Know Your Creek
Brisbane’s Creeks and Catchments
Brisbane is built around its waterways. Some creeks start small, running through bushland high in
the catchment, others flow across our suburbs and through parks. They crisscross our city until
eventually flowing into the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay.
Brisbane’s creeks are diverse in size and characteristics and they play a variety of roles. They
provide habitat for plants and animals, they carry our floodwaters, they provide spaces for us to
interact with nature and cool down, and provide links to walk and cycle through. Our creeks are
special and deserve appreciation. Everyone, no matter where they live, is connected in some way
to their local waterway and surrounding catchment.
Catchment characteristics
A catchment is an area of land surrounded by natural features such as hills, where water flows to
a common low point, such as a creek, lake, river or bay.
Did you know?

Platypus live in a number of local creeks with one sighted only seven kilometres from
Brisbane’s CBD.

The combined catchment area of the creeks and rivers flowing into Moreton Bay is 21,220
square kilometres.

Brisbane has 38 major creek catchments and 630 kilometres of waterways.

There are more than 2000 volunteers working to restore Brisbane’s natural environment
by planting trees, removing weeds and encouraging wildlife.
What Brisbane City Council is doing
Council is protecting and improving waterways in a variety of ways such as:

stabilising creek and river banks on Council land

removing weeds and planting native species

managing urban development

planning for the best use of water, with benefits to people, the environment and the
economy

encouraging and installing water-smart design such as rain gardens

building flood resilience

supporting community catchment care groups.
You’ll find more information online at www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
What you can do to help the waterways
As your home and garden sit within a catchment, you can play a part in helping our waterways.
The water that flows into a stormwater drain or across your land eventually connects to a local
creek.
Consider some simple and effective actions you can take
With your car:

Service your car regularly and watch for leaking oil, brake fluid or other chemicals. These
chemicals will be washed from the road into the local creek when it rains and could
damage the ecosystem.

Always wash your car, boat or caravan on the grass. If you wash it on the road or
driveway the soap may wash into the stormwater drain and straight to your creek.
In your home and garden:

Use fertiliser sparingly (or none at all) and don’t use pesticides in the garden if rain is
expected.

Compost garden waste, especially lawn clippings. Never dump garden waste in a creek or
bushland as it can spread weeds.

Use groundcover plants and mulch to prevent topsoil washing away.

Dispose of oil, paint, cleaners and chemicals at a Council waste transfer station. Never
put them down the stormwater drain.

Build a rain garden or create gullies in your garden to collect and absorb rainfall. It will
slow the flow of water into the stormwater system and your local creek.

Plant native species rather than exotics.
In your neighbourhood:



Put all litter in the bin or take rubbish home with you.
Pick up and dispose of your dog’s droppings in a bin to reduce bacteria entering the
waterways.
Visit your local creek and find out what catchment you live in.
Take action:

Join your local catchment group and help them make a difference to your creek.

Report all environmental incidents such as chemical or oil spills and illegal dumping of
garden waste and household rubbish, whether accidental or deliberate, to Council on (07)
3403 8888.
For more information about Brisbane’s creeks and waterways visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or
phone Council on (07) 3403 8888.
Brisbane’s catchment groups
These busy volunteer groups always welcome a helping hand and new members. Joining a
catchment group is one way you can make a positive difference to Brisbane’s waterways.
Bayside Creek Catchment Group: www.baysidecreeks.org.au
Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee (B4C): www.bulimbacreek.org.au
Cubberla-Witton Catchments Network Inc.: www.cubberlawitton.org
Kedron Brook Catchment Network: www.kedronbrook.org.au
Moggill Creek Catchment Group: www.moggillcreek.org
Norman Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee (N4C): www.n4c.org.au
Oxley Creek Catchment Association (OCCA): www.oxleycreekcatchment.org.au
Pullen Pullen Catchment Group: www.pullenpullencatchment.org.au
Save our Waterways Now, The Gap: www.saveourwaterwaysnow.com.au
Wolston and Centenary Catchments: www.wacc.org.au