This aerial photograph from 1946 shows Small Creek as a degraded, meandering chain of ponds, flowing through pastureland, with the city of Ipswich advancing towards it.

Barely two years after construction, life along the creek corridor is flourishing. Image: Airborn Insight.

The existing drain moved water quickly, but didn't provide anywhere for fish or other critters to live. The lack of trees also made the creek corridor hot and uninviting for people.

All concrete from the existing drain has been retained on sight and reused. Image: Alan Hoban.

Image: Airborn Insight.

A new shared path crosses a small pond along the meandering creekline. Existing mature trees have been integrated, and thousands of new trees, grasses, sedges and groundcovers have been planted. Image: Alan Hoban.

There are many ways to see and experience the creek. Image: Alan Hoban.

Image: Alan Hoban.

Image: Alan Hoban.

Image: Alan Hoban.

The project began with Design Your Creek Week, where we set up on site for a week, listening and learning. There were two model creeks so children could design their own creek. (Sadly, we have not been able to find a way to integrate dinosaurs into the final design...)

We had craft activities where kids made little fishing lines and pretended to fish in the concrete drain.

Nearly 80 students from nearly Bremer State High School contributed to Creek Week, making suggestions about things from the need to tell stories of the traditional owners, to a desire for artworks, seating and better paths.

We met with Council's maintenance crews to learn how they operate, and understand their concerns.

By the end of the week we had done initial flood modelling and developed a concept plan and other drawings to present back to Council.

These wonderful neighbours shared a folder of images of the many birds they've observed over the years, in the creek corridor and nearby.

We had the privilege of hearing from Council teams and over 180 local residents during the course of Creek Week.

Jack Mullaly of Ideanthro was commissioned by the Water by Design team at Healthy Land and Water to make a short film about our community co-design process for Small Creek.

Filmed on a glorious Queensland winter afternoon, during a tour organised by the River Basin Management Society, it shows the water running through riffles and meanders into large wetlands, planting starting to establish, and community infrastructure including a new cycle connection.

For those interested in the process, this next series of photos was taken one year after construction of Stage 2 and two years after construction of Stage 1.

Images: Claudia Bergs.

Here, the existing concrete culvert under Briggs Road directs water into the creek. The existing concrete drain was left in place here, and fractured to allow vegetation to take over.

Existing concrete was cut into pieces and relaid to form riffles and chutes.

The fractured concrete with new planting alongside, and vegetation colonising the drain.

…and it formed stepping stones along informal paths.

Extensive revegetation along the creek using riparian and dry Eucalypt forest species.

The existing concrete was also reused to form low retaining walls to manage changes in levels…

One of two wetlands.

A new cycleway through the creek corridor improves access for residents and students of the local high school.

Formal and informal paths weave through the corridor, allowing different experiences. Here, visitors can get right up close to the creek.