National Innovation award win for Lake Hawdon North
After being honoured with the Australian Water Association Infrastructure Project Innovation Award (Regional) at a state level in November 2025, the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Lake Hawdon North On-Ground Works project went on to secure the National award at the OzWater ’26 Gala in Brisbane on 27 May.
The award recognised the project as a significant infrastructure initiative that has delivered improved prosperity and sustainability outcomes for the community, environment and water industry.
Lake Hawdon North presented a rare opportunity to undertake large-scale wetland restoration to support conservation of endangered and vulnerable species, including migratory waders that have flown from as far away as Siberia and Alaska.
To achieve this, the project implemented on-ground works to improve the site’s ecological character, increase the availability and quality of habitat for migratory and non-migratory shorebirds, and provide substantial benefits to other species. The project restored approximately 790 ha of the wetland, resulting in an anticipated 1,763 ha of suitable habitat being available for shorebirds during critical times.
Central to the improvements was the construction of a regulator on Drain L, which provided a unique management opportunity for variable habitat across the region and increasing resilience in the system. The regulator was designed to manage water levels to recreate a more natural hydrological regime and maintain shallow inundation of the lakebed through late spring and summer, increasing optimal habitat for key shorebird species.
Works also included an adjoining turtle passageway and rock-ramp fishway to ensure safe fish passage.
The project was completed in July 2025 and has already seen favourable results and the return of thousands of birds to the site.
Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin is jointly funded by the Australian Government and the Government of South Australia.
