Hanlon Park Bur’uda

The restoration of Norman Creek through Hanlon Park is the result of many years of collaboration between N4C and Brisbane City Council under the Norman Creek Catchment Master Plan. Norman Creek has become a living waterway through Stones Corner with the removal of the concrete channel and replacement with a naturalised waterway. There are various ways you can get involved!

Norman Creek through Hanlon Park was once notable for the ageing concrete channel and almost total lack of life in the creek. This was the catalyst for N4C, in partnership with Council, developing the Norman Creek 2012-2031 Master Plan. Bur’uda Hanlon Park is now the jewel in the crown of the Master Plan: a naturalised creek channel with vastly improved ecological health.

Norman Creek was reconfigured with a beautiful meandering low-flow channel, and a wide high-flow channel which is able to handle large volumes of water when the creek is in flood. Freshwater habitats are supported by riparian planting and far more animals and birds are now seen in the park. Simple infrastructure design allows movement of floodwaters with minimum impact due to flood resilient design. Alongside this, pedestrian and cyclist movement is facilitated subject to water levels.

N4C recognises Brisbane City Council’s commitment to this project, and the effort put in by all, whether Council officers or contractors, to fulfil the complex requirements of the project.

Looking after Bur’uda Hanlon Park

Council officers are employed to maintain the park and the waterway. If you notice weed problems, rubbish or damage to the park, call the BCC Call Centre on 3403 8888 so they can schedule the work.

Friends of Bur’uda Hanlon Park

This new group helps BCC with weeding and litter collection throughout the main area of Hanlon Park. Click to find out more.

Burnett Swamp Bushcare Group

This Habitat Brisbane bushcare group has been looking after the Eucalypt woodland and the Bushtucker garden for many years. Click to find out more.

The area from Stones Corner all the way back to Ridge St was referred to by early European settlers as “Burnett Swamp”. This was once a place of celebration and abundance for the local indigenous people. A healthy ecosystem of freshwater habitats, flood plain and intertidal areas including Burnett Swamp provided sustenance for the traditional landowners.

In the 1930s, Norman Creek in this section was channelised into a concrete drain, following the prevailing wisdom at the time of moving floodwaters quickly downstream. This was not always beneficial for those with homes and businesses in the lower catchment and there was no aquatic habitat to speak of in the concrete channel. Meanwhile, pollutants could move quickly down the channel and not be remediated by any vegetation or beneficial microorganisms in the waterway. At the same time as the concrete was showing its age, the community began to recognise the weaknesses of the old engineering solution and see that cities around the world were renaturalising their waterways.

As part of the Norman Creek Catchment Master Plan, N4C submitted concept plans for Hanlon Park; you can download them below.

N4C’s 2012 Draft Strategic Concept Plan (1.3MB)
N4C’s 2013 Draft Strategic Plans for Hanlon Park (2pages, 0.8MB)

The design process for the creek revitalisation restarted in 2018, and the public got involved via a survey and co-design workshop. N4C representatives attended the co-design workshop and collaborated with other community members, engineers, architects and planners. Council released the draft concept plan in late 2018: Click here to see it. The design was then finalised and construction began in 2019 by Epoca Constructions, finishing in 2022.

The Nunukul Yuggera traditional owners provided an Aboriginal name for the new park: Bur’uda, meaning oak tree forest, referring to the swamp oak or Casuarina.

The Burnett Swamp Bushcare Group have been working for over 20 years to restore native vegetation to Norman Creek in Hanlon Park in two locations: the Eucalypt woodland beside the kindy, and the Bushfood garden next to the vet. The group is supported by BCC’s Habitat Brisbane, and aim to bring wildlife back into the area, preserve valuable large trees and facilitate environmental education.

Working bees for Burnett Swamp Bushcare are the first Saturday of the month, 7 to 9am. Meet near the lawn off Cornwall St, Greenslopes. Contact Deb Robbins.

Map of the two parts of the Burnett Swamp Bushcare Site

The two parts of the Burnett Swamp Bushcare Site outlined in green

Bur’uda Hanlon Park as it is today is large, complex and supports some wonderful wildlife. It needs some looking after!

If you would like to help care for this amazing restored waterway, spend some time in the fresh air and learn more about native plants, why not join Friends of Bur’uda Hanlon Park? The group would also suit people who live in an apartment but love gardening.