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.
