What a sensational win for this amazing Parramatta Light Rail project to have the first section of Nara Native Zoysia rolled out to create Australia’s longest stretch of green track.
This milestone event is just the start of seeing Nara Native Zoysia become an integral part of other “unique and sustainable” projects.
The landscaped green track – a first for New South Wales (NSW) – is expected to become a key attraction in three places: the Cumberland Hospital heritage precinct; Robin Thomas Reserve; and Tramway Avenue.
The NSW Government announced in October 2019 that the project would include Australia’s longest green track, totalling about 1 kilometre of grass between and beside the light rail tracks.
It’s part of a plan to help “green” Parramatta, which also includes the planting of at least 3500 new trees to create shade in some of the suburb’s hottest streets.
HL Landscapes laid Nara Native Zoysia supplied by Abulk Turf as well as Palmetto Buffalo, in a 12 metre x 4 metre above ground prototype built near the now disused Rosehill Station in June of last year as a trial.
Scott Campbell, project manager for HL Landscapes said the prototype was used to test the durability of the varieties and how they performed on different soil types and depths.
“There were four zones within that prototype,” he said. “Two of those zones had the same turf and two zones had the same profile.”
One of the profiles had 300 millimetres of topsoil over 100mm of a medium transition sand. The other had 300mm of topsoil over 130mm of transition sand, then 70mm of a coarser sand.
A drip irrigation system was installed in the soil, with drippers extending up into the root zone.
In the end it was Nara Native Zoysia that came up trumps in the trial and was the chosen turf to grace Australia’s longest stretch of green track.
According to the Jess from Abulk Turf, Nara Native Zoysia was chosen for its superior low maintenance, high drought tolerance and hard characteristics.
Jess said the Nara Native Zoysia also was more resilient because it rooted deep into the soil whereas Buffalo roots were exposed and inclined to run across the top.
“Nara Native Zoysia is quite dense and short,” she said. “So, if you can imagine all the elements, whether it be cars or people, it does withstand more of a battering than your normal Buffalo.”
Gigi Lombardi, senior manager – urban design for the Transport for NSW, said the Parramatta Light Rail project was the first in NSW that had trialled, tested, designed, and constructed the first green (rail) tracks.
“The grass species that we tested for the green tracks had to be suitable for this sort of environment in Parramatta and also had to take to the weather and the heat quite well,” Gigi said.
“This is something that will be here for a long time and for all communities in the area to enjoy.”
Western Sydney University’s Associate Professor for Urban Studies, Dr Sebastian Pfautsch said that: “The project was an example of where we apply progressive and modern urban design to help mitigate urban heat very effectively.”
The $2.4 billion Parramatta Light Rail is expected to open in 2023.