Cape Solander Whale Watching Plaform

The sandstone headland, which is a popular destination for people hoping to catch a glimpse of humpback whales migrating along the coast, attracts large crowds, particularly during whale watching season and on weekends.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service wanted to upgrade the whale watching platform, road and carparking facilities to increase capacity and provide a safer experience for visitors.

In 2020, National Parks engaged Tonkin to provide civil and structural engineering services to support the upgrades. Tonkin provided structural engineering for the new viewing platforms and shelters, and civil engineering for the road and carparking upgrades.

The new facilities were officially opened to the public in late 2022.

Visitor access and safety has been greatly improved through the construction of a new accessible whale watching platform with larger viewing areas, new interpretive signs, better pedestrian access and more car parking bays.

Congratulations to our project partners, OCULUS, who were recognised for their work on this project with an Award of Excellence for Tourism at the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) 2023 NSW Awards.

Tonkin’s structural and civil engineers helped optimise the civil and structural design outcomes of this project.

Previously the site had one main viewing platform that was a relatively small space needing to accommodate the large number of visitors to the site. Additionally, much of the original structure was made from materials that weren’t standing up to the harsh weather conditions on the headland. 

Tonkin worked closely with the landscape architects, OCULUS, to refine the design of the structures, to optimise functionality, practicality of construction and design life, while also ensuring that the architects’ vision was achieved.

The new viewing areas consist of a main platform and shelter area that is much bigger than the original, as well as four smaller platforms to the south. Tonkin recommended the use of structural fibreglass sections to maximise the strength, constructability, and service life of the front portion of main platform, which now extends further out over the sandstone cliff face.

The contemporary and minimalist design of the concrete shelter structures presented several engineering challenges our team was able to overcome. Tonkin’s structural engineers optimised the detailed design so that the structures would stand up to the harsh environmental conditions, while maintaining a sleek and minimalist appearance.

 
Previously the site didn’t have formalised pedestrian pathways. This meant that after parking their car, some visitors walked along the road, which was often busy with vehicles.

Tonkin’s road design incorporates pedestrian walkways on both sides of the road, making it much safer for visitors to navigate the site. Prior to the upgrade, only one side of the road had formalised parking spaces. Tonkin’s civil design widened the pavement surface to accommodate the inclusion of parking spaces on the western side of the road.

Road safety improvements included speed humps and concrete barriers that double as seating. Stormwater runoff that previously flowed over the cliffs into the ocean, now flows into garden beds – a positive environmental outcome.