Nestled between Arrowtown and Lake Hayes, Waterfall Park is being developed as a luxurious experience just a short drive from Queenstown. Located at the base of a picturesque waterfall and surrounding the beautiful Mill Creek, Waterfall Park heritage site will be transformed with extensive landscaping, including the restored Ayrburn Domain, a selection of restaurants, event spaces, a chapel, a day spa and wellness retreat, as well being a hub for the region’s pedestrian and cycle trails.
To create room for a level pathway leading to the base of the waterfall, a 150m long, 20m high steep slope rising to a forested area above required cutting back. The area needed to be returned to a naturally grass bank once developed, so Wilson Contractors sought a soil stabilisation solution that could be vegetated once installed.
DESIGN
With unstable soil conditions within the steep cut face, DuraMat RF heavy-duty turf matting would be laid out and secured using Platipus B6 Anchors. Once vegetated, this robust turf matting would become part of the structural integrity of the bank. The designed layout of the rolls strategically followed the natural slope angles while minimising overlap. An area of trees at the upper slope nearest the waterfall also had to be taken into consideration.
The design incorporated approximately 200 B6 Anchors, which would permanently tie the matting to the slope and stabilise the soil beneath, helping to protect the intended pathway alongside Mill Creek below.
INSTALLATION
Access into the site was difficult, with the slope face cut back in stages from the top of the slope to allow contractors to safely insert, compact and test each anchor. Once a stage was cut and anchors were signed off, Wilsons would then cut the next level to allow the next set of anchors to be placed. Once all anchors were installed, each 25m roll of DuraMat turf matting was secured in an anchor trench at the top of the slope, then rolled down over the cut anchor extensions and secured using an anchor plate. The DuraMat matting was then pinned down using DuraMat Pins.
Water runoff management was also a consideration, as the slope was so close to Mill Creek, with all runoff channelled to a location further within the main site.
Sewn with lush, green grass, this steep slope secured by DuraMat and Platipus Anchors now creates one side of a natural valley alongside the newly built pathway and river, giving visitors easier access to Mill Creek Falls.
The DuraMat and ARGS Anchors provided the following benefits to the project:
- The slope is operational as soon as the anchors are compacted and tested to requirements.
- DuraMat becomes part of the slope’s integral structure.
- Protects loose soil and new planting while vegetation grows.
