South Trees Wastewater Treatment Plant, Tannum Sands, Queensland

South Trees wastewater treatment plant is located in Tannum Sands, within the Gladstone Regional area of Queensland, Australia. The facility serves a population of 4,333 and has a designed capacity of 1.00 ML/day, reflecting its role as a small-scale municipal treatment plant in a coastal region. As an Australian plant, it operates under the national regulatory framework administered by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, which issues environmental authorities for wastewater discharges. For a plant of this size, secondary treatment is typically required to meet water quality objectives for receiving environments. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local catchment, which ultimately drains into the Coral Sea via the Boyne River estuary. This coastal discharge point is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse marine life including seagrass beds and fish habitats important for the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.

The plant's discharge enters the Boyne River system, which flows into the Coral Sea near the southern Great Barrier Reef. This coastal environment supports seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, and estuarine habitats that are critical for fish breeding and migratory species. Nutrient and pathogen control from wastewater is essential to protect downstream marine ecosystems and recreational water quality.