Converting waterlogged Melbourne volcanic clay into an all-weather 365-day play retreat with high-density synthetic grass, agricultural drainage, and raised sleeper garden beds.
The homeowners purchased a modern family residence in Alamanda, Point Cook. While the interior was stunning, the backyard was unusable for eight months of the year. Heavy clay soil trapped Melbourne's winter downpours, turning the yard into a quagmire that tracked mud into the house via the family dog and kids.
The zero-gradient boundary left standing water less than two metres from the home's concrete slab footing—a serious risk for slab heave. The client requested a zero-maintenance lawn that stayed lush green year-round without muddy paw prints or synthetic chemical fertilisers.
Our excavation crew removed 120mm of heavy clay across 185 square metres and graded a 1% continuous fall toward a perimeter drainage swale. We laid 40 metres of 100mm slotted ag-pipe wrapped in non-woven geofabric, discharging directly into the property's legal legal stormwater connection.
Over this, we laid and roller-compacted 90mm of class-3 crushed rock, followed by 25mm of washed crusher dust. We installed Australian-manufactured 35mm multi-tone synthetic turf with UV inhibitors and rounded kiln-dried silica sand infill. We framed the lawn with treated pine garden beds planted with weeping lilly pillies.
"Our backyard went from an embarrassing clay swamp to the kids' favourite place in the house. Even after heavy rains, the grass is dry within 15 minutes. Oz Landscapers were fast, polite, and exceptionally thorough."
