Abstract
Concrete channels and non-functional landscapes are abundant in many older urban settings. They exist as a legacy to traditional, outdated water management strategies that had, as their principal objective, the rapid transit of stormwater through catchments out to sea. The long-term economic, social and environmental costs associated with such strategies have been well documented. In contrast, urban catchments are now designed to meet multiple objectives, including the provision of healthy, diverse ecosystems and represent the goal of many researchers, planners and managers who have embraced the principles of water sensitive urban design (WSUD).