Building the future, one recycled rock at a time
Stockland’s Aura community on the Sunshine Coast isn’t just moving dirt — it’s redefining how earthworks can support sustainability and economic efficiency by repurposing materials on the site.
At Aura, everything old is new again. Topsoil from former farmland is being repurposed, a massive rock shelf is yielding tons of reusable material, and even old concrete structures are getting a second life.
This is about using circularity principles to transform how we build — turning waste into resources and setting a new standard for sustainable development.
Circularity is a key pillar of Stockland’s ESG Strategy, which focuses on keeping resources in play for longer. Aura embodies this by slashing the need for imported materials, reducing transport emissions, and limiting environmental impact — without compromising on quality or safety.
In the last year, the Aura team used around 50,000 square metres of recycled topsoil in sports precincts, linear parks and playgrounds without having to purchase and import material. Natural topsoil from the old farms is being put through a soil recycler to screen out debris and create quality topsoil for landscaping projects.
But the dirt isn’t the only star. A rock shelf running through Aura’s western section has provided 950,000 tonnes of rock, processed on-site and reused as structural fill. That’s 950,000 fewer tonnes of material hauled from somewhere else.
Even old concrete pipes, culverts, and headwalls are getting a second act. Instead of heading to landfill, they’re crushed and repurposed into structural fill — 15,000 tonnes of it so far.
Mick Waters, construction manager at Shadcivil, one of Stockland’s contractors, sees this as a game-changer.
“Using the rock material on-site at Aura hasn’t just minimized waste — it’s raised the bar for geotechnical standards,” he says.
“And by repurposing old concrete, we’ve created a more sustainable and cost-effective solution for the development.”
Stockland’s project director Josh Sondergeld is equally enthusiastic.
“Since day one in 2015, we’ve committed to using our own fill and topsoil, and the commercial and environmental payoffs keep stacking up,” he says.
Aura isn’t just a development — it’s a blueprint for the future. With more than 50,000 people expected to call it home over the next 20+ years, it’s leading the charge in innovative, sustainable, and connected living.
Further information
Want to dig deeper? Check out Stockland’s ESG Strategy here.