Stretching nearly 1,500 metres in length with 121 metres of elevation and multiple interconnected systems, the Tamworth Regional Skywalk in the New England region of NSW is one of the most complex access structures FORGE has ever delivered.
Commissioned by Tamworth Regional Council with funding from the NSW Government's Regional Tourism Activation Fund, the Skywalk connects Tamworth's historic Botanic Gardens, Oxley Scenic Lookout and the broader Victoria Park precinct via a seamless new pedestrian network and replaces a meandering collection of old unmaintained tracks worn into the landscape over many decades.
For councils, landscape architects and developers responsible for the delivery of complex public infrastructure, what makes the Skywalk particularly instructive is not the scale of the project itself, but the disciplined approach that has guided its delivery form concept to construction.
Treating risk as a design parameter, not a contingency
Significant projects such as the Tamworth Skywalk inevitably carry significant risks. Complex terrain, variable ground conditions, environmental sensitivity, accessibility obligations, budget pressures and the heightened scrutiny of State Government oversight are factors that need to be carefully weighed and managed.
"The key to the Tamworth Skywalk was investing the time upfront. These challenges were tackled head-on in the early design phase rather than leaving them to surface onsite during construction, where they're far harder to resolve," explains FORGE Pre-Construction Manager Braden Matthews.
Detailed geotechnical investigation was commissioned early by Tamworth Regional Council involving borehole drilling, point load strength testing and laboratory analysis of soil aggressivity. The results directly shaped foundation design, construction methodology and alignment decisions, not as a retrofit exercise, but as a live input into the evolving design model.
Above: FORGE's Tamworth Regional Skywalk Design and Pre-Construction teams working together.
Adaptive design versus scope creep
One of the clearest demonstrations of effective stakeholder collaboration on the Tamworth Skywalk was the revision of the boardwalk substructure midway through design development.
Our original specification used fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) columns throughout the modular boardwalk sections. However as bracing requirements were resolved in detail, it become apparent the FRP arrangement would produce a dense, lattice-like appearance beneath the boardwalk deck, something visually inconsistent with Council's original design intent.
Rather than proceeding with a technically compliant but aesthetically compromised outcome, FORGE was able to revise the specification to steel columns with selective cross-bracing only where column heights required it. The change eliminated the need for longitudinal bracing entirely, producing a cleaner, more open substructure.
The shift to steel columns also enabled a more efficient construction phase with footings able to be constructed first, surveyed as-built, and columns then fabricated to exact heights against that data. Installation became faster and more precise as a direct result.
This was an excellent example of an outcome that is only possible when design, delivery and client teams are able to collaborate in real-time and interrogate alternative solutions as a project evolves. It is precisely what the FORGE MethodologyTM is designed to facilitate.
Parametric modelling reduces risk, maximises efficiency
FORGE's extensive design modelling capability was another important factor in fast-tracking refinements as the Tamworth Skywalk developed from a conceptual design into a real-world structure.
The 1,480-metre alignment included thousands of individual structural components each influenced by slope, span, clearance requirements and compliance parameters, making the investment in parametric 3D modelling one of the most effective risk mitigation strategies on the project.
Having a millimetre-perfect visual model of the Skywalk meant any proposed alignment change could then be assessed immediately for structural and compliance implications, flagging non-conformances in real-time rather than through a manual review.
Above: Parametric modelling by FORGE on the Tamworth Regional Skywalk project.
"Australian Standards requirements were embedded directly into the model logic," said FORGE Architectural Team Lead Thomas Simmons. "As the alignment evolved, we could immediately see the impact of any change on compliance, clearances and constructability."
This maintained project momentum during a design process that required numerous site iterations.
By the time shop detailing was underway, the model represented virtually every component of the structure. Fabrication sequencing could be verified digitally before anything was cut or welded, and on-site queries could be resolved quickly against a detailed, accurate reference. On a steep and constrained site with limited vehicle access, the cost of resolving a fabrication error in the workshop was significantly better than having to resolve one mid-installation in steep terrain.
Balancing accessibility objectives with budget constraints
From the outset, accessible design was one of the most prominent community expectations for the Skywalk project. But it was also one of the most difficult to achieve within the available budget given the site's challenging terrain. A fully AS 1428 compliant alignment across all 1,480 metres was costed and shown to be significantly beyond the scope of the budget.
Working with a specialist Disability Discrimination Act consultant, the project team instead developed a graded compliance approach where the most heavily trafficked sections to the top and bottom viewing platforms are fully accessible with maximum 1:14 grades, compliant landings and disabled parking at both ends. Meanwhile the design of the mid-sections of the Skywalk was allowed to fall outside AS 1428 guidelines. It was a carefully considered alternative that ensures meaningful and safe access is provided for the majority of users without compromising the available project budget.
Managing environmental and community approvals
Unsurprisingly given the location, the Skywalk was subject to a detailed Review of Environmental Factors assessment that identified numerous constraints which directly influenced the final design. A Native Title claim also triggered a relocation of the lower carpark, which was then revised again following concerns raised by nearby residents.
Each change required updated environmental documentation, Aboriginal heritage consultation, revised visual impact assessments and re-engagement with approvals authorities. A cycle of approximately four weeks per iteration.
Delivering excellence on community infrastructure projects
With works scheduled for completion in Q3 of 2026, the Tamworth Regional Skywalk is an ideal reference point for any elevated boardwalk or complex public access project being planning in constrained terrain. It demonstrates that technical excellence and adaptive project management are not opposing forces. Rather, they can reinforce each other when the right specialists and decision makers are collaborating at the right times in the project development cycle.
In our experience at FORGE, early contractor involvement and genuine design-construct collaboration like this are the single greatest keys to eliminating project risks and delivering outstanding infrastructure assets that deliver community value for generations to come.
If you'd like to discuss your upcoming project, please get in touch.
