The Brief
A Palmwoods acreage block with significant rear yard grade required a two-tier retaining wall system to reclaim usable flat lawn area for a young family. The existing slope dropped approximately 2.4 m over 8 m, making the rear yard effectively unusable. The clients also wanted garden beds, a gravel path, and new turf laid across the reclaimed area.
Our Approach
We began with earthworks to cut the two tiers, using a compact excavator to work within the boundary setbacks. The lower wall was constructed in Sleeper-style hardwood at 1.2 m height, with the upper wall at 900 mm using mortared block to match the existing garden edging. Subsoil drainage was installed behind both walls before backfilling with clean fill and compacting in lifts. Garden beds were built, topsoil imported, and Sir Walter buffalo turf laid across the upper terrace.
The Outcome
The project transformed a steep, unusable slope into a two-level entertaining and play space. The family now has a full 80 m² of flat lawn plus raised garden beds — all retained and drained correctly for the heavy summer rainfall the area receives. The turf established well and the walls required no remediation at the one-month follow-up.