22 Oct 2024

Under the sea

Barangaroo's ambitious sustainability goals are more than surface level – they even extend beneath the water.

Innovative sustainability in Barangaroo

Infrastructure NSW collaborates with Reef Design Lab, the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) and Lendlease to monitor the 3D printed, custom-made, Living Seawalls in Waterman’s Cove, Barangaroo South.

The Living Seawalls program aims to encourage native biodiversity to the area, create marine habitats that provide protection from heat and predators, and to enhance the overall ecosystem of the area.  

Drawing on decades of marine research, the Living Seawalls are designed to mimic natural structures like coral and sponges, providing essential shelter and food sources for marine life. Research has shown that native species grow better on natural materials, which led to the designer’s innovative approach of incorporating crushed oyster shells and sandstone into the panels.  

Just like plants above ground, aquatic vegetation need light to thrive and grow. Shadowing caused by high rise development on the foreshore and the neighbouring wharves makes this challenging. To address this, the seawalls were deliberately angled away from the concrete pylons underneath Waterman’s Cove to be able capture more natural sunlight.  

The SIMs team undertake ‘underwater gardening’ dives twice a year to carefully remove weeds (non-native seaweed species) from the panels and transplant native kelp to encourage their population growth.

Early assessments of the program reveal remarkable improvements to the marine ecosystem. There has been a noticeable decrease in invasive non-native seaweed species, significant oyster growth in the intertidal areas, and a significant increase in populations of large fish such as bream.