The construction phase of the project began in May 2018 and we received official approval from Cairns Regional Council and the site was handed over to Crystalbrook in February 2019. We faced many obstacles during a tight construction phase. The construction period was compressed and it was not uncommon to have many trades stepping over each other on site at the same time. Simple things like booking the crane for installation of established palms and trees proved to be difficult as other trades became a priority and it seemed landscape was always put back. It became apparent that communication on site was crucial for a successful outcome.
It was also a tumultuous construction period where Cairns endured extremely hot weather in early December during timing of final planting to then experiencing the wettest month since 1975 which included two tropical low weather systems developing off the Coral Sea.
With all of the obstacles we had to face, we believe the final outcome is truly remarkable. With a detailed Landscape Specification that contained specific requirements for different topsoil media, type of fertiliser, altering irrigation to suit the conditions, etc we provided a platform to deliver a product that can withstand extreme climatic conditions.
Other documents to confirm a successful product long term included a detailed Landscape Maintenance Manual which included weekly and monthly worksheets and a detailed scoping document to adhere to.