Today a small team from Westpac bank’s Analytics & Insights group helped out with a challenging walking track project.  The team arrived first thing in the morning and included Bruno, Ken, Olek and Molood.

Most of the team had been to CUE Haven before, and we took some time to catch up over morning tea.  Mahrukh gave an update on recent activities and Thomas then gave a safety briefing and a description of the work planned for the day.

The plan for the day was to build a small boardwalk into an area of the wetlands that we want to continue planting in.  The area is very wet and challenging to access and a boardwalk will enable easier access to the area for planting.

We carried the gear out to the work site.

Thomas showed the team the area for the boardwalk and the first task was to clear away vegetation to give the team room to work.

The plan for building the boardwalk was to first build a framework which would be secured into the ground and then to nail on the top boards.  The team used one of the frame boards to test the level of the ground.

The next step was to level the ground to ensure the boardwalk could be securely attached and even.

Once the area was prepared, the team went to work building the frame.

Once the frame was prepared, it was carried to the site and positioned.

They tested it to ensure the frame was level.

And did some additional digging to get it just right.

Once the frame was level and in position, it was secured with long pegs to prevent the boardwalk from moving.

Because the new boardwalk joins the existing track at an angle, it was a challenge to connect the two. The team used small wood blocks to connect the sections and also create a platform to secure the top boards.

Once the frame was secure, the team could calculate how many top boards would be needed.  They also decided to extend the framework by an additional two meters to provide better access to the area.  We went back to the shed to cut the necessary timber.

The new timber and additional mesh was taken out to the site.

The frame for the new section was assembled.

Once the new frame was levelled and pegged in place, the team went to work installing the top boards.

A special wedge shaped board was needed for the join up to the existing track.

That required careful planning, measuring and cutting.

And the result is a nice professional job.

As the top boards were being installed, the team also started work on the mesh they put down to provide traction.  The required amount of mesh was measured out and cut to size.

The mesh was attached to the boardwalk with wire staples.

The new boardwalk section is a great addition to the CUE Haven wetlands and will make a big difference as we continue to plant out the area. 

Many thanks to Bruno for organising the volunteer day and continuing to champion CUE Haven at Westpac.

And a huge THANK YOU to everyone for coming out to volunteer for the day and for all your hard work and efforts.  We really enjoyed spending time with you and the interesting conversations. Your hard work and amazing contribution to CUE Haven is most appreciated. We hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did and we look forward to having you out again for another fun and productive volunteer day next year.

And we also look forward to having you out with your friends and family for a leisurely visit soon to explore more of CUE Haven.

Thank You!! Thank You!!