Author: Sarah

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.

Western Australia has approximately 490 public schools throughout the Perth metro area. Each school has a grounds person to look after each site, many only on a part- time basis of 1-2 days per week, unless it is a large school requiring further full-time equivalent (FTE). Irrigation on all sites is automatic and water is supplied via bores. The maintenance of the turf areas is currently carried out by two contractors. Lawn Doctor is the largest service provider with 270 school sites, including the mowing, fertilising, weed spraying, renovation, and construction of all turf areas. Lawn Doctor has been contracting to the Department of Education in WA for 32 years.

The climate in WA is hot and dry in the warm months with an average rainfall of around 600mm per year with most falling during the winter months as summer rain in the Southwest corner of the continent is uncommon. Perth metro area is 99% sand with little to no water or nutrient holding capacity, making growing good quality turf difficult.

The current maintenance contract limits school sites to just one fertiliser application and two wetting agent applications per year unless they choose to allocate additional funds themselves. This restriction poses a challenge in maintaining a durable surface that can withstand the harsh climate, constant water restrictions, and the sandy soil composition. Moreover, the constant heavy usage of the turf areas by students exacerbates the difficulty of keeping the turf surface in optimal condition. Adding to these challenges, the invasion of Southern Sting Nematodes has further intensified the struggles faced by many turf areas.

Southern Sting Nematode

Southern Sting Nematode (Ibipora lolii) is the most damaging nematode pest of turfgrass in Australia. It was first reported in the Newcastle area of New South Wales in 1979 and is now causing severe damage to sports grounds in Perth.

For years, the Department of Education specified the use of Kikuyu on school grounds, believing it to be the best variety available to cope with the challenging conditions. Unfortunately, the damage caused by the Southern Sting Nematodes to the root system is particularly severe in schools where Kikuyu grass is predominant.

The impact of these nematodes is especially pronounced in sites with larger school populations, rendering the ovals completely unusable. One site was Aveley North Primary School, a reasonably sized primary school located in Perth’s Northeast, where the nematode infestation resulted in their oval being unfit for purpose.

The school has approximately 900 students and is 6 years old. The oval was laid with instant Kikuyu that arrived with a significant Sting Nematode population and the oval has struggled to be a viable playing surface. The Department of Education approached Lawn Doctor for options on how to improve the turf surface, including renovations, pesticide applications, and additional nutritional inputs.

Turf Replacement Selection – TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda

Lawn Doctor was concerned the additional funding spent would not provide the required results and this would negatively impact all stakeholders, including the students, the Department of Education, and Lawn Doctor. Lawn Doctor decided that the best recommendation was a complete reconstruction of the oval using TifTuf Hybrid Couch. A proposal was written and submitted, outlining the benefits, including the active root system, the need for minimal fertiliser inputs, reduced water usage, and its active winter growth. After several meetings and a full risk assessment, a commitment was made by the Department of Education to variate from the specified Kikuyu and go with this hybrid couch variety. An independent consultancy firm, Sports Turf Technology (STT), was bought in to work with Lawn Doctor on the process for installation and to report on what worked and what didn’t to build a basis for any possible future works using TifTuf.

One of the challenges was the watering of the new grass without impacting the water available to the rest of the school during establishment. The groundwater is plentiful, however the ground in this part of Perth is at the base of the Darling Range and is a heavy loam and clay soil. This makes the ground very tight and water extraction extremely slow. The system is comprised of a low-volume submersible within the bore which pumps into a tank of approximately 50,000 litres before a centrifugal pump delivers the water from the tank. The challenge was to ensure the recharge of the tank was sufficient and to ensure water was available for the rest of the school grounds and garden areas. STT tested the flow rates and calculated water output and was confident the infrastructure was going to be sufficient.

Nestled in the picturesque surroundings of Brisbane, the Pacific Golf Club is undergoing an exciting transformation. At the forefront of this redevelopment is Charlie Giffard, the course superintendent, whose extensive experience and innovative vision are pivotal to this project. We sat down with Charlie to discuss his journey in the world of golf, the current state of Pacific Golf Club, and the ambitious plans for its future.

From Grassroots to Greens: Charlie’s Journey

Charlie Giffard’s career in golf began in 1979 on a modest nine-hole course. Over the decades, his path took him through various locations across New South Wales and Queensland, working with a variety of cool and warm-season grasses. His extensive tenure at Indooroopilly Golf Club in Brisbane from 2004 to 2018 gave him deep insights into managing diverse green environments. “I’ve always been a student of looking at different grasses and seeing how we can do things better,” Charlie reflects.

A New Era at Pacific Golf Club

Charlie joined Pacific Golf Club at a pivotal moment. The club, located in a somewhat overlooked area of Brisbane, is in the midst of a significant redevelopment. This includes a partnership with Reside, a retirement company, leading to the modernisation of the club’s facilities. A new clubhouse, state-of-the-art practice facilities, and the latest technology such as Top Tracer and Trackman in the simulators are just a few highlights of the ongoing transformation.

“We have four simulators now, with a fifth one planned for the driving range. It’s an exciting place to be with all the new technology,” Charlie adds.

“Pacific Golf Club is situated in a fantastic part of Brisbane. It’s in a bit of a forgotten area in golf,” Charlie notes. “One of my intentions is to try and bring the profile up of the club. The redevelopment with Reside has enabled the club to modernise.”

Innovative Vision and Community Integration

The redevelopment aims to elevate Pacific Golf Club not just as a golfing destination but as a community hub. “There’s an opening up of the club and the facilities rather than just for golfers and members to the community at large,” Charlie explains. The plans include an amenity lawn, mini golf, advanced practice areas, and possibly even a swimming pool, gym, and cinema. This holistic approach positions the club as a lifestyle venue, catering to a broader audience.

Greening the Course

One of the significant upgrades under Charlie’s supervision is the installation of a new irrigation system. The old system, comprised of hydraulic systems with a mix of asbestos cement, PVC, and steel pipes, was outdated and inefficient. The new system, a Toro Lynx system with Infinity head sprinklers, promises better water distribution and turf quality, essential for maintaining high standards across the course. “It took a little over a year to install twin row irrigation, starting in mid-2022 and finishing in June 2023,” Charlie explains. “The new system gives us much more coverage and manageability.”

As an early adopter of Zoysia, Charlie Giffard immediately recognised its potential for golf course use, particularly for its sustainability and maintenance advantages. “Zoysia has many good qualities that make it an excellent fit for golf. With sustainability being a key focus, it minimises inputs compared to what we were working with before, like 328 and other Bermudas or couches,” Charlie explains. The successful implementation of Zoysia at previous courses had proven its value, and Charlie was eager to leverage this experience at Pacific Golf Club.

“When we were looking at the amenity lawns around the clubhouse, it was a no- brainer for me to choose Zoysia,” Charlie states. “Its aesthetic appeal and low maintenance requirements made it ideal for the club’s plans.” The new lawns, planted with Sir Grange Zoysia, are not just for show. “We’ve got tables and chairs out on it, and it handles a lot of weekend wear and tear, including kids playing and jumping castles. It’s cut at 50mm, making it durable and perfect for heavy use.”

In the Hawkesbury region of NSW, two major challenges for turf farming include locating flood-free land with sufficient water supply and cultivating turf within Development Approval criteria. In this area, one cannot simply purchase any parcel of land and convert it into a turf farm due to soil type restrictions or lack of access to ample water resources.

When Direct Turf was seeking turf production land, considerable research and investigation were involved in determining which conditions would meet their criteria. The land they found where they currently reside, has been used for intensive agriculture since 1965, and the property has access to permitted water from the Hawkesbury River.

Clearing and preparing the site for acquisition was relatively straightforward as the land was already 90% cleared due to previous farming activities. However, the higher parts of the farm presented challenges with rocky terrain and drainage issues. Direct Turf dedicated three months to excavation, rock breaking, and the removal of floating rocks. Additionally, they installed four kilometres of agricultural drainage lines, which were then covered with aggregate.

The next stage of the project involved irrigation planning and pumping. To address the undulating nature of the paddocks and prevent erosion and runoff, Direct Turf installed a fully automated irrigation system designed to micro-irrigate the soil profile and turfgrass efficiently. The system comprises 22 stations, each approximately 220 metres long and spaced 18 metres apart. Powered by a submersible pump with a capacity of 30kva, it delivers 26 litres per second, allowing for the operation of 24-26 Rainbird pop-up sprinklers, each delivering 1 litre per second. Additionally, the pump features an automated self-cleaning system on the foot valve to remove debris and sand.

1.2 kilometres of mainline were installed, 10 kilometres of poly pipe of pop-ups and 1.2 kilometres of electric cable to control solenoids for water flow coupled to a rainbird controller link by WIFI to your mobile phone. Having this system allows the farm to be completely watered within 5 hours.

When planning the varieties of turf to plant, Direct Turf faced a challenging decision. They worked diligently with Lawn Solutions Australia to gain a comprehensive understanding of the 20-year plan and the ongoing research and development aimed at introducing new turfgrasses to the market.

Drawing from their previous sales history, Direct Turf was able to estimate the appropriate quantities of each variety to plant. Direct Turf eagerly anticipates future innovation in turf, especially with a new buffalo variety currently undergoing trials by Lawn Solutions Australia and other members of the industry.

The choice of turfgrass can significantly impact the success of a project especially in commercial landscaping. AusGAP certification is a mark of quality and consistency in turfgrass production, promoting the highest industry standards. When planning a commercial landscape value for money as well as being fit for purpose are usually at the forefront of decision making.

Long term cost efficiency

The upfront investment for AusGAP certified turf pays dividends in the long run. You avoid the possibility of turf substitution which unfortunately still happens within the industry. AusGAP certified turf varieties have been developed and researched for decades to be lower input, more environmentally adaptable and to perform better in high stress situations. Unlike lower- quality turfgrass varieties that may require more watering, fertilisation, and pest control treatments, AusGAP certified turf is proven to be more robust than other common turfgrass varieties, reducing the need for ongoing interventions and expenditures. By requiring less water, fertilisers, and pesticides, AusGAP certified turf not only saves businesses money on input costs but also minimises the environmental impact associated with excessive chemical usage. Additionally, the low maintenance requirements of AusGAP certified turf can translate into significant time savings for property owners and maintenance teams, allowing them to focus resources on other critical aspects of property management.

Enhanced aesthetic appeal and property values

High-quality turf enhances the visual impact of a landscape and can add significant value to real estate. Due to the better performance of new and improved turf than older turfgrass varieties, this also ensures turfgrass looks better for longer in high wear situations and is typically able to recover where other varieties are unable to. This has been found with TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda in sports grounds and goal mouths and even beach front community spaces where other turfgrass varieties has failed. Even in a domestic setting, high quality turf has been estimated to increase the value of a property by 20%.

A top stadium groundsperson has successfully pivoted his career in the in-demand greenkeeping industry, after studying at TAFE NSW.

The greenkeeping industry is set to grow by 1,400 jobs by 2026, and TAFE NSW is delivering a pipeline of workers to the sector through its sports turf management courses.

Adam McNeill grew up on the NSW south coast and studied horticulture at TAFE NSW about 20 years ago. As an apprentice, he worked at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Football Stadium, before returning to the south coast to work for local councils.

“I then followed my mentor Bruce Fouracre up to Townsville to work at the city’s old 1300SMILES Stadium, before transitioning to the new Queensland Country Bank Stadium and have had amazing experiences preparing the venue for everything from Cowboys matches and the State of Origin game in 2021, to Pink’s concerts this year,” Mr McNeill said.

To ensure longevity in the industry, in recent years Mr McNeill looked to grow his skills.

“The further into my career I travelled, I recognised I needed a Diploma in Sports Turf Management qualification to transition to managerial roles and grow my career as I get older,” Mr McNeill said.

“I returned to study, originally in Victoria; but due to complications during the COVID-19 pandemic, I returned to TAFE NSW and completed my studies.

“I now have the practical and theoretical skills needed to pivot my career in this industry as a Senior Groundsperson at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.”

Mr McNeill said the diploma has helped boost his contribution to the success of the world-class stadium.

“I’m now taking on more responsibility, I’ve enhanced my time management skills, and now have deeper insights into the managerial duties that are required to effectively coordinate the care of the arena surface at a major stadium,” he said.

Head Teacher of Sports Turf Management at TAFE NSW, Ian Clarke, said the organisation is delivering skilled groundspeople to the industry.

“Through the Diploma of Sports Turf Management program, we ensure our students are equipped with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge they need to get the job they want – whether that be at a local golf course, or at top-level venues like Queensland Country Bank Stadium,” Mr Clarke said.

“It’s pleasing to see Adam continue to succeed in the industry, having returned to TAFE NSW to diversify his skills and pivot his career direction in sports turf management.”

Mr McNeill is an advocate for more people studying sports turf management to meet the industry’s demand for workers.

“It is a fascinating career and I find it rewarding and satisfying,” he said.

“Turf is a living organism, and we keep asking so much of it; but when you can walk away and look at the product we’ve produced for an event, whether that be an NRL game or a concert, that’s when you get that sense of achievement.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to work in a new, major stadium. There are only a handful of venues of this calibre in Australia, so I take very seriously the responsibility of creating a product that’ll be viewed by thousands of people.”

Back in 1974, Robert ‘Bob’ Agland made the unexpected decision to leave his career as a welder and become a turf farmer. He loved the outdoors and longed for a career that involved less travelling and shorter hours.

At the time, he lived in Berkeley Vale on the Central Coast with his wife Annette and their 2 daughters, Margaret and Vicki. He travelled daily into inner Sydney for work, relying solely on train transport to get to and from work as well as moving from job to job during the day. He got tired of all the travelling and long hours and was busting to spend more time outdoors. He wanted to work closer to home, with less travelling and therefore shorter days. When the opportunity arose for him to purchase a turf farm, he just couldn’t say no.

In June 1974, Bob Agland purchased a turf farm in Wyong and started ‘Agland Turf’ as a business. The property was an established turf farm with common Kikuyu and a small amount of Couch already growing and Bob kept on all the previous owners’ staff when he took over to assist him with the running of his new business. The property purchase included a turf cutter; however, all turf deliveries were made using a trailer. Bob eventually acquired a delivery truck to make the whole delivery process more efficient.

In February 1981, Bob moved his family to Dumeresq Island near Taree on the mid North Coast. He purchased a former dairy farm and had to start from scratch to establish his turf business again. Due to the constant flooding of the Manning River across his property, Bob moved his family again in February 1984. This time they purchased a house in Nabiac on the Mid North Coast and leased local paddocks for the turf business. Bob and Annette lived in Nabiac for the next 18 years, expanding their business and watching their family grow.

In 1997, Bob’s son-in-law, Wayne Griffis, began working alongside Bob to gain valuable insight into the turf industry and to learn the process of producing and harvesting turf. Wayne grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Dyers Crossing just outside of Nabiac. After leaving school, he acquired his trade certificate in dairy management and went on to work on various local dairy farms over the years. He had experience in pasture production for cattle as well as fertiliser and chemical experience but knew very little in the way of turf production and management.

In 2000, Bob’s health deteriorated, and Margaret and Wayne purchased the ‘Agland Turf’ business where Wayne put his newfound skills and knowledge into action. Bob and Annette moved away from the area and headed out west to Gunnedah to relieve Bob’s health symptoms. They moved back to the area in 2009 to be closer to their family before Bob sadly passed away on the 25th of May 2012.

In 2002, Margaret and Wayne purchased their current property at 520 Dargavilles Road, just outside of Nabiac and began preparing the paddocks for planting. Later that year they planted their first buffalo turf variety, Palmetto Buffalo.

Agland Turf registered as a member of the Lawn Solutions Australia network in 2022 for their amazing grower support, not to mention their premium varieties of turf. Agland Turf soon gained AusGAP accreditation after planting their first turf variety from Lawn Solutions Australia, a paddock of TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. In February 2023, they planted Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo followed by Zoysia Australis in April the same year.

Margaret and Wayne together have four boys with their eldest son Aaron starting work on the farm in 2015 after finishing school. He is now Agland Turf’s AUSGAP Certified Representative (ACR) and ensures all of the turf varieties adhere to a stringent set of quality standards. In 2019, their third-born son Matthew began working for the business. He mainly works behind the scenes on the farm ensuring all turf varieties are to the highest quality before harvesting. Their 2 other children, Joshua and Kye, both occasionally work for the business however wish to pursue different career paths.

Over the 31 years we have been producing turf for South East Queensland, I have learnt a lot about introducing new varieties to the market.

Knowing the product and having confidence in what you are selling to your customers is a must. As a result, my wife and I decided to remove an area of our front lawn and replace it with Zoysia Australis, or ZA as we “Turfies” call it.

I sprayed out the existing lawn which required three applications one week apart. I then waited for 6 weeks to be sure the old lawn had completely died.

As our neighbours and regular passers-by were used to seeing the lush green grass we pride ourselves on, this attracted some attention to the ‘dying lawn’ and what was going on at the turf farmer’s place, with many stopping out the front to ask about the project. We had one very enthusiastic visitor to the neighbourhood knock on our door on a Sunday morning asking why we had killed our lawn and what was our plan for it.

After chatting to him about the new Zoysia Australis, as a lawn-lover himself, he was eager to see the results and asked when ZA would be available to the public as he would like to try it out at his place. We welcomed him to come back and check out the new lawn as it was establishing.

I removed the old lawn using a turf cutter, then added organics, lime, gypsum, and trace elements to the soil blending it into 30mm of the top layer. Five millimetres of top-bedding sand was added to create a cap on top. This allows for levels to be precise, with the added benefit of better drainage for the profile as Zoysia doesn’t like ‘wet feet’ – growing in soil that is too wet.

The next day we harvested the ZA. We applied a slow-release fertiliser to the area to provide food for the new turf for 12 weeks, then we installed the ZA. It was rolled twice and watered in well to bed into the soil profile.

Often customers believe the organics that were added to the top layer of soil in preparation for new turf is enough, and that fertilising before installation is not needed. However, a starter fertiliser application should always be carried out, preferably with a slow-release product to ensure the necessary nutrients for optimal establishment are provided.

The new lawn was lightly irrigated morning and night for the first 7 days, once daily for the following 7 days, then every other day for a further 2 weeks.

The new lawn had its first mow after 18 days. I always water new turf immediately after the first mow, which seems to help reduce the stress of the new plant having its leaves cut off.

Since installation, I have only used liquid feed, Lawn Solutions Australia Exceed and Lawn Kelper on the lawn every 4-6 weeks as the colour reduces. This is to control the thatch and the clipping count. Applying small amounts often has had the best results. To date, I have not applied a granular fertiliser, and it doesn’t look like it will be needed. Nor have I applied any herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides despite having had the worst lawn grub season in years.

I have seen the presence of mealy bug in one small area where it’s damp from the shade of a hedge, however, I have not treated the pest and it has not been a problem for the lawn.

The lawn-lover who was interested in what we were doing with the lawn and eager to see how the ZA performed, called by again within days of installation and was excited to see how it looked and loved the blue-green colour like QLD Blue Couch. He placed the first order of ZA for his own lawn right there on the spot, and his second order about 6 weeks later.

We had more interested neighbours stop by over the following weeks, and after answering their questions, they too wanted to have their lawn replaced with ZA. The orders then rolled in.

Zoysia Australis has proven itself, not only to my wife and I, but also to the local community as a great variety of turf for a beautiful lawn. It has shown how little input is needed to achieve excellent results. The lawn has grown successfully in the entire area of installation, and even in the shade of the hedge despite having one of the wettest and most humid summers in years.