Geelong Christmas Tree

Service Area: Galvanizing | Industry Type:

Project Overview

When the City of Geelong needed a 25-metre floating Christmas tree built to survive harsh coastal conditions and needed it in the water within seven weeks, J. Furphy & Sons Group was the obvious partner of choice. We galvanized over 10 tonnes of structural steel in a complex design at our Geelong facility, protecting the frame against the corrosive salt-laden atmosphere of Corio Bay. The entire structure which features 11,000 reflective discs and 400+ LED lights was completed on budget and on schedule and is has stood the test of time as a main event and attraction for the city every festive season without fail.

The Challenge

The Christmas Tree was to be located directly on Corio Bay, facing constant exposure to highly corrosive salt-laden air, requiring a coating system that could withstand these conditions without ongoing maintenance. The complex multi-material construction stood at an impressive 25 metres tall and needed to be built using compatible galvanized steel with stainless steel and aluminium components throughout. With just seven weeks until the festive season and the tree needing to be in the water, there was no room for error or delays. The structure design needed to be fully dismantlable for storage in the off-season, and to survive repeat handling cycles without touch-ups for reapplications each time.

Geelong Christmas Tree Gallery

Our Solution

J. Furphy & Sons Group supplied hot dip galvanizing in sections to suit the modular design, producing a metallurgically bonded zinc coating that provided cathodic protection from the inside out with coating that won’t blister or peel after months of salt air exposure. We worked with the fabricator to batch and process over 10 tonnes of RHS frames, caged ladders, channels, angles, brackets and plates in sequence at our Geelong facility. The structural steel was galvanized to Australian standard AS/NZS 4680 and designed to last decades in the coastal environment with zero planned maintenance. We coordinated the project seamlessly and had the tree in the water within the seven-week deadline ready to be enjoyed by the community.

Technical Specifications

Height

25 metres

Weight

15 tonnes

Materials

Steel, stainless, aluminium

Coating

Hot dip galvanized steel

Standards

AS/NZS 4680

Turnaround

Seven weeks

Features

400+ LED lights
11,000+ reflective discs
Modular demountable design
Displayed November to January

The Outcome

This highly successful project delivered:

A 10 tonne, 25-metre-tall structure galvanized to AS/NZS 4680 with full coastal corrosion protection
A low-maintenance structure made using HDG with a zinc coating requiring no repainting, touch-ups, or retreatment between seasons
A cost-effective solution that eliminates weather-related coating delays and reducing lifetime maintenance
A strategic modular design for ease of storage in the off-seasons
A fast seven week turnaround with the tree in the water on time for the festive season
Proven performance and resilience in repeat handling year after year