Moore Park Beach, QLD

The Challenge

Moore Park Beach (23 km north of Bundaberg) has everything a coastal town could hope for - a close-knit, 3,000-strong community, 17 km of golden beachfront (swimming in the south, 4WD access in the north), and an important turtle-nesting site that’s a national tourism draw card. But it lacked the durable, cohesive infrastructure that grows the local community and invites visitors.

The Bundaberg Regional Council’s multi-stage $5 million upgrade plan for this seaside community mirrored what many climate-exposed councils face:

• Climate vulnerability: cyclones, erosion, corrosive salt air, climate change
• Protect the natural environment while lifting amenity
• Strengthen local identity so it still ‘feels like Moore Park Beach’
• Attract new young families and grow tourism
  
  

Material Requirements

Although timber-built products brings warmth and a natural look - in a coastal location High UV, salt, and moisture drive up maintenance and shorten product life. The space also needed permanent shade that ties the precinct together, and avoids the ongoing costs of shade sails. 

The Solution

To keep the precinct cohesive, GX Outdoors supplied a complete suite of coastal-grade assets - Pandanus^R permanent shade, Hyve Table Setting and Bench Seat, Atessa Dual Bin Enclosure, and a Reviva Drinking Fountain - so every element reads as one place.

Both the Pandanus shade system and Hyve furniture range are modular. Council can meet today’s needs and expand coverage and seating as use grows - without redesigning the precinct or incurring bespoke costs. It fits now and future-proofs the site, improving whole-of-life value.

To keep the natural look of timber, GX Outdoors supplied Hyve with a TimberImage finish- a wood-grain film bonded to coastal-grade aluminum - which delivers the warmth of timber with long-life, corrosion-resistant performance of aluminum.

For accessibility and durability, the precinct includes a Reviva drinking fountain with an arched profile for wheelchair under-access, and Atessa dual bin enclosures finished with vandal-resistant powder coating and hardware.

What was a functional but under-utilised public space is now a welcoming, identity-rich foreshore. Pandanus permanent shade and Hyve seating increase visitor comfort and dwell time; bin enclosures and a drinking fountain lift amenity and make everyday use easier. Turtle detailing anchors the space to Moore Park Beach’s story, supporting local pride and visitation. For Bundaberg Regional Council, the modular, Australian-made components deliver short lead times, low maintenance, and a future-proof platform that grows with the Moore Park Beach community, protecting long-term return on investment. 

Pandanus: Designed to Grow. Infinite Shade. Zero Waste.

A Good Design Australia Award winner, Pandanus is a groundbreaking permanent shade
solution born from the Moore Park Beach project. Limitless in size and configuration,
it is inspired by the geometric pattern of the Pandanus fruit, endemic to Queensland’s coastline, the system uses just three components to form interlocking panels that span large areas with minimal structure.

Using low-carbon materials at an affordable price, it delivers exceptional aesthetics and accessibility for communities where high-end infrastructure is often out of reach - addressing the shade gap where 97% of people consider shade essential, yet only 19% of parks have shade structures, and just 3% are permanent.

Focus groups were also clear: visual appeal must never compromise functionality.
That’s why optional laser-cut roof panels do more than provide cover - they cast
shadow art and enable place-specific storytelling.

Developed over two years of engineering by GX Outdoors and guided by the creative
vision of RPS Architects, Pandanus isn’t just a solution for now - it’s a revolutionary
step toward creating healthier, more inclusive spaces - bringing shade and comfort to Australia’s most vulnerable, while promoting environmental sustainability.