West Creek CBD Corridor Master Plan

The master plan for the West Creek corridor of the Gowrie Creek catchment is a concept for creek improvements in the section from Herries Street to Ruthven Street in the city centre reach. The master plan achieves the following goals identified in the Gowrie Creek Catchment Management Strategy:

• Flooding and erosion control - flooding will be mitigated through increased channel capacity; erosion will be reduced by planting channel banks;
• Water quality - will be enhanced through a series of sediment basins and gross pollutant traps located upstream of Herries Street;
• Ecology and habitat - tree planting will create a habitat corridor for birds; understorey planting along the creek corridor and creation of a series of ponds will enhance the habitat value for terrestrial fauna;
• Open space, recreation and aesthetics - this section of West Creek will create important recreational linkages between East Creek, West Creek, and Gowrie Creek. The enhancement of the creek corridor will significantly improve the aesthetics and celebrate the presence of water through the centre of Toowoomba;
• Land use improvement - the enhancement of the creek will create development opportunities for sites fronting the creek and will encourage more appropriate land uses which relate to the creek environment; and
• Finance and implementation - education and community awareness on the creek will be enhanced through the improvements in the city centre reach.  There is a future opportunity for a Visitors Centre at the confluence of East and West Creek where residents and visitors  are able to learn about the natural and cultural values of the local creeks.

The West Creek Corridor Master Plan is a concept that details the urban design strategies for the corridor in relation to CBD context planning, landscape character, vehicle, pedestrian and cycle circulation and recreational facilities.