A major regional council on the east coast of north Queensland sought a way to improve pedestrian access to its busy main beach. The beach enjoys high visitation by locals due to it being close to the regional city centre but accessing the beach by foot has become difficult and a potential safety risk due to the soft nature of the existing sand access path.

The council, which hosts a popular tourist event on the beach each year was looking for a cost-effective, non-intrusive solution that would provide a solid structure base to walk on for safe, easy access to the beach area. Additionally, they were also looking to retain the natural appearance of the path while stabilising it so it could better support heavy foot traffic. Concrete was not an option for the council due its cost and its lack of aesthetic appeal.

The council used the GEOHEX™ Erosion Control system as a sub-base to stabilise the sand and provide a compact and sturdier pedestrian path capable of supporting heavy foot traffic. To prepare for the installation the sand on the existing path was firmly packed down using a small dozer. A geofabric membrane was then laid underneath the GEOHEX™ pavers to ensure that the system didn’t sink into the sand over time. The GEOHEX™ pavers were then laid by hand on top of the geofabric membrane, with sand from the beach used to fill and stabilise the system.

The installation used 510m2 of the GEOHEX™ paving system, and now provides visitors with a safer and more easily accessible path to the beach. Able to absorb heavy loads, the GEOHEX™ Erosion Control System offers a unique, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution to a common problem facing many popular Australian beaches.