Brighton Le Sands - Bayside Council

After several mature trees along the foreshore were deliberately poisoned to create unobstructed waterfront views, Bayside Council took immediate action to restore the natural landscape and reinforce its stance against tree vandalism. The goal was to reestablish the iconic coastal character of Cook Park with four advanced Norfolk Island pines that would visually reinstate the mature canopy and uphold the integrity of the landscape. Dixons was engaged to source, relocate, and install suitable large-scale specimens capable of restoring the area’s established foreshore presence.

This project presented a number of technical and social complexities:

• Community sensitivity surrounding the vandalism required a thoughtful and respectful approach to reinstatement works.
• Securing appropriate advanced trees with comparable structure and stature demanded extensive sourcing; trees of this maturity are limited and require careful selection.
• High public activity as Cook Park is a busy, high-throughfare foreshore precinct with extensive foot traffic.
• Access and logistics constraints, particularly transporting and positioning oversized loads within a popular public park, required precise planning and coordination with council.

To meet the brief with minimal disruption and maximum landscape continuity, we implemented a staged, highly coordinated approach:

• Comprehensive sourcing of established Norfolk Island pines from the Central Coast, selecting trees capable of reinstating the strong vertical presence and coastal feel characteristic of the area.
• Oversized load transport planning, including route selection, timing, and safety management, to ensure safe delivery and movement through a busy community space.
• Specialised cranage and handling to position each tree accurately and maintain the consistent foreshore aesthetic.
• Strict public safety protocols through exclusion zones and managed access to keep park users safe throughout the works.

The successful installation of four advanced Norfolk Island pines restored the foreshore’s visual character and canopy presence, reinforcing Bayside Council’s stance against tree vandalism. Key outcomes included:

• Environmental restoration, with new mature-scale trees providing immediate canopy and long-term ecological value.
• Strengthened foreshore identity, maintaining the look, feel, and continuity of this well-loved coastal park.
• A clear community message, demonstrating that damage to public assets will be met with thoughtful and effective reinstatement, not loss of amenity.

The result is a revitalised and resilient section of Cook Park that continues to serve the community while preserving the natural character of the Brighton-Le-Sands foreshore.