Decorative concrete flooring products from Transitions Polishing and Grinding have been extensively used in a multi-million dollar restoration project at Wharf Shed Number 3 at Trinity Inlet in Cairns.

The restoration of the heritage-listed building retains all items of cultural significance while introducing contemporary design to create a new look cruise liner terminal that will also host functions and events.

A key objective of the restoration and redevelopment of the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal was to select products that would carry the building through another 100 years of history. Decorative concrete flooring products were therefore selected from the Transitions portfolio for the project.

Designed specifically for the restoration project for use both internally and externally, the decorative concrete flooring products fulfil all stated objectives for the project including the ability to withstand the volume of visitors and the harsh North Queensland climate, slip ratings, long life cycles and minimal maintenance requirement.

The decorative concrete elements included in this project were Transitions polished concrete, Transitions honed concrete, decorative shot blasting, polished concrete plinths and seats, honed concrete staircases and honed concrete disability access ramps in addition to Transitions honed concrete infills for the restoration of the heritage listed railway track.

Transitions mechanically polished concrete flooring products were selected for the internal restoration for reasons such as high abrasion resistance, low maintenance, R9 slip rating and long life cycle. This product was additionally modified to achieve an R11 slip rating in all bathrooms and wet areas.

The final concrete mix chosen for the internal flooring took months of careful planning and numerous test samples to ensure the colours and aggregate complemented the historical features of the building. The floor featured grey concrete with Innisfail aggregate.

Transitions mechanically polished concrete was also chosen to cover a 120-metre plinth that spanned the length of the building. Transitions honed concrete was chosen as the main flooring product for the external areas. Used extensively throughout the project, the flooring forms a seamless border around the large timber viewing deck, down the access ramps and along the long sweeping walkways.

Transitions honed concrete is slip tested to an R13 slip rating, an important factor due to its installation on all access ramps and staircases leading into the building. The sealers used on the honed concrete can also withstand continual exposure to the sun’s UV light.

Decorative shot blasting has been used to encrypt the history of the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal into the landscape. A collection of historical images has been shot blasted into the external concrete areas, intricately installed using template design and contrasting aggregates to ensure that the finer details of each image are clearly represented.

The highlight of the project was the restoration of the original railway track involving the removal of old concrete and bitumen, and replacing them with a new design mix of concrete and Transitions honed concrete.

The flooring products used throughout the restoration project illustrate the flexibility of decorative concrete floors, bringing back the rich history of the building whilst introducing a contemporary feel and logical functionality that is sure to last for another 100 years.

Architecture & Design Team

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Transitions Polishing and Grinding

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