Metropolitan governance is back on the agenda in Australia as cities continue to grow and dominate the economy as well as their surrounding regions. In some sectors, however, metropolitan governance is not new. Water resources have long been governed at a metropolitan scale, even if it has not been explicitly called so. This paper uses the example of water governance in South East Queensland (SEQ) to draw lessons for metropolitan-scale governance across Australia. It discusses why and how water governance in SEQ has become increasingly ‘metropolitan’, the advantages of this approach, and why it has also proved problematic. In particular, the findings of the research highlight how the approach in SEQ has been fragmented. The paper concludes by outlining recommendations for improving coordination and participation at the metropolitan scale.