Month: October 2021

Queensland Country Bank Stadium Queensland

After 13 years maintaining the North Queensland Cowboys’ former home ground, 1300Smiles Stadium (AKA Dairy Farmers Stadium), Head Groundsman Bruce Fouracre wistfully locked up his shed for the final time on February 6^th, 2020, to begin a shining new chapter at Australia’s newest venue, Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

The $293.5 million, 25,000 seat venue, built in the heart of Townsville’s CBD, was set to put the region on the map for major events. It would be a big job, but Fouracre’s time at 1300Smiles Stadium coupled with years under legendary Curator Tommy Parker at the Sydney Cricket Ground (1993-2008), meant Fouracre knew he has what it takes to tackle the role.

“It was an honour to be asked to be the Grounds Manager at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, and I am really grateful to Stadiums Queensland for giving me this chance. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, and one that I will never take for granted,” Fouracre said.

With construction on the venue only finalised in December 2019 and the turf laid a month later, Fouracre and his assistant Adam McNeil a former colleague from the SCG, had just four weeks to get the surface as healthy and strong as possible ahead of the Elton John Concert scheduled for late February and the start of the NRL season just two weeks later.

“It wasn’t the ideal preparation, but we just had to do our best. The weather up here is pretty good for establishing grass, so I was confident everything would bounce back after the concert and be right for the start of the NRL season,”

The turf differed from that used at the previous stadium. The key difference was the use of the “Eclipse” Hybrid System which combines artificial fibres and natural turf ensuring turf is “ready to play” and can be used with 48 hours of being laid.

After some teething issues, Fouracre shaved 10-15 mm off the playing surface at the end of the NRL season, allowing artificial fibres to sit closer to the surface, improving both the cosmetic appearance and the stability for the year ahead.

“Since the start of the year where we had the Maori/Indigenous All-Stars Game right up to the recent State of Origin Game, I’ve been really happy with how the surface has looked and has played”

“A lot of people don’t realise that last year, the ground was being used 2-3 times a week for training, as well as the game on the weekend, so it was getting a lot of traffic. All that has changed now, with the Hutchinson Centre of Excellence Training field next door now open. This has really helped take some of the traffic off the main field, and the grass has responded accordingly!” Fouracre explained.

Some of the major events that have been on the ground since the stadium opened include:

• Elton John Concert (more than 22,000 fans)
• North Queensland Cowboys NRL games
• Horn vs Tszyu Boxing Match (more than 10,000 people)
• Queensland Opera
• Trans-Tasman Super Rugby game – QLD Reds vs Chiefs
• A 3-day International Rugby 7s event featuring Australia, New Zealand, Fiji & Oceania
• Several fully catered functions for over 300 people on the playing field

Following Covid restrictions in Victoria, the 2021 State of Origin match on 9 June, became a highlight in the still short history of Queensland Country Bank Stadium. With just 10 days’ notice, Queensland Country Bank Stadium and the whole of Townsville, pulled together and put on a spectacular event that will be remembered forever by locals, and whoever was lucky enough to be in attendance.

An extra 2,000 temporary seats were erected at the northern end of the stadium to try and fit in as many people as safety restrictions would allow.

It is estimated the event contributed more than $7 million into the local economy, with 22,500 room nights booked during this period. Around 10,000 people watched big screens in Flinders St, whilst nearly every shop was decorated with maroon balloons and streamers.

“There was an absolute buzz around the whole city! It was the only thing people were talking about. The support shown from our partners and contractors was outstanding and there was more than 1,000 staff working at the venue that night, doing everything from security to catering. The stadium was also lucky enough to have additional staff flown up from other Stadiums Queensland venues to assist with Administration, IT, Ticketing and other matters and it was an amazing experience for our whole team!” exclaimed Fouracre.

With other big events in the pipeline, such as the “Kiss – End of the Road Tour” concert in December, it is shaping up as a blockbuster year for the team at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Watch this space!

By Bryan Tolar, Tolar Capitol Partners

“It’s not easy being green,” goes the saying. As far back as 1975, the legendary country and blues singer Ray Charles of Georgia, USA, with the 1960’s hit “Georgia on My Mind” recorded the song “Bein’ Green.”

“It’s not easy being green,” he sang. “It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things, and people tend to pass you over …”

It’s not easy, either, for turfgrass growers and associated businesses, for whom “green” is crucial to the industries they have built and the jobs they have created for so many. Their customers and the communities they serve strive to be green.

So perhaps it’s fitting that it is Ray Charles’ home state of Georgia that has produced a turfgrass cultivar that demonstrates amazing potential: TifTuf bermudagrass is anything but ordinary.  The environmental community, utility managers and economic developers are seemingly eager to embrace the water conservation characteristics of TifTuf.

How has this happened?

For well over a decade, in Georgia and in communities across the globe, outdoor water use has been vilified, often labeled as wasted water. The numerous benefits of turfgrass have been overwhelmed by the bully pulpit of government leaders and activists, their viewpoints regurgitated in media outlets that buy ink by the barrel. A conversation about turfgrass management has historically been a non-starter – until now.

Yes, green is the colour of spring…  and TifTuf personifies the green of conservation, and for the first-time environment-focused communities are taking notice.

TifTuf has captured the attention of one of Georgia’s fast-growing conservation communities, Athens-Clarke County. Normally this local government focuses on water re-use and storage, low-flow fixtures, and changes to lifestyle practices to conserve. They have now discovered the benefits of TifTuf through water conservation advocacy efforts of the Georgia Urban Agriculture Council, the state’s premier green industry association for professionals involved in all sectors of the landscape industry.

In April 2021, the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government awarded the “Water Conservation Leadership Award Winner for an Individual” to Dr. Brian Schwartz and his work to produce the drought-tolerant bermudagrass TifTuf. The reduction of water use by 38% over the most popular bermudagrass cultivar and the expanded availability of TifTuf across the USA and in Australia were key to him winning this special, well deserved recognition.

In addition to being intensely focused on environmental stewardship, Athens-Clarke County also happens to be home to the University of Georgia (UGA), the flagship turfgrass research institution where the cultivar TifTuf was bred under the leadership of Dr. Schwartz and his turf research staff. TifTuf can be found on the beautiful and iconic quad of UGA’s North Campus, covering the area between the famed Arch and the UGA President’s Office. It endures frequent foot traffic from students and tolerates moderate tree canopy shade, performing beautifully for more than five years.

Presenting the award, Athens-Clarke County’s Water Conservation Coordinator Laurie Loftin acknowledged this: “Thank you, Dr. Schwartz, for your efforts to help us all use water efficiently while maintaining a beautiful lawn.”

This was by no means the first special recognition of TifTuf or Dr. Schwartz, but it was the first by a local government with a laser focus on water conservation. In 2020, both the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate recognized TifTuf for its characteristics as a high quality turfgrass with extraordinary water conservation characteristics. In doing so, they also lauded the research of Dr. Schwartz, as well as his predecessor Dr. Wayne Hanna.

In addition, the Smart Approved Watermark label established by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) is an important component of consumer recognition. With water use reduction of 38% over the most popular bermudagrass, the conservation benefit reputation resonates.

At the same time, there is an expectation that consumers and property managers take action to reduce irrigation and to adapt their turf management habits for TifTuf to make its mark. There is no doubt the Smart Approved WaterMark label educates consumers who clearly want to make informed choices when seeking products that use water efficiently, thus reducing per capita water consumption.

A recent move to advance the drought-tolerant characteristics of TifTuf in a large population center took place in June 2021. The metro area around Atlanta, Georgia, is the ninth largest and one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States. It serves over 6 million people and grew over 15% in the last decade. Oversight for water conservation and planning for the communities in this area is the responsibility of the Metro North Georgia Water Planning District. After months of engagement by landscape industry advocates, along with supporting testimony from Dr. Schwartz, the planning district’s board voted to support and promote education to the public that “encourages the installation of drought tolerant turf such as TifTuf.”

This includes updating the district’s printed and digital education materials on landscape and irrigation resources to include drought-tolerant turfgrasses. TifTuf is the only cultivar specifically mentioned.

Much as the song by Ray Charles begins as a self-pitying list of disadvantages of meeting the challenges of being green, it evolves into a full-throated embrace of the many benefits of being green. After all, as the song goes,

“Green is the colour of spring…I’m green and it’ll do fine. It’s beautiful and I think it’s what I want to be!”

With over 25 years of research, TifTuf is now in its sixth year of commercial production and expected to surpass 10,000 acres in the United States this year. By any measure, this is an incredible milestone for such a short time in commercial production. In 2020 alone, over 21.3 million square metres of TifTuf were installed, bringing the total to nearly 69.5 million square metres since its release in 2015.

So, what does this mean for being green? The 2020 figures indicate that over 41.7 billion litres of water have been saved through the use of TifTuf. As the strength of sales continues through 2021 and the future, we will soon see total installations exceed 93 million square metres. Imagine the billions of litres of water saved each year. Indeed, “It’s beautiful and I think it is what I want to be,” could be the TifTuf anthem.

TifTuf and the tireless efforts of Dr. Schwartz and others like him, along with many turf and landscape leaders, will continue to make being green even more positively impactful in the future. Sharing the TifTuf conservation story with those in the environmental community is deservedly a point of pride. Environmental stewardship is a responsibility we all share and to which we all can contribute.

Congratulations to Dr. Brian Schwartz and the University of Georgia Turf Team on this special recognition of their water conservation leadership. TifTuf and the industry’s continued dedication to research that advance water conservation objectives show that being green is indeed the best colour to be. The legendary Ray Charles says so.

Brad Reynolds, Parks Coordinator – City of Busselton

The City of Busselton were looking for a way to improve the new diversion entry statement to the city. The road realignment and construction work were carried out with an emphasis on making the entrance to Busselton something special for everybody who drives into the town.

The entry statement consisted of a mix of native couch and kikuyu and looked unsightly. After a consultation process with council staff and local turf supplier Down South Turf, where turfing options were discussed, it was decided to use TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. The reasons for this choice were simple – green colour year-round, low cost in maintenance, drought tolerance and speed of establishment.

Soil preparation for the area was limited, with no special or extensive site preparation completed prior to the sprigs being planted. The existing soil profile was simply levelled with a small amount of topsoil incorporated into gravel and road base subsoil. A small amount of fertiliser was then applied in preparation for planting.

The 3,000 square metre area was planted by a local contractor with stolons in August 2020 at a rate of 10% of area coverage. Once the stolons were planted the area was oversowed with ryegrass to provide some quick green up and coverage. The unwashed stolons were planted across the area without any irrigation used during the establishment. Not sure if this was good judgement, timing or grass selection, but rainfall figures tell a story of the months following installation.

During the establishment period Busselton received 555mm rain for a 10-month period. While the two hottest months of the year, December and January only received 2.4mm and 0.6mm of rain respectfully. From around October the TifTuf was starting to take off and by November/December it was really starting to dominate and quickly cover across the ground. The ryegrass died out naturally during the warmer, drier months. The December average temperature was 24.2 degrees and January 27 degrees, with humidity averaging 71%.

A second application of fertiliser was applied in February and the council have been super impressed with the result. The entry statement area is mowed by council staff on a 4–6-week roster, with the area classified as a rough-cut area.

The success has now led Busselton Council to look at other opportunities within the region where they can utilise TifTuf to replace existing ground covers for a natural green environment with ease of maintenance and the saving in water use. The City of Busselton is building a new sports precinct called Dunsborough Lakes, where a number of new sports fields will be established for the community. TifTuf is proving to be the preferred turfgrass for these ovals based on what the council has seen with its performance at the entrance to the region.

The Busselton entry statement is now incredibly inviting and showcases a natural green environment for the community.

Turf is an essential part of the Australian landscape and choosing a variety for your specific climate and use is important to get right.

Many different varieties and cultivars are used as a turf cover for lawns, for sporting fields and local council areas. Turf is also integral to some of the most important places around our country, such as parliament house.

The hard work that goes into research and development of these turf varieties can sometimes go unnoticed, but the extensive trial process, usually conducted over many years is critical to their success.

Most of the current varietal stock in Australian trials has come from the University of Georgia, Bladerunner Farms and Texas A & M in the United States. The world’s leading institutes for turf breeding and research.

In Australia, trials and assessments have been conducted on these grasses by the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI). STRI is the world’s leading research and consultancy organisation for sports turf. STRI manages trial protocols at each of the trial sites in Australia in conjunction with AusGAP, the Australian Genetic Assurance Program for turf. Many of the current grasses under assessment have been in these trial programs since 2016.

While maintaining genetic purity of certified grasses is the primary focus for AusGAP, they also play a big part in the expansion of trial assessments across different geographical and environmental localities. Testing couch grass, buffalo, and zoysia turf varieties in different climate zones provides an insight into their ability to maintain turf quality in a wide range of conditions.

AusGAP is currently working with different organisations on sites located in New South Wales, Victoria, Southeast and North Queensland. AusGAP recently announced the expansion of 12 new varieties chosen by the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) to be added to the already extensive trial area in North Queensland on the property of Harden Park Lawns (HPL) in Edmonton QLD. STRI evaluations led to these 12 grasses being selected with superior traits being observed during assessments.

There are now 44 different varieties of buffalo, couch and zoysia under assessment in Northern Queensland. This includes trials on some exciting native zoysia’s, as well as varieties of zoysia japonica, macrantha and matrella, along with sites also in Victoria and Southeast Queensland. It will be interesting to see how these varieties go in North Queensland at HPL given the climates extreme growing conditions of high humidity, rainfall, heat, and cloud cover. Michael and Melissa Denney at HPL are very invested in the trials with the excitement of hopefully finding new varieties suited for their tropical environment.

These new grasses have been subjected to monthly assessments over the last 18 months. Leaf texture, uniformity, density, plant growth and overall appearance all being observed.

Some of the trial grasses have had rust issues and thatching, a lot of seed heads. Michael noted that some other grasses however look like they might be great for the northern tropical and sub-tropical regions, with great lateral growth and minimal vertical growth, minimal thatching and no disease recorded to date. All samples have withstood all chemical applications at various temperatures with no adverse effects, so no trial plots have been removed from the program at this stage.

The trial work will continue for up to another 18 months to collaborate with other site data, with the hope of finding a turf variety or varieties that excel. Consideration will include varietal features that are suitable for applications such as presentation lawn areas, home lawns, fairways, stadium surfaces or putting greens standard. There is always the hope and possibility of finding one specific variety that can deliver the required traits for all applications and in all climates, which would be the ultimate achievement.