Landscaping in Harkaway

Harkaway sits in the north-east corner of Casey, in the rolling hills between Berwick and Cardinia Creek. It's a small, semi-rural suburb of about a thousand people, with bigger blocks, long driveways and some great views back over the south-east. It also has slopes, and that's where good landscaping earns its keep.

Aerial view of the green farmland and bush of Harkaway, with Pioneer quarry at the north end

Photo: Graeme Bartlett, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Japanese maple planted in a white pot beside a new lawn and rock border

Making a hillside block usable

Harkaway homes are often built on a cut-and-fill pad, with land falling away on one or more sides. Common jobs include:

  • Terracing. A series of retaining walls that turn a steep bank into level garden beds, lawn or a play area.
  • Holding the house pad. Replacing a crumbling batter with a proper wall and drainage.
  • Decks that capture the view. A deck can give you flat outdoor space on a slope without huge amounts of excavation.
  • Steps and paths between the house, garden and shed, in stone, block or pavers.
  • Planting the banks with hardy, low-maintenance plants and mulch to slow erosion.

Check your property's overlays

Semi-rural parts of Casey can have planning controls, such as vegetation protection or bushfire overlays, depending on the property. A free Planning Property Report from VicPlan will show what applies to yours. It's worth checking before you plan tree removal or earthworks.

Aerial view across the patchwork farmland of Harkaway towards Cardinia Reservoir and the Dandenong Ranges

Photo: Graeme Bartlett, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Where does all the soil go?

Cutting into a slope creates a lot of spare soil. We can take it away for you, along with any rubbish and green waste from clearing.

Browse our services and the gallery.

Nearby: Berwick, Narre Warren and Lysterfield South.

Front yard with charcoal block garden bed edging, planting and stepping-stone paving

FAQ

How steep is too steep? Very few blocks can't be improved. It's more a question of how many walls you need and how the site can be accessed. We'll assess it on site.

Can you add irrigation to the garden beds on the banks? Yes. Irrigation helps new planting on a dry, sloping bank get established.

Will you quote out in Harkaway? Yes. Harkaway is part of our service area, and quotes are free.

Got a Harkaway slope to sort out? We're often booked a month or two ahead, so it pays to get in touch early. Call 0466 211 273 or contact us.