FAQs

Maylands Lakes were formed from former clay mines that were used by the nearby brickworks to supply raw materials. When the extraction of clay ceased in 1986, the pits were filled with water over time, and the current footprint of the lakes is not too different from then. The Lakes were formalised with landscaped edges and surrounds as part of the development of the Satterley Peninsula Estate in the 1990s - 2000s. They have since become an important part of the aesthetics of the suburb of Maylands in the City of Bayswater.

From the early 2010s, water quality issues became more prevalent. In recent times, frequent algal blooms and plagues of non-biting midges have caused considerable impacts on those living around the lakes.

The lakes experience persistent water quality issues, with cyanobacterial blooms and non-biting midge. 

 Maylands Lakes requires significant rehabilitation to achieve long-term water quality improvements and to restore the amenity and health of the system. 

The preparation of the Maylands Lakes Environmental Restoration Masterplan will provide a way forward to restore the lakes.

1. Identify ways to improve water quality in the Maylands Lakes system to achieve a suitable water quality.
2. Identify ways to resolve the ongoing midge problem that reoccurs in and around the Maylands Lakes system.
3. Design resilient and sustainable management options to fix these issues.

The final detailed design will be ready for Council endorsement in August 2025.

The City has been allocated $450,000 towards the project from the Federal Government's Urban Rivers and Catchments Program.  

The project team is led by Alluvium Consulting with Josh Byrne and Associates, Seashore Engineering and Bamford Consulting. The recommendations provided by the consulting team will receive oversight from the Maylands Lakes Scientific Advisory Panel and Griffith University.

The Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) will meet with the consultant throughout the development of the Maylands Lakes Environmental Restoration Masterplan. The role of the SAP is to provide independent, impartial, expert advice. The SAP is advisory only and does not have a decision-making function. The recommendations of the panel will be considered by the City. 

The City is pursuing the installation of a pump and filtration system separately to the Masterplan. It should be noted that the use of pumps and filtration will also be considered through development of the Masterplan.