PENGUIN PARADE
Phillip Island Nature Parks required a solution to replace the weathered and rusted lighting poles for the fairy penguin parade. The solution had to factor in:
Wildlife
The fairy penguins and all other protected wildlife could not be disturbed and certain areas around the poles could not be traversed as they contained nesting burrows.
Location
Being located right on the beach, meant the dunes and sand would make it difficult to manouver vehicles. There was also minimal access to the beach front, only allowing access for small vehicles but making it impossible for cranes and heavy lifting equipment to get in.
Nightly parades
2,000 people visit the parade each night. During the preparation and execution there could be no disturbance to the tourism programme.
Weather
The conditions in the area were often windy and rainy, making it almost impossible to prepare for the works.
Staging area
It wasn't practical to work on the beachfront due to the environment and tourism activities. A suitable area had to be selected where we could work safely without disturbing anything.
Cabled planned, facilitated and executed the installation of the poles by aerial lift (helicopter). After 3 months of detailed planning and preparation, we executed the project in only 1 day to avoid disrupting the penguins' habitat or the tourism programme.