Big Timber Tree Services was engaged as a subcontractor to Shamrock Civil, helping complete a 2.5km firebreak at a Department of Defence facility through steep, dense rainforest. The project demanded a high level of environmental awareness, military compliance and defence site security protocols, and the physical capability to work safely in difficult terrain with limited machinery access, with strict controls on retained vegetation, cultural heritage, and soil disturbance.
The terrain was steep and heavily vegetated, with limited machinery access through much of the corridor. Defence site security requirements placed constraints on the personnel and equipment that could be mobilised on site. Environmental obligations within the rainforest corridor required strict controls on retained vegetation that had to be maintained across the full length of the firebreak.
Works were planned in detailed stages, with the clearing methodology adapted to the terrain and access constraints across different sections of the corridor. A combination of hand clearing and light plant was used in areas where machinery access was not viable. Environmental controls were established ahead of clearing and maintained across the full programme. All personnel were security-cleared and inducted in accordance with Defence requirements prior to mobilisation.
The 2.5km firebreak was constructed on programme and to the Department of Defence’s specification. Environmental compliance was maintained across the full corridor. All Defence security and access requirements were met without incident. Full documentation — including clearing records, environmental compliance logs and programme records — was provided at practical completion.