Burleigh Heads & Rainbow Bay Seawall Investigations

ICM led comprehensive desktop and field investigations of public seawall sections at Burleigh Heads and Rainbow Bay for the City of Gold Coast, applying our proven “peel-back” methodology refined during the 2014 Seawall Investigation Project. The work assembled historic and geophysical evidence and physically exposed wall sections to characterise construction, materials, and condition, providing a clear basis for renewal planning and certification pathways.

Project Details

• Client: City of Gold Coast

• Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

• Date: 2021

About This Project

The Challenge

As part of the City’s ongoing program to construct and certify public seawalls, the Burleigh Heads and Rainbow Bay frontages required targeted investigations to determine how existing walls were built, their present condition, and the most efficient path to future resilience, while minimising disruption on popular foreshore areas.

The Solution

ICM led a two-stage investigation. The initial study compiled and interpreted ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data, historic drawings, A-line alignments, historic photos, aerial imagery, and insights from personnel involved in original works to pinpoint representative test locations. The field phase used full investigative peel-backs (cut-throughs) to expose all wall layers and construction details, supplemented by selective face exposures to verify materials and interfaces. Based on these findings, we provided recommendations for renewal/upgrade works, documentation requirements, and an efficient pathway toward future certification, aligned with City standards and practical construction staging.

“Our peel-back method gives you certainty - what’s actually in the ground - so the renewal plan is targeted, buildable, and evidence-based.” - Angus Jackson, ICM

Services Provided

• Data review and desktop planning (GPR, historic drawings, A-line, imaging)

• Field investigations with full peel-backs and face exposures

• Construction/condition characterisation and documentation

• Recommendations for renewal works and certification pathway

• Stakeholder coordination and investigation sequencing on active foreshores