WITH CLARENCE VALLEY TURF
Clarence Valley Sports Fields Maintenance is a part of the Clarence Valley Turf Farm owned by Travis and Helen Stone, located in Seelands via Grafton NSW. The company was employed by the Richmond Valley Shire Council to refurbish parks and sports fields located in Casino and Woodburn, NSW. These areas were decimated by the floods in the Northern Rivers area in February and March 2022, having a severe effect on the sports fields in the area.
The flooding experienced in Woodburn was like nothing that had come before, it was much higher than a one-in-five hundred- year event. The residents quickly moved to higher ground, but the waters continued to rise. There were stories of some individuals having to shelter in the dark on the local bridge with the full force of flood waters surging around them, before the immense relief when a small group of boats found them and took them to safety. Woodburn
School provided shelter for hundreds of locals who waited many days for the water to recede and access roads to open again. The devastating effect of the flood was considerable, with 154 properties in Woodburn being damaged, along with community buildings, infrastructure, and local businesses pertinent to employment in the region. With damage to so many homes, Woodburn had a long journey of rebuilding in front of them. Once the waters had receded, the council quickly established a Recovery Advisory Group to work with residents and support the recovery, along with the support of the Australian Defence Force personnel who came to help with the clean-up.
Such a large volume of water had a devastating effect on the region’s local sporting infrastructure. This inundation led to the deterioration of the playing surface at Woodburn Oval, causing undulations, cracks and compaction issues that significantly compromised its usability. Consequently, there was a need for levelling to address these unsafe undulations and resurfacing to rectify surface imperfections, invasive weeds, and grasses to create a uniform surface. This restoration process involved the decompaction and working over of the soil profile, topdressing, slight levelling/shaping of the playing surface and laying new turf.
Woodburn flooding: Woodburn oval
Despite interruptions due to rain, the Clarence Valley Sports Field team were able to complete the preparation and repair of the soil over eight days ready for brand-new turf to be installed on the newly levelled surface. Over four days a team of turf layers installed 8,250m2 of TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda turf, bringing the field back to prime condition for residents and visitors. The one-in-five hundred-year flood might have destroyed the sports field, but a team of qualified professionals from Clarence Valley Sports Fields Maintenance were able to bring it back to life within a matter of days.
Casino flooding: Queen Elizabeth Park
Floodwaters also inundated the main street of Casino at Queen Elizabeth Park on Monday, February 28th, following days of incessant rainfall. Evacuations were initiated in low-lying areas as flash floods persisted, prompting the river to breach its banks. An emergency shelter was set up at Casino High School, with volunteers offering aid such as meals, warm clothing, and blankets to evacuees. As water encroached upon shops along Walker Street, volunteers assisted in fortifying entrances with sandbags and relocating stock and equipment to higher ground. By Tuesday morning, water levels began to recede, revealing wandering cattle in the town, which were promptly gathered by council rangers. The subsequent cleanup commenced, with many shops reopening by Wednesday and cleanup crews removing debris from local residences. Approximately 270 properties incurred damage, along with local sports facilities, roads, and infrastructure. The force of the floodwaters resulted in severe erosion of the riverbank, uprooting trees and destroying years of habitat restoration efforts.
The remediation of Queen Elizabeth Park commenced with a request from the council for the flood-affected grass areas to be also repaired through the installation of TifTuf. Clarence Valley staff administered pre-emergent herbicides and controlled- release fertilisers before sprigging TifTuf across an 8,500m2 area, followed by rolling and watering the park upon completion of the project.
Despite the challenges posed by the flooding across the region, the restoration efforts stand as a testament to the resilience and determination of the community, recognising the importance of rebuilding and revitalising recreational space for the community.
