PLC Burwood

Hockey Field Renewal & Turf Recycling

RE4ORM synthetic turf recycling – Aerial view of a large, green multi-sport court with bright blue borders, surrounded by residential houses and streets; a few people are visible on the pitch.
Client:Presbyterian Ladies College
Delivery Partner:Grassports
Project:PLC Burwood Hockey Field
SECTOR: Education / Hockey
ABOUT THE PROJECT

A logistically complex uplift inside an active school environment

Presbyterian Ladies’ College is a leading independent girls’ school in Melbourne, with a strong emphasis on high-quality sporting infrastructure and responsible environmental decision-making.

The hockey field – incorporating additional tennis court markings – had reached the end of its lifecycle after more than a decade of heavy use and required replacement with minimal disruption to school operations.

~6,000 m²

of synthetic turf uplifted

~198T

of material recovered

~125T

of sand reclaimed for reuse

1W

Only 1 week on site

The Challenge

A live school environment with restricted site access

  • Active school environment with strict safety and access controls
  • No weekend works permitted
  • Tight daily access windows for truck load-outs(strictly between school drop-off and pick-up)
  • Extremely restricted site access, including narrow gates and tight residential streets
  • Exceptionally heavy hockey turf system (25mm pile, higher-than-standard hockey turf)
  • Winter conditions, heavy rain increased weight and handling difficulty
  • Requirement to preserve the existing in-situ shock pad 
RE4ORM synthetic turf recycling – A close-up of artificial turf installation on a pitch, showing green and black layers with perforations. Rolled-up sections of turf are partially unrolled, revealing the underlayer and sandy infill. White pitch lines are visible.
The Solution

RE4ORM worked closely with Grassports to plan and execute a bespoke uplift strategy that aligned with the school’s operational constraints.

Despite the conditions, the project was delivered efficiently and without disruption to school operations.
RE4ORM synthetic turf recycling – Four simple black shapes on a white background: a circle, a square, a rounded-corner square, and an upside-down triangle arranged in a 2x2 grid.

Detailed Pre-Site Logistics Planning

Comprehensive staging strategy, including coordinated truck positioning on surrounding residential streets.

RE4ORM synthetic turf recycling – A simple black outline of a shield with a tick in the centre, symbolising security or protection—perfect for illustrating how we do it when ensuring safety and trust.

Access Enablement Strategy

Temporary fence removal and full reinstatement to create a safe, controlled loading zone.

RE4ORM synthetic turf recycling – A person sits cross-legged on the floor, meditating with eyes closed and hands resting on their knees. Nearby, a relaxed cat lounges as decorative plants and a lamp highlight the peaceful scene, reflecting the recycling benefits for a serene home environment.

Precision Transport Coordination

Carefully sequenced truck movements managed within narrow daily time windows.

RE4ORM synthetic turf recycling – Two overlapping sets of concentric circles, each with three rings, create a central intersection—visually representing "how we do it" through thoughtful design and clear structure.

Specialised Turf Handling Approach

Adapted machinery and techniques to manage unusually heavy hockey surface materials.

RE4ORM synthetic turf recycling – A simple black outline of a five-pointed star on a white background, reminiscent of the clean designs often seen at Kareela Oval.

Accelerated, Controlled Delivery

Completed uplift in just over one week with no weekend works and full shock pad protection.

RE4ORM synthetic turf recycling – An older man with glasses, wearing a light-coloured, checked shirt sits on a dark sofa, looking at the camera with a neutral expression against a plain background.
Bernard Evans
Director Grassports
“Grassports would happily recommend RE4ORM for complex surface uplift and recycling projects. Their team was reliable, skilled and easy to work with, and we would not hesitate to engage them again on future projects.”
Planning a School or Education Surface Replacement?

RE4ORM helps schools and contractors recycle synthetic turf without disrupting students, staff, or schedules.