto the second Dissolved Air Flotation tank. Works will see us clean and inspect it before re-coating the steel lining. DAF tanks are important to our treatment process as the help thicken sludge before it goes to the Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion system. Works will be compete by the end of May.
Cleaning and inspecting our ATADs, which turn sewage sludge into a valued biosolids product for agricultural reuse, was completed in April.
We encourage you to call us on 1300 363 200 to report odour. The more we receive these reports, the more we can build a picture of the areas of our plant that need the most urgent attention.
Our next update will be on Friday 4 July 2025.
