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New report published! Protection of Headwater Streams: Ideas for Aitken Creek

Headwater streams are disappearing. As urban development expands, these vital waterways—essential for water quality, biodiversity, and ecosystem health—are often overlooked in planning, leading to degradation, pollution, and loss through piping or channelisation.

Earlier this month, Water Sensitive Cities Australia published the ‘Protection of Headwater Streams: Ideas for Aitken Creek’ report, tackling this issue head-on, using Aitken Creek in Melbourne as a case study. Experts from Melbourne Water, the University of Melbourne, and Water Sensitive Cities Australia collaborated through a two-part workshop series, bringing together specialists from science, engineering, planning, and Traditional Owners to explore solutions that balance environmental protection with urban growth.

Aligned with Melbourne’s Healthy Waterways Strategy, this report provides a framework for policymakers, planners, and industry leaders to integrate ecological and water-sensitive practices into urban design. The findings offer a blueprint for protecting headwater streams before they are lost forever.

To find out more about the project and to read the report, head to the Water Sensitive Cities Australia project webpage.