Winner of an International Fabrics Association (IFAI) Outstanding Achievement Award 2010.

The Local Government funded redevelopment of the Cameron Rocks fishing platform included sheltering the new composite wood and fibreglass deck with shade sails. The size, location and purpose of the deck generated some challenges that we successfully overcame. These included:

• The sail posts could not be attached to the new deck, but had to be secured to the riverbed rocks below the platform
• The natural environment surrounding the post footings had to be protected and preserved throughout the construction process
• The high salinity of the Brisbane River meant that the posts, bolts and under-deck bracing struts had to be manufactured out of marine grade stainless steel and powder coated using a two coat system which consisted of a primer and a colour

To manage these challenges, we redesigned the shade system so that only one sail was required. This reduced the cost of labour and stainless steel cables required and also maximised the area of shade available to patrons who would be seated on the benches located on the deck.

The installation of the posts proved to be an exhaustive and uncomfortable task. In addition to the precautions taken to ensure the protection of the surrounding environment, the footings could only be worked on at low tide as the water level was above the footing height at high tide. Great care was taken to make sure that the composite deck was not damaged during the construction process.