FORGE specialises in the design and construction of boardwalks for use in environmentally sensitive and remote habitats. We have successfully delivered numerous boardwalks in national parks and nature reserves, using proven ‘light touch’ design and construction approaches that maximise community value whilst minimising environmental impacts both during and after construction.

FORGE has a proven catalogue of proprietary community boardwalk solutions suitable for single and multiple-span applications, each with the flexibility to make custom embellishments based on a project’s specific site, budget and aesthetic requirements. Our specialist in-house design team is also able to develop completely unique boardwalk solutions as and when required, may include prototyping and testing. The right boardwalk design will always depend on the project itself.

The FORGE Methodology is built upon a wholistic delivery offering that successfully delivers multiple boardwalk projects across Australia every year. From initial concept to final completion, it seamlessly combines specialist in-house design and design verification, structural engineering, manufacturing methodology, risk mitigation, planning capability, pre-assembly, project management and construction expertise, all from one consistent team.

High strength, lightweight materials with the correctly-specified finishings are essential to maximise the design life of boardwalks in coastal, creek and wetland environments which often feature highly acidic soil and are subjective to harsh and corrosive weather conditions.

Every boardwalk project is unique so there’s no general rule. It may be just a few months for a simple structure on an easy-to-access site. Then again, it can be considerably longer from concept to completion for more complex applications. Large or small, the key to a streamlined project outcome is early engagement with all key stakeholders and ongoing collaboration.

FORGE has extensive experience in designing and constructing boardwalks that maximise environmentally sustainability. This begins with the design of the boardwalk itself, with great care taken to ensure the structure and materials always have the lightest possible environmental footprint while still meeting all functional and safety requirements of the project brief. The design of the boardwalk also has a direct influence on the installation stage with steps taken to minimise—and often completely eliminate—the need for heavy machinery on site, reducing noise, emissions and habitat disruption. Specifying hard-wearing and lightweight materials can also significantly reduce the amount of future maintenance required.

Yes. At FORGE, we often recommend pre-assembling boardwalks off-site. By designing structures in modular form, we can fully or partially assemble the main elements in controlled conditions, ensuring the highest quality. This approach allows FORGE to reduce time on site, minimise community disruption such as extended closures, and deliver projects more efficiently than traditional methods.

Every boardwalk will have its own maintenance requirements to help maximise its design life based on its location, usage, design and materials. FORGE provides full maintenance recommendations and scheduling guides at the final handover. Many of our clients choose to manage this themselves, however ongoing maintenance arrangements can be negotiated on a project-by project basis.

Safety is central to every project decision at FORGE and begins with the initial design of your boardwalk. Considerable thought is given to both structural integrity and user security. From an engineering perspective, boardwalks must be designed in line with all relevant AS codes and guidelines, ensuring they withstand not only the weight of pedestrian traffic but also environmental factors such as soil conditions, wind and weather, tides and potential flooding events. User security considerations extend to the provision of appropriate balustrades, non-slip surfaces, clear sight lines, seamless access points, rest areas and seating and potentially lighting to ensure high-traffic boardwalks feel safe and welcoming at all hours.

Yes they can—and should! Customising a boardwalk’s design and materials to the specific site is an essential part of the FORGE Methodology. An extensive range of variables are taken into careful consideration to ensure a fit-for-purpose boardwalk structure that delivers decades of trouble-free benefits for the community it was built to serve.

Absolutely. In fact the vast majority of elevated boardwalks and bridges FORGE designs and constructs around Australia each year cater to pedestrians, joggers, cyclists and other other active transport users. A key early stage of the FORGE Methodology is taking the time to understand exactly who will be using the completed boardwalk and making suitable design decisions accordingly to ensure maximum safety and ease of access at all times, for all users

Each year, FORGE delivers custom elevated boardwalks to communities across Australia. Supported by national pre-assembly facilities and highly mobile project delivery teams, we work in metropolitan, regional and remote locations throughout New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory. Our national scale and local expertise allow us to bring complex boardwalk projects to life anywhere they are needed.

Yes, we can. In fact, FORGE specialises in delivering boardwalks for remote, hard-to-access and environmentally sensitive sites including national parks and conservation reserves. We have developed an award-winning proprietary catalogue of customisable boardwalk solutions that offer excellent cost-efficiencies and durability with minimal—and often no—need for heavy equipment during construction and installation.

Yes. For more than 50 years, FORGE has partnered with local councils across Australia to design and deliver community boardwalks. Our projects span metropolitan, regional and urban locations, from south-east Queensland and regional Victoria to Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct. With extensive experience in delivering elevated boardwalks and public space infrastructure, FORGE is a trusted provider of high-quality, community-focused projects nationwide.

Site conditions play a significant role in boardwalk design—particularly in terms of maximising design life, access and user safety. The site and surrounding conditions will typically have a very direct influence on the overall type of boardwalk structure recommended including optimal section lengths and heights above the ground, footings, installation methodology and, of course, material selection. It’s essentially that every boardwalk is fit-for-purpose.

Yes. FORGE has considerable experience in delivering boardwalks and other access structures in some of Australia’s most pristine locations and national parks. Of course, working within sensitive and protected habitats requires meticulous planning and project management guided by strict environmental management protocols that have been pre-approved by all relevant authorities.

FORGE has more than 50 years of experience in delivering elevated boardwalks for community parks and wetlands. We design and engineer boardwalks of all sizes and complexities for councils, property developers, architects and landscape architects across Australia. Specialists in the design, installation and project management of pedestrian access infrastructure, we also have long-standing relationships with trusted manufacturing partners who are experts in wetland boardwalk design and fabrication.

The FORGE Methodology is built upon a wholistic delivery offering that combines specialist design and design verification, structural engineering, manufacturing methodology, risk mitigation, planning capability, pre-assembly, project management and construction expertise, all from one team. Time and again we see the most successful project outcomes for boardwalks when our team is engaged early in the development process.

Upgrading or retrofitting an existing boardwalk depends on several factors such as its condition, location and usage requirements. FORGE has extensive experience with boardwalk upgrades and replacements, and our experts can provide tailored guidance to identify the safest and most effective solution.

Absolutely, in fact we find the more collaboration on boardwalk projects the better—especially in the critical early design stages of the project. By partnering up-front with all key stakeholders and delivery experts we can collaboratively identify the very best solution for your brief, long before you need to commit to a construction contract. The result is almost always a higher quality and more cost effective project outcome.

Operational lifespan can vary significantly between boardwalks and is dependant on many factors. These include the location, size, weather and soil conditions, construction materials, usage volume, the style of structure chosen and the level ongoing maintenance able to be provided. At FORGE we work closely with clients and project partners to maximise the design life of every structure we deliver and offer industry-leading structural guarantees to provide peace of mind for all stakeholders for years to come.

Considerable time is spent during the initial design and pre-construction stages of every boardwalk project to identify potential environmental risks—and mitigate them long before construction and site works begin. Clever design plays major role, as does the development of a detailed environmental management plan that is approved by all relevant stakeholders and environmental authorities. Many of our most impressive boardwalks were able to be entirely constructed by hand, including manually-driven piles and materials that were carried to the site on foot, to eliminate any impacts on the surrounding habitat.