MEGAFLO AND BIDIM GREEN DRAINAGE SOLUTIONS KEEP CONNELL PARK DRY

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bellingen, a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, experiences an annual rainfall of approximately 1,500 millimetres. Connell Park, located on the town’s outskirts in a low-lying area, was prone to regular flooding.

The Bellingen Shire Council was seeking a drainage solution that would keep the park usable year-round, even during heavy rainfall. Conventional methods were considered but proved unsuitable due to the size of the area and consistently wet ground conditions. Geosynthetic solutions were selected to provide a durable, efficient, and cost-effective system capable of managing high rainfall events while maintaining the park’s functionality.

OUR SOLUTION

Geofabrics supplied Megaflo Green socked slotted drain pipe and Bidim Green non-woven geotextile to meet the drainage requirements. Over 8 kilometres of Megaflo Green 170 was installed horizontally across the site in a cross-hatch pattern, along with 500 Megaflo fittings. Additionally, 3,500 m² of Bidim Green A14 was used for drainage separation and filtration.

The installation was carried out by local contractors with Geofabrics providing design guidance and technical support to ensure optimal placement and performance.

Following completion, Connell Park has a fully functional, high-capacity drainage system. During the May 2025 flood event, the Mid North Coast received over 700 millimetres of rain in three days, yet Connell Park remained dry and in good condition. In contrast, a nearby golf course, situated across the road and approximately 400 millimetres higher in elevation, experienced significant flooding without Megaflo Green and Bidim Green product solutions in place.

PRODUCTS USED

Megaflo® Green Socked Slotted Drain Pipe

• A wide and flat-shaped panel drainage system made from recycled HDPE material and covered with Bidim Green non-woven geotextile
• Up to 4.9 times faster water drainage compared to conventional 100mm round agi pipe due to its ability to effectively remove excess water with its increased in-take slot distribution
• Saves up to 50% installation compared to conventional 100mm round agi pipe
• Range of connection fittings available from Geofabrics, including stormwater connectors

Bidim® Green Non-Woven Geotextile

• A premium non-woven geotextile made with a combination of recycled PET and virgin plastic material, designed for filtration, separation, drainage and protection applications
• Reduced need for quarried fill materials and reduced construction times
• It has a strong three-dimensional structure with high elongation and equal biaxial strength properties in both directions