Waterways, Victoria


Waterways is a residential suburb located in Melbourne's south 25 km south of the Melbourne CBD. Originally a housing development, it is just east of Mordialloc.
It is Australia's only suburb that's 20% parkland and 40% water. Over 46 hectares of wildlife sanctuary were artificially created in and around the swampy marshlands of Mordialloc Creek.
The Waterways suburb location is environmentally sensitive as it is situated directly between two conservation areas, Braeside Park and the Edithvale wetlands Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands. Planning permits are strictly regulated and gardens monitored to keep the suburb as native as possible for the abundant wildlife in the area. The Mornington Peninsula branch of the Bird Observers Club of Australia or have documented 105 different species of birds in the area. For this reason cats are also forbidden.

History

Construction on Waterways Estate began in May 2000, due to end within five years. Waterways got its name from its waterways which are essentially a number of man made wetlands and giant lakes in and around the estate.
The lakes serve as a Melbourne Water filtration system for fresh water flowing down from Dandenong and Mordialloc Creeks then into Port Phillip Bay.
Although the development was due to be completed in 2006, the developer applied for, and was subsequently granted permission from Kingston Council to increase the suburb's size. The final stage of the development, called Argyle, was completed in July 2011.
Waterways was rated higher than Toorak, Brighton or Canterbury - or anywhere else, apart from the 63 people living on South Wharf - in an index of socio-economic advantage compiled from the 2011 census.

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