Jan Juc creek is naturally an ephemeral waterway. As the township of Jan Juc developed in the 1960's the alignment of the creek was highly modified as utilities and drainage were moved underground. In the 1970's, the Shire of Barrabool installed a 'low flow' pipe under Jan Juc creek removing flows from the surface in an attempt to 'beautify' the creek area by transforming it into a grassed recreational reserve. Stormwater runoff from the adjacent residential catchment was also conveyed through the underground pipe and eventually out to the ocean.
In 2012, the 'Friends of Jan Juc Creek Reserve' (FJJCR) community group presented council with the idea of reinstating sections of the creek to a more natural state by removing underground drainage infrastructure and recreating the creek channel (daylighting). In 2013, council began work to develop a concept design for daylighting Jan Juc creek and in 2014 Stage one of the project commenced.