Nielsen Park Seawall: balancing heritage with climate resilience
Shark Beach at Nielsen Park, Vaucluse, circa 1930s.
OCULUS has won a contract to deliver the detailed design and construction services for the Nielsen Park Seawall in the Sydney harbourside suburb of Vaucluse.
Nielsen Park is a heritage-listed site along with the historic Greycliffe House and was one of the first foreshore areas to be resumed by the New South Wales state government for public recreation in the early twentieth century.
The concrete seawall between the beach and the foreshore dates back to the 1930s and requires remediation after being damaged by severe storm surges in 2016. Beyond its structural issues, the wall is also non-compliant and restricts equal access to the beach.
As part of this project the existing wall will be demolished and rebuilt to provide greater opportunities for improved access, amenity and integration with the surrounding landscape.
Working with the National Parks and Wildlife Services, OCULUS will lead a team of sub-consultants with a ‘landscape-led’ approach to ensure that the final design is centred on the site’s past and present context, embeds greater resilience to climate change, and delivers improved recreational opportunities that reflect the aspirations of the National Parks and Wildlife Services, the local community and beach-goers.
