Discover the Eastlink Landscaping Project.

It’s one of the biggest projects ecoDynamics delivered, with 480 hectares of landscaping, including 70 wetlands and 4 million native plants.

Commercial landscaping on an unprecedented scale

Eastlink is a 39 km electronic tollway that forms a part of Melbourne’s emerging ring road system, connecting the Eastern Freeway in Mitcham with the Frankston Freeway and the Mornington Peninsula Freeway in Melbourne’s Southeast.

Delivered by Thiess John Holland at a cost of $2.5B, Eastlink is the largest urban road project ever constructed in Victoria.

Landscape Australia recognised this Eastlink Landscaping Project as one of the ten most significant works of Australian landscape architecture from 2001–2017.

The Eastlink alignment passes through 5 local government areas, 11 major environmental vegetation communities, and 15 landscape character types.

Our Vic team secured a contract to:

• construct 480 hectares of landscaping
• plant over 4 million native trees, shrubs and plants,
• create 70 wetlands to manage rainwater runoff from the road surface

The practicality of delivering a project on such an enormous scale meant that there were serious risks in completing it on time.

Thiess John Holland approached ecoDynamics to enter an alliance contract to deliver the project to mitigate this risk.

ecoDynamics offered Thiess John Holland specialised construction knowledge in the delivery of large-scale landscapes.

An integrated project team materialised, unifying construction and landscaping personnel for seamless project execution

The Eastlink Landscaping Project requirements were unprecedented in scale, with the scope detailing:

• 4.7M plant installation
• 200 hectares of grassing
• the construction of 70 wetlands

A project this size required all ecoDynamics Group resources, precipitating significant growth in the business.

Our Vic nursery capacity was more than doubled, and timber processing capacity at our Mossrock Mulch depot was significantly increased to meet the needs of the project.

50,000 native plants installed per day to meet practical completion

Delivered over a two-year period, strict project deadlines meant ecoDynamics maintained a workforce of over 100 team members on-site at any given time.

Our Group was innovative in sourcing labour by looking to new participants in the construction industry to meet the demands of the project.

As a result, the business employed people from agricultural backgrounds, including a large number of people with Cambodian heritage.

Many employed on Eastlink continued to work with ecoDynamics after making themselves a key part of our highly skilled workforce.

Eastlink was constructed during the millennial drought, which necessitated planting through summer to meet construction deadlines. The Vic landscaping team installed 50,000 plants per day, requiring up to 6 water carts running to ensure the survival of the plants in temperatures averaging 38 degrees Celsius.

Despite the difficult conditions, planting was successful, with over 95% of all plants surviving.

The project won several awards for design and landscape outcomes. Its awards include:

• 2016/17 – GSERB Infrastructure Assessment awarded Eastlink the top 5-star rating
• 2010 – AILA Landscape Architecture Award – Design (VIC)
• 2009 – Outstanding Social Impact, Architectural & Design Excellence in the Southeast (VIC)
• 2009 – Chairman’s Premier Award, Architectural & Design Excellence in the Southeast (VIC)
• 2009 – Outstanding Urban Design, Architectural & Design Excellence in the Southeast (VIC).

Collaborative contractual arrangements vital to success

The collaborative contractual arrangements formed to deliver the Eastlink project were fundamental to its success, with all parties working together to deliver the project and solve challenges.

ecoDynamics has partnered with John Holland on projects such as Ravenhall Prison, Airport Drive and Malmsbury Bypass.

More than a decade after Eastlink was opened to the public, ecoDynamics is still involved with the project through our Services team, who regularly assist the road operator ConnectEast with re-mulching installation.