The Coast Golf Course and Recreation Club

The Coast Golf Course and Recreation Club.


Client	Lendlease
State	New South Wales

A masterstroke for one of Sydney’s most beautiful golf courses.

Hugging the jagged coastline of Little Bay and the Pacific Ocean, The Coast is one of Sydney’s most beautiful 18-hole golf courses.

Lendlease had recently developed an area of greenspace adjacent to the course and minor reconfigurations meant there was a narrow – but very deep gorge – between the 16th and 17th holes.

With limited experience in delivering access solutions of this nature, Lendlease appointed Fleetwood directly to design, fabricate and install a 19-metre clear span bridge to provide safe passage for golfers across the gorge.

Despite the challenges of an exposed and dangerous site, we used our proprietary methodology to deliver a modified version of our Balmoral bridge system, combining high strength with a slender form that seamlessly blends into its natural setting.

Our involvement.

Fleetwood was contacted directly through an existing contact at Lendlease who we’d worked with before. After preliminary discussions about the objectives, we provided a formal quote to deliver the new bridge at The Coast Golf Club. This was accepted and we quickly moved into the design and detailing stages, using our proprietary project methodology to modify our standard Balmoral bridge system for the specific needs of the site.

The final structure spanned 19m in length and was pre-fabricated entirely at our state-of-the-art production facility in western Sydney, before being installed on-site in just one day.

Despite the challenging coastal location, the project was delivered on time and on budget, without any complications.

How does this project inspire people to love the outdoors?

The bridge has ensured one of Sydney’s most spectacular 18-hole golf courses remains beautiful and easily accessible. By making the course route safer for golfers of all ages and abilities, it removes participation obstacles and helps to attract more members and visiting players every week

Design Challenge

Lendlease were not entirely sure how to approach the project. It was a tricky site, the bridge had to be as small and as light as possible. But it also needed to span a reasonably long distance.

The solution was for our design team to modify to our standard Balmoral bridge, allowing it to easily connect the gorge without being too heavy or wide.

To preserve the sweeping views, a light blue colour scheme was chosen to match the profile of the ocean, giving the bridge a subtle and understated form.
Construction Challenge

The fall risk was very real. This made installation more challenging than usual, with a variety of site-specific safety measures required.

Construction wise, we invested considerable time and effort up front at the design stage, being especially mindful of materials to keep the weight of the bridge down – without compromising on its structural integrity. It was all about finding the perfect balance.
Innovations

Lendlease wanted a bridge that would need very little ongoing maintenance. They also required a highly-sustainable solution that would minimise the physical and aesthetic impacts on the surrounding landscape – ruling out the use of steel, concrete and traditional timber decking.

Into this void, our design team came up with the solution of using wood plastic composite (WPC), an innovative new material from the USA with an authentic wood-like finish, known for its excellent durability in harsh coastal environments. It was the first project Fleetwood had ever specified with WPC decking.
Features
- Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) decking
- Lightweight & streamlined structure
- Colours to match the ocean for a subtle profile
Safety & Risk Considerations

There was a very real risk of a nasty fall, 18m down to jagged rocks below. This meant we had to be extremely careful when installing the bridge.

Proper procedure was taken by roping off certain sections and ensuring crews stayed back from the edges of the gorge by set distances.

We also implemented a detailed lift program so everybody knew where they were meant to be on site and what their role was.

Coupled with Lendlease’s strict on-site safety protocols, the bridge install was completed without incident.
Sustainability Considerations

To minimise its environmental footprint, the bridge was designed to be as light, compact and low maintenance as possible.

With the golf course being on such a beautiful piece of land with awe-inspiring views we also had to be very mindful of preserving the surrounding environment, especially during installation.

We built the entire structure offsite and then installed it in one day, significantly reducing the time and disruption on site.