Twelve months ago, as we prepared to embark on our 50th year in business, it seemed Australia would soon be returning to ‘normal’. Alas, things didn’t quite turn out that way, but we have continued powering on, in lock-step with the needs of our customers.

Putting customers and communities first.

Despite ongoing border restrictions and global uncertainty, Fleetwood made the early decision in 2021 to view every challenge and curve ball through a positive lens. Looking back, this solutions-led approach saw us to continue to deliver great outcomes for communities across Australia, while also laying exciting new foundations for the future.

The size and capability of our inhouse team has grown considerably this year. We’ve welcomed new customers and technical partners to the business. All while continuing to provide world-class outdoor structures for our existing customers in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It hasn’t always been easy. But with hard work, close communication and careful management, our team has met every challenge thrown at them, completing award-winning projects across borders without interruption.

As Directors, we are thankful for the dedicated team of experts we have, and excited at the outstanding results they have achieved.

An expanding, national footprint.

From the largest of bridges and play structures to the smallest shelters, we’re grateful for every project entrusted to us this year. It’s also been especially rewarding to see Fleetwood work in a growing number of communities beyond our traditional markets on the Eastern Seaboard. As we continue to help more customers in more parts of Australia – removing risk from their design-led outdoor projects – we’re assuming an increasingly national profile.

Back in August, for example, we began an iconic new public domain project with Walker Corporation for the South Australian Government in the heart of the Adelaide CBD. Closer to our western Sydney roots, we’ve also recently embarked on our first-ever ‘Physical Literacy’ project with Blacktown City Council and Landscape Architects, Scott Carver.

These are just two watershed outdoor projects that will continue well into 2022. There are many more in the design and delivery pipeline too.

What does 2022 hold?

Given the disruptions of 2021, we’ll make no bold predictions! But with a new year almost upon us, there’s cause for real optimism here at Fleetwood. We feel energised as a team. We have big plans. As always, it’s you, our customers, who are at the centre of them all.

Wishing you a safe and relaxing holiday season. We’ll see you in 2022.

Roger & Ian Joyce

Directors

Fleetwood Urban

Beautiful and durable

Our vision was for the new bridge to complement the historic Cooranbong Swing Bridge built at the nearby Weet-Bix factory site back in 1934. To achieve this, a custom twin tower cable-stay design was developed. However, in order to deliver on Council’s brief to withstand a 1 in 100-year flooding event, a significant clear span of 50 metres was required.

“50 metres is a major structure, especially for a cable-stay pedestrian bridge,” reflects Fleetwood Head of Delivery, John Dahdah. “It called for several design innovations including carefully angling the support towers, as well as using specialised tension cables from Italy. While we explored the option of using AS 2156, we ultimately designed the bridge to AS 5100 together with the Ausroads cycle code. It will be standing long after we’re all gone!”

Large scale, high sensitivity

Given the sensitive habitat of the Dora Creek catchment, which flows into pristine Lake Macquarie, there were considerable environmental risks to be carefully managed. “As just one example, the sheer scale and height of the structure meant crane selection was especially important to avoid damage to the surrounding creek banks,” says John Dahdah. “Persistent wet weather, including flooding at the start of the construction window, also made site conditions quite treacherous at times.”

The bridge superstructure and towers were manufactured at Fleetwood’s state-of-the-art facility in Sydney, with pre-assembly in mid-August. Final installation was completed in September 2022 with the bridge set to open to the public in mid-November. A fantastic result for the project stakeholders – and the local Cooranbong community!

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