About Living Trails

LIVING TRAILS AUSTRALIA

COMPANY OVERVIEW

At Living Trails we specialise in the design and construction of trails and infrastructure within natural environments. Our extensive experience and use of specialist machinery enables us to efficiently and cost effectively complete projects to an exceptional standard in remote or urban locations.

We focus on the aesthetics as well as functionality of the trail, giving full consideration to the features of the environment while maintaining the flow of the trail, thus ensuring the trail user experience is maximised. We are very experienced in trail maintenance, enabling us to make design alterations to existing and newly constructed trails, resulting in reduced ongoing maintenance costs. We pride ourselves on our innovative and detailed approach to trail construction.

With our origins in the picturesque Otway Ranges of south-west Victoria, Living Trails soon developed a reputation for the delivery of high quality works on the Great Ocean Walk and around the iconic Twelve Apostles. We have subsequently delivered projects across Victoria and throughout Australia, including South Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory and the ACT. We have established a strong presence and reputation in quality trail construction in remote areas. Many of our works have been in environmentally sensitive areas reserved as National Parks and other protected areas.

We have undertaken trail construction projects in coastal and dune environments, cool temperate rainforests, semi-arid grasslands, alpine snow gum forests and many other areas.

Our areas of expertise and experience include:

• Design and construction of walking trails;

• Design and construction of trail infrastructure (boardwalks, bridges, lookouts, shelters

  etc);

• Design and construction of mountain bike trails and facilities; and

• Trail audits for maintenance and repair works.

Services Offered Trail design:

Living Trails offers extensive experience in the design of trail routes from concept to final alignment. We have a reputation for minimising construction issues at the concept phase.

Our design services include:

• Design advice at concept phase

• Initial on site route selection in conjunction with stakeholders

• Design advice on user impact

• Design advice in relation to long term maintenance requirements

• Design advice for water and erosion controls

• Design advice for drainage works and other infrastructure

• Design and on site selection of the final trail alignment taking into account all design

  elements and best practice construction methods

  Trail Construction:

  Living Trails experience in construction and earth-moving, built up in over twenty years in the business, enables us to produce world class trails in a wide range of environments. Each location is evaluated to determine the most appropriate construction method to ensure minimal impact on surrounding areas, while providing a cost effective outcome. Our philosophy is to construct trails that evolve with nature.

  Our trail construction services include:

• Hand built trails where site conditions necessitate

• Machine built trails where suited to site conditions

• Car parks and surrounding landscaping

• Rock step construction utilizing on site or imported rock

• Timber step construction utilizing a variety of proven methods

• Water and erosion control devices utilizing a variety of proven methods

• Drainage works (sub soil drains / pipe work etc)

• Culverts / causeways

• Helicopter sling loads

  Infrastructure Construction and Installation:

  At Living Trails we can effectively construct and install all types of infrastructure associated with trails, either by utilizing experienced staff or by engaging suitably qualified sub- contractors.

  Our previous experience includes the design and construction of:

• Bridges, boardwalks and lookout structures

• Retaining walls ( timber, rock, concrete block)

• Fencing and bollards

• Signage

• Shelters

• Seating

Maintenance and Rehabilitation Services:

Living Trails can undertake maintenance and rehabilitation works on existing trails or in conjunction with new construction.

Our maintenance and rehabilitation services include:

• trail realignment and reconstruction

• weed and vermin control

• vegetation control and tree removal

• storm damage repair works

  CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT Cultural Heritage

  Employees of Living Trails are trained in all aspects of cultural heritage awareness. Standard practice is to familiarize all staff of any culturally sensitive or significant areas that may exist within the work site at the pre-work commencement briefing.

  Experience in identifying artifacts and the procedures required to protect them has been gained from previous projects where artifacts have been found. Employees are able to recognize artifacts prior to any works, avoiding disturbance and instigating appropriate management actions.

  Environmental Management

  Living Trails specializes in working in areas of environmental significance and protected areas. At all times we conform to the applicable requirements for:

• Controlling discharge to land and water;

• Controlling emissions to air;

• Controlling noise;

• Protecting social and heritage values; and

• Minimizing spread of livestock or plant disease

  All of the environmental aspects of the worksite are managed in line with EPA requirements and the requirements of the Principal for Contracted works. Minimising the spread of livestock and plant diseases is given full consideration. Our Operating Procedures and Safe Work Method Statements ensure that disturbance to soil and native vegetation due to vehicles and plant are minimised; flora and fauna are protected; soil erosion is controlled; silt is prevented from entering drains or waterways; wastes are stored and disposed of appropriately; oil filled equipment is located away from drains together with spill response equipment; bushfire mitigation procedures are adhered to; noise is kept to within required levels and the job site is cared for and reinstated as required. Our Site Specific Project Plans include environmental considerations and are used to advise compliance. Site specific Environment Management Plans are developed as required.

  We have extensive experience in identifying contaminated trees and/or contaminated areas under threat from myrtle wilt and cinnamon fungus. Procedures undertaken to reduce further spread of the fungus prior to and during work operations include:

  • ·  Sterilisation of all tools and equipment

  • ·  Covering exposed roots with geo-fabric prior to spreading and laying track fill materials

· Sealing any cut roots with approved product
· Plastic wrapping and isolating trees for removal

COMPANY RECOURSES Key Personnel

Project Manager: Adrian Marriner

Adrian has 27 years experience operating machinery in some of Australia’s most challenging and remote locations. He is widely recognised as the most highly skilled machine built walking trail and mountain bike trail builder in Australia. He is an experienced trail designer, having designed trails in two world heritage listed areas and six states and territories in Australia and internationally in Ireland.

Adrian established Marriner Contractors Pty Ltd and Living Trails to provide excellence in trail construction and maintenance, with an emphasis on providing a service to protected area land managers.

Team Leader: Jordan Marriner

Jordan has been working for the company for six years. He is an extremely competent machine operator with extensive experience in stone step construction, stone flagstaff paving and all aspects of machine and hand trail construction.

Trail Builder: Matt Zurbo

Matt brings 22 years of rain forrest restoration and walking trail infrastructure works, Matt has transformed many run down farms back into natural rainforests, with an extensive experience in transplanting Myrtle Beech, native ferns and many other rain forrest species.

Employees

Living Trails employs 7 full time staff based in Tasmania

Our staff have worked on projects covering a wide range of site conditions and trail types from Cape York savannah and the wet tropics of North Queensland to the Alpine areas and cool temperate rainforests of Victoria. A large part of our work is undertaken in the coastal environment along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.

All our staff are experienced in:

• ·  all aspects of walking track construction

• ·  working at away from home locations

• ·  working in remote area locations and/or where camping on site is required.

  If required for a particular project additional qualified and experienced personnel are employed on an as needs basis.

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

Living Trails specialised fleet of machinery and equipment has been selected to enable cost effective construction methods for a wide range of trail type, widths and terrain.

The machinery and equipment we utilise on each project is determined by the site conditions, accessibility and materials to be used in the construction.

Considerations in selecting the necessary equipment are:

• specified trail width

• trail surface treatment

• allowable disturbance corridor through the natural area

• allowable impact on the surrounding area

• site access available (vehicle access / walk in / fly in)

• access to on site materials

• access to imported materials

  Fleet details:

• Five compact excavators

• two low ground pressure skid steer loaders

• Three 500kg and one 1200kg capacity tracked dumpers

• hydraulic trail surface power rake

• one rubber tracked 3500kg capacity Yanmar tipper

• two 6 wheel drive 1200kg capacity compact Yanmar tippers

• a purpose built tow grader for trail grading

• Honda track power carriers

• two single axle tip trucks

• 4x4 on/off road tipper (landcruiser)

• quad bike and tow behind chipper

• small equipment / pumps / compactors / roller / hand tools etc

• Helicopter kibbles for transporting gravel

  Previous projects
  2019
  - Gunlom Falls elevated stairs and viewing platform, Kakadu National Park - Cape Hillsborough nature trail
  - Jamieson Creek to Separation Creek trail, Great Ocean Rd

  2018

  - Three Capes Track, upgrades to the Cape Raoul section of trail.

• -  Milkshake Hills, Tasmanian Tarkine Region, rebuild the trails and elevated walkways after

  2016 fire damage.

• -  Lake St Clair, build 520m of FRP elevated walkway, a new lookout and 2.5km of trail along

  lake edge.

• -  Mount Inkerman North QLD, Design and construct a climbing nature trail to the top of Mt

Inkerman, including 560 steps.

- Sheoak Falls, reconstruct timber steps and gravel path to the falls.

2017

• Three Capes Track, upgrade the Cape Raoul Track Design & Construct
• Wye River flood and fire recovery works, design and consult to DELWP, Vic Roads and

Colac Otway Shire

2016

• Grampians Peaks Trail, Design and Construct the Piccaninny Trail.

• Under Lava Tubes, Design & Construct sunset walking track and viewing area

• Kalkani Volcanic Crater North QLD, upgrade the walking track to the top ring of the

  crater Design & Construct

• Mungana Caves Chillagoe North QLD, Design & Construct stone steps and upgrade

  to the path to Balancing Rock

• Magnetic Island, upgrade the Henry Lawson Trail through the inter tidal zone at

  Horseshoe Bay

  Great Ocean Walk, Design & Construct track upgrades at Marengo and Submarine Rock

  2015

• Three Capes Track, portions 1&9 we had 4 crews with 19 people building two very difficult sections.

• Bare Hills Art Site North QLD, we built two viewing areas in front of the aboriginal paintings and a walking track near Davies Creek. Design & Construct

• Mount Schank Crater South Australia, design & construct a more mobilities trail to the summit of the crater.

• Grampians Peaks Trail, upgrades in the Mount Rosea area

  2014

• Grampians Peaks Trail, Grampians National Park – construction of six new kilometres walking trail in steep, rocky, remote terrain. Includes several creek and gully crossings

• Great Ocean Walk upgrade – Design & Construct several sections

• Great Ocean Walk maintenance contract

  2013

• Design and construct Mt Rosea to Sundial walking trail, Grampians

• Design and construct Big walk, Mt Buffalo

• Great Ocean Walk upgrades Cape Otway to Castle cove and 3 Creeks

• Design and construct Chilligoe trails, Queensland

• Great Ocean Walk maintenance contract

  2012

• Great Ocean Walk Design & Construct Re-Alignment Devil’s Kitchen to Wreck Beach car park

• Riversleigh Fossils, World Heritage Area Western QLD, trail re-development. Design & Construct

• Under the Radar mountain bike trail construction Townsville

• Great Ocean Walk maintenance contract

  2011

• Boodjamulla National Park day visitor area re-development Design & Construct

• Great Ocean Walk Re-Alignment Moonlight Valley

•

• Trail upgrade Mount Howwit - Gantner Hut

• Trail upgrade Cudgewa Falls Design and Construct

• Rock n Roll mountain bike trail construction Townsville Design & Construct

• Glenample lookout and trail, Great Ocean Walk

  2010

  • • •

  • •

  1991-2009

• Design and construct new walking trail into Alligator Creek Falls, Bowling Green Bay National Park QLD

• Construct and 2 new walking trails - Castle Hill, Townsville

• Rehabilitation works and new rock stair construction to walking tracks - Castle Hill

  Townsville.

• Design and construction of mountain bike trails - Townsville

• Construct stone steps and new trail Bogong High Plains, Falls Creek near Wallace’s

  Hut

• Construct 360 stone steps and 24 water bars on the Staircase Spur, Mt Bogong.

• Trail clearing, benching and stone water bar construction Mt Buffalo

• Restoration of the historic Mitchell Bridle Trail (built in 1896)

• Fainter Falls stone seat and dry stone wall construction.

• Design & Construct Carisbrooke Falls hand rail and viewing platform.

• Point Franklin walking trails Great Ocean Walk, construct.

• Tanybryn Falls walking trails design and construct.

• Stevenson’s Falls walking trail reconstruct.

• Forest mountain bike trail network, design and construct.

• Beechy Rail Trail.

• Beauchamp falls trail and step construction.

• Marriners Falls trail design and construct.

• Construction of Dirt Jumps Murray Dirt Jump Park Townsville.

• Trails for Mitcham City Council Adelaide.

• Mt Stromlo trails Canberra.

• Third Lagoon walking trail construction Brisbane.

• Karawatha Forest walking trails Brisbane.

• Fog Dam walking trail Northern Territory.

• Gibson Steps path and viewing platform, Port Campbell National Park

• The Arch viewing platforms, hand rails and paths Port Campbell National Park

• Worm Bay Beach access upgrade Port Campbell National Park

• Lake Elizabeth walking trail and car park

Great Ocean Walk Re-Alignment from Devil’s Kitchen to Princetown
Walking track erosion repairs and new rock stair construction, Castle Hill Townsville. Design and construction of mountain bike trail - Douglas Mountain Bike Reserve Townsville
Design and Construction of flights of stone stairs - Great Ocean Walk Apollo Bay Design and construction of Wallace – Cope trail upgrade, Bogong High Plains, Alpine National Park