The shoreline at Marlwood House is constantly changing. Wind, water and the movement of Lake King have gradually shaped the edge of the property, exposing roots and wearing away sections of the bank.
Rather than trying to hold the landscape still, we’ve begun looking at ways to work with it—slowing the erosion while allowing the shoreline to remain a living, changing edge.
Large old gum tree leaning over the eroded shoreline at the edge of Lake King.
In places, the constant scouring has removed much of the soil around the roots of some of the old trees along the water’s edge. With little left to anchor them, several have become increasingly vulnerable to falling into the lake.
Wave erosion around exposed tree roots along the shoreline of Lake King.
Over the past few months, coir logs have been laid along the bank and secured in place, creating a softer barrier against wave action. Behind them, the bank is being replanted with rushes and other species that naturally belong at the water’s edge, their roots gradually helping to hold the bank together.
The aim isn’t to create a perfectly controlled edge, but to give the bank enough support to establish itself again—living, planted and resilient.
Coir logs being laid and secured along the shoreline to soften wave action and support the eroded bank.
What began as a practical need to protect the shoreline has become something much more interesting—looking closely at what grows here, how the water moves and which plants naturally belong at the lake’s edge.
The completed coir logs settling into the shoreline, protecting exposed roots while the bank begins to regenerate.