North Beach paving, about 12 km from Landsdale
IBP Paving takes on paving in North Beach from Landsdale, about 12 km to the north east in a straight line. Our work here is mostly replacing old driveways and paths, paving courtyards and alfresco areas on rebuilt lots, and installing soakwells that meet the City of Stirling's drainage criteria. With over 20 years in the trade, we back every North Beach job with a lifetime workmanship warranty.
Holiday cottages, workers' houses and new builds
By 1961 North Beach was fully built out. What went up in those decades was a mix: holiday dwellings from before and after the war, houses built for workers, and, more recently, modern homes on lots where an older place has been cleared. So the age of the housing, and of the paving around it, can change from one lot to the next.
The paving follows the houses. On the older homes it is usually well past its life, and a replacement on a fresh base gives a better result than chasing individual dips. A rebuild clears the site, so the new driveway, side paths and a sheltered courtyard can be designed together with the drainage. For outdoor areas, limestone and pale concrete pavers are popular choices on the coast because light colours stay cooler underfoot in summer.
Star Swamp: 96 hectares next door
Roughly a third of North Beach is Star Swamp Bushland Reserve. The 96 ha site was set aside as an A-class reserve in 1987 and the Star Swamp Heritage Trail loops through it. The City of Stirling closes the reserve on high fire risk days, which is a reminder for homes along its edge. A strip of brick, stone or concrete paving against the house gives a non combustible surface where leaf litter and mulch would otherwise sit. It also makes a tidy maintenance path around the walls, which is useful on blocks where the bush comes right up to the back fence. We set it with a fall away from the house so rain runs to the garden or a soakwell instead of the footings.
What sits under a North Beach driveway
An early route into the district was a limestone track. Most North Beach lots are typically Quindalup sand over Tamala Limestone. The sand drains quickly and compacts into a firm base under crushed limestone, but soakwell holes can strike rock, so we price the dig accordingly and use wider units where depth is limited. A saltwater wedge sits under the coast.
Salt is the bigger factor. Most of the suburb is likely within about 1 km of the ocean, so we specify exposure grade pavers, bed them on clean sand and seal driveways and outdoor areas once they have cured. Unsealed pavers this close to the water are prone to white salt bloom, and a sealer slows it down.
Street trees, verges and Stirling's setbacks
Front paving in North Beach runs into two City of Stirling documents: the verge treatment guidelines and the crossover policy. Both are mostly about protecting street trees.
Verge paving needs the City's prior approval and is limited to one third of the verge, not counting the crossover and footpath, and it must be at least 2 m from a street tree. A crossover's setback from a street tree scales with trunk diameter, from 1 m for trunks up to 200 mm DBH to 4 m for trunks over 601 mm DBH. Residential crossovers may be grey or coloured concrete, heavy duty clay or concrete pavers or flagstone products; asphalt is not permitted.
Source: City of Stirling, Verge treatment guidelines (August 2022); Crossover Policy; Crossover Guidelines Residential and Non Residential.
Behind the boundary, the City requires all rain falling on a lot to be held on site by soakwells or an approved alternative. Our City of Stirling soakwell requirements page sets out the sizing formula. If a street tree has already lifted part of your crossover or path, see lifted pavers and tree roots.
Close to North Beach
Trigg lies to the south and Watermans Bay to the north, with Marmion past it. Carine and Karrinyup are inland. The complete list is on areas we service.
