Environmental Science & Engineering

Burchills Engineering Solutions were engaged by AVID Property Group (Formerly Villaworld) to complete an Ecological Site Assessment and extensive Rehabilitation Management Plan to inform the rehabilitation of a 10ha ecological corridor along the Pimpama River as part of a residential development at 248 Eggersdorf Road, Ormeau. 

The corridor park will form part of a greater regional ecological corridor facilitating movement of fauna between hinterland and coastal habitat. The proposed development also provides protection of wetland habitat for the rare wallum froglet and the extensive revegetation will include planting of at least 5000 koala food trees.

The development proposed the establishment of Marine Industry landuses across five (5) lots with a combined site area of 9.527ha site. The proposed landuses were to integrate with the existing marine industrial operations and consisted of the Hardstand areas for boat storage and maintenance, vehicle and trailer parking areas, boat building/maintenance sheds, associated marine industry facilities i.e. water and sand blasting facilities and pontoon structures attached to the waterfront of lots.

Ecological investigations included detailed marine plant surveys of both seagrass and mangrove communities, as well as management measures to reduce impacts on these marine plants. A Coastal Hazard Assessment was also undertaken assessing the development against the provisions of the State Planning Policy Assessment Benchmarks and State Development Assessment Provisions State Code 8: Coastal Development and Tidal Works.

Burchills were engaged by the City of Gold Coast to provide specialist engineering and environmental consulting services to support a footbridge upgrade in Tallebudgera.

The bridge traverses the Tallebudgera Creek as Scotty Logan Lane, Tallebudgera Valley, and in 2017 the City determined the structure had reached the end of its serviceable life and replacement was required.

Burchills were involved throughout the project from concept planning, through to detailed design. We have undertaken site investigations, environmental assessments, hydraulic study, civil and structural assessment, options analysis, construction costing, with the final deliverable being detailed design of the replacement of Coplick pedestrian bridge and associated shared path connection to an arterial road. Our scope also covered a number of environmental assessments including a detailed ecological assessment and marine plants survey, which were undertaken to identify the impacts of the potential impacts of associated construction works. The assessments identified the presence of number of listed species and marine plant species (Grey Mangrove, River Mangrove, Salt Couch). which would be directly impacted by the project. Burchills staff liaised directly with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) regarding this matter, with Council electing to pay a financial offset for significant residual impacts resulting from the works.

Burchills were engaged by City of Gold Coast to carry out the investigation, planning report and conceptual design of the proposed replacement of Boyds Bridge in Currumbin Valley.

The Boyds Bridge structure located on Currumbin Creek Road in the suburb of Currumbin Valley within the City of Gold Coast has reached the end of its service life and requires replacement.

The completed Planning Report was used to determine the most suitable replacement bridge option to meet the requirements of Council’s brief. Burchills undertook the investigations, conceptual design and options study to produce a Planning Report for the new bridge and associated approach road works. The four options required assessment to establish road geometry, hydraulic assessment, flood immunity, bridge form, sections, environmental impacts and temporary access means during construction. All four concept options were evaluated using a multi criteria analysis (MCA). Our scope of works included ecological surveys and the production of a Detailed Ecological Assessment which was undertaken to identify the potential impacts of associated construction works. The assessment identified that no vegetation units constituting riverine wetlands were situated in the vicinity of the bridge structure with no marine plants present either. Consideration was also given to the passage of fish species up and downstream of the proposed works area. Burchills staff liaised directly with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) regarding this matter to ensure that the design of the bridge did not require a Waterway Barrier Works permit under the Fisheries Act 1994 and that the design of the proposed temporary construction side-track complied with the Code for Self-Assessable Development – Temporary Waterway Barrier Works.

Burchills Engineering Solutions have been engaged to complete the ecological assessments for the Southport Yacht Club, Super Yacht Berth and Parklands.

Southport Yacht Club is developing a superyacht facility adjacent to Jack Gordon Park, Southport. The $7m project includes a major berthing facility for vessels up to 60m in length along with upgrades to the foreshore and existing parklands.

The project is part of the State Governments $60 million investment in The Spit master plan, which supports job-creating projects that will boost tourism opportunities and improve public amenity for the whole community. The new berth will allow the SYC to cater for more, and larger boats, which opens up the Gold Coast to some of the world’s largest and most luxurious yachts. Burchills are completing the engineering planning and design for the project which includes significant revetment walls, mooring facilities and improvements to the foreshore area. To support this, baseline ecological surveys were undertaken to determine the extent of subtidal and intertidal marine plants within and proximate to the works area. Impacts on these marine plants were quantified and discussions with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries secured the approval for disturbance to marine plants, with alternative approaches to offsets for Significant Residual Impacts accepted by the Department. Management measures were also outlined for construction and operation of the facility to reduce impacts on retained marine plants.