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Walls

Summary

Quick reference guide for key criteria

Walls

LIM_walls_quick ref.jpg

Overarching requirements

Embellishments should be designed/selected and installed as follows:

  1. Fit for purpose, appropriately positioned and accessible.
  2. Durable, robust and safe (suitable for corrosive environments).
  3. Vandal resistant with parts that are easily replaceable. 
  4. Easy to maintain (with appropriate warranty and workmanship).
  5. Comply with relevant standards, legislation, corporate documents and approvals

Planning, design and positioning        

  • Ensure all walls are the specified distance away from underground services
  • (A) Retaining walls – support an excavated or filled embankment to prevent soil from collapsing
  • (B) Free-standing walls – stand alone on their own footing
  • Do not install seating walls where they may be used for climbing (such as at fenced play spaces or dog off leash parks). Provide 2.0 m clearance
  • Comply with Austroads 500 mm minimum offset to any obstacle beside a path, however extra space is required for leg room.


Wall requirements

  • Walls over 1.0 m in height must be designed and certified by a Registered Professional Engineer Qld (RPEQ) and must include a fall barrier
  • Drainage must be designed and installed to prevent wall collapse
  • Preferred materials – rock, concrete, rendered block-work
  • Timber is not preferred
  • Planter box walls are not recommended for garden beds or for planting trees.
  • Free-standing walls (used for seating) require a 150 mm extended top, or a 150 mm cut-out at foot level to assist with rising from a seated position
  • Walls with electricals housed inside (ie for lighting), must provide maintenance access for in-situ repairs.


Finished surface, fixings and footings

  • Footings to be designed by a RPEQ
  • Top of all walls must be sealed to ensure no moisture affects structural strength
  • Walls require a luminance contrast with the background against which they are viewed
  • Fixings such as armrests and anti-skate devices are to be 316 stainless steel                            

Note:   Further guidance and clarification of the content on this page, can be found in the relevant sections of this information sheet.

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Sunshine Coast Open Space Landscape Infrastructure Manual (LIM) DISCLAIMER

Disclaimer

Information contained in this document may change without notice and you should use the current material available from Council’s website and not rely on material previously printed or stored by you.

All figures and diagrams are intended to be used as an aid to design and include Council’s preferred elements but they are not intended to be prescriptive and may need to be varied as dictated by site specific factors. While Council has exercised reasonable care in preparing this document, it does not warrant or represent that it is accurate or complete. The Council will not accept responsibility for any loss, damage, cost or expense that you may incur as a result of the use of or reliance upon any material contained in this document.

This document is produced to convey general information and is not intended to constitute advice whether professional or legal. Any reference to legislation in this document is not an interpretation of the law. It is to be used as a guide only. Consult relevant authority websites for current documents, revisions and amendments.

Where a particular product or supplier is profiled in this document, Council is NOT nominating this product or supplier as the selected choice. Product/supplier information has been provided to allow users to source products which contain the correct elements required for Council embellishments. Each product profiled states ‘or equivalent’ which means that different products may be supplied provided they satisfy the identified performance criteria, recommended standards, equal access guidance and product specifications.

Product design, manufacture and installation requires appropriately qualified people to provide site specific solutions to ensure the embellishment is appropriately adapted to local conditions and data.

This document does not override requirements stipulated in a development approval. Project specific variations may be appropriate as a result of site, environmental or other constraints. Any variations to these standards must be approved in writing by council prior to commencement of variation works. Components of this document may be used within a contract document but users should undertake their own investigations to confirm the information is suitable for this purpose.

Drawings contained in this document are NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION.

Details in this document are deemed to be the minimum standard and the user may wish to apply a higher standard subject to approval by council.

Acknowledgements

Council wishes to thank all contributors and stakeholders involved in the development of this document.

Copyright

Sunshine Coast Regional Council (Council) supports and encourages the distribution of its material however, copyright protects this document. Council has no objection to this material being reproduced but only if council is recognised as the owner of the copyright and this material remains unaltered.

https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au[email protected]07 5475 7272

Sunshine Coast Open Space Landscape Infrastructure Manual (LIM)

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© LIM 2024 – 2026

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Version 0.0.38.beta

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Last Updated: 01/04/2026 12:27 AM

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