⁰¹ Discover

Because the existing boardwalk had degenerated it had become a safety hazard, so Council decided to replace the whole structure. The focus of the Discovery sessions was mostly on how we’d remove the old boardwalk and quickly install a new one. This process needed to have no long-term impact on the surrounding environment and blend in with the existing wetland scenery.

The cool, moist conditions found within these gullies create the perfect habitat for some of the reserve’s animals like finches, wrens, whip birds and ringtail possums. But it makes the surfaces very hazardous for people like us.

Brainstorming the challenge with our Design-Led Engineers and Structural Specialists, we discovered that our partners at the Council wanted a highly durable, and low maintenance solution, that would provide firm grip in the wet and slippery conditions along the trail. But just as important, the boardwalk needed to blend into the surroundings and almost become ‘part of the natural environment’.

⁰² Develop

Fleetwood won a competitive tender process to design and construct the new walkway, as well as demolish the old one. For this project, we designed a boardwalk made for tight access within this environmentally sensitive location.

Mars^TM is an incredibly economical structure to build and construct for either single or multi-span boardwalk requirements because it has spans of less than 4m.

For this environment, the product delivered a boardwalk that naturally blended in with the surroundings. And because it used durable materials, the Mars^TM boardwalk could endure a constantly damp and sometimes flooded environment.

⁰³ Detail

It’s in the ‘Detail’ section of our DE² process that the project comes to life. At this stage, we’re typically creating prototypes to test materiality and construction techniques to ensure the client-partners needs can be met. And because the focus with this project was on the environmental challenges, we ensured the materials would deliver the highest quality.

The final solution was an 800m elevated riparian access structure, made almost entirely from fibreglass. This included the supports, headstocks, joists, and decking. The only non-fiberglass elements were the stainless-steel fixings and galvanised handrails.

⁰⁴ Deliver

It was necessary to develop cost-effective systems to install the structure. These included specialist piling tools that eliminated the need for a piling rig and an excavation machine to dig foundations.

Thanks to the careful design consideration from our team in the Design Engineering Hub, materials could be walked in and most works are done by hand. This eliminated the need for heavy machinery and minimised the construction impact on the sensitive ecosystem.