An acreage block on the Sunshine Coast hinterland with a two-metre fall behind the house. The brief called for sandstone retaining walls; we proposed an engineered embankment instead, more cost-effective and a more natural fit for the bushland behind. Modern-native planting holds the slope, and a dug-in fire pit anchors the new flat ground.
The owners came to us with an acreage block in Valdora, on the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The land falling off the back of the house ran into a 2-metre, 45-degree embankment that was unsafe for the kids, eroded under failing turf, and unusable as living space.
The brief asked for three things: reclaim the slope as level ground, fix the moisture problem driving fungal turf issues, and integrate the new landscape into the surrounding bushland without the maintenance overhead of a high-water-input garden. The property runs on tank water, which sets the tone for everything that follows.
We approached this as a study in restraint. Every visible material had to read native bushland rather than imported resort. The original brief called for two tiers of sandstone retaining walls to resolve the 2-metre fall; on review, we landed on an engineered embankment instead. It reads more honest to the site, costs less, and ages into the bushland rather than against it.
Over 100 cubic metres of fill went in across the existing slope, compacted in 200mm layers with a 25% allowance for settle so the nearby pergola footings stayed sound. Two truckloads of large sandstone boulders sit through the embankment for structure and retaining in key spots, without sacrificing the natural aesthetic. Coir netting under heavy mulch holds the surface through the first 16 to 18 months. By the time it biodegrades, the native planting has taken over.
The fire pit moved higher up the slope on a second pass through the design. Higher reads as a feature from the pool and living area, retains the view, gets more breeze, and lets parents watch the kids on the lawn from the fire. It is dug in rather than walled, sitting on 200mm of compacted crushed sandstone. Sandstone blocks set down to a 180-200mm step height handle the transition between house level and the new lawn. Less finishing than pre-cut steps, same material, half the cost.
The planting reads as modern native, layered for depth: dwarf lemon-scented gums (Corymbia citriodora 'Scentuous') screening the shed, a single coast banksia as a feature tree, banksias and grevilleas through the mid-storey, coastal rosemary and kangaroo paws for native colour. Foxtail grass, Lomandra 'Lime Tuff', society garlic and creeping boobialla mass at ground level under cypress mulch. Slow growers planted bigger and fast growers smaller, balancing budget against immediate visual weight. 3mm corten steel edging buried 50 to 100mm keeps grass runners out of the beds.
Glimpses from the build, posted as we went.
Native gardens reveal themselves over a season or two. Finished photos will land here in late 2026 once the embankment has filled in and the planting tells its full story.
"The Salt team did an outstanding job designing and reshaping our backyard landscape. Having the ability to design and see the product before committing was fantastic. The team were amazing to work with and were more than happy to modify and change design details as the job progressed to ensure we were happy with the outcome. It was a pleasure to work with everyone on the Salt team from start to finish. We would definitely recommend Salt Landscaping to anyone looking for a professional team to design and create their outdoor space."