At the 36th Dulux® Colour Awards in June 2022, this project won a Commendation in the Commercial & Multi Residential Exterior category, recognising the ambitious and innovative use of colour in this project.

The colourful Kids' Bridge (Koolangka) has created a fun and safe link between the Perth Children’s Hospital and King’s Park. The winding rainbow of colours is a visual and sensory treat for unwell kids and their families.

Local company Civmec delivered the $6.3 million project for Main Roads WA. Over 300 tonnes of fabricated steel was needed to build the 217-metre-long structure. The bright colour palette is enhanced with lighting and speakers to create a fully interactive experience. Crucially, the chosen paintwork had to retain colour and vibrancy for many years, even under extreme UV exposure.

Civmec sought the advice of our expert team in Western Australia. Nathan Hines and Joel Bock recommended a whole system to meet government specification requirements. Our approach to durability started with Dulux® Durezinc® i90 applied to the steel deck prior to the concrete pour. This inorganic zinc silicate cures to a tough coating for heavy duty corrosion protection.

For the sides, Dulux® Zincanode® 402 was applied at a thickness of 75-microns (µm) to provide exceptional cathodic corrosion resistance. An intermediate coat of Dulux® Duremax® GPE MIO at 200-microns (µm) added further barrier protection. Civmec sprayed the primary coatings off site before the 11 separate sections were transported and assembled in place. On site, the applicators at Kleenit used brush and roller to apply the Dulux® Weathermax® HBR topcoat, at a thickness of 100-microns (µm).

The underside of the bridge features Indigenous artwork painted in enduring Dulux® Weathershield® colours and protected by Dulux® Acrathane® IF Clearcoat, which is a non-yellowing catalysed acrylic that resists graffiti.

This high profile project has been an astounding success. Hospital staff and the wider community are also using the bridge to connect to the many surrounding pathways and fitness tracks.

Transport Minister, Rita Saffioti said, "The colourful Kids' Bridge will become an iconic new structure across Winthrop Avenue and will be enjoyed by many people for years to come."

Nathan Hines explains why Dulux Protective Coatings' specification was selected in a competitive process. "For these types of commercial projects requiring lasting protection and a high level of aesthetic appeal, our products have a reputation for delivering. Weathermax met the two specification requirements, the MRWA 835 Protective Coatings of Steelwork and the MRWA 908 Anti-Graffiti Coatings.”