Compost Blanket Sustainability

Whilst employed by InLink on the construction of the Inland Rail Upgrade as the Senior
Project Engineer and Earthworks Lead for over a distance of 100 km between Parkes in
Narromine in NSW, I continued my association with Valley Hydramulch and Revegetation
which started in 2016 on a major freeway upgrade on the north coast of New South Wales.

When I arrived on the project, VHR had just been selected to carry out the revegetation
works and I became involved with them in their process to determine the best application for
the site considering site restraints including quality of available soils, client requirements for
revegetation, management of supply and delivery of revegetation materials all along the
hundred kilometre alignment, providing design mix applications to various stages along the
hundred kilometre alignment where works were not linearly continuous and involved
significant travel distances and re-establishment between application areas during site visits.
The capability of their Compost Blanket applications to provide service erosion control during
extended dry periods enhanced project sustainability as maintenance watering to
germination and permanent growth was not required as the quantities of water required
was simply not available along the alignment.

The total area treated with complete conformance to our works program and client
requirements was for 2,300,000 sq. m of their nominated compost blanket applications to
the complete satisfaction of the client without any rectification works being required for
Project Practical Completion or ongoing maintenance.

Their professional advice, established investigation and design processes, their compliance
with the InLink Works Program, Site Management and WHS requirements assisted in timely
completion of that section of the Inland Rail Development Project.