Why Lions 360 is a roaring success

Managing construction is often like herding cats. But Sarah Constructions’ Peter Golotta took this to the extreme when his team embarked on a project in the middle of a pride of lions.

Golotta, project manager for Adelaide-based Sarah Constructions, led the team behind the new Lions 360 project at the 1,0-hectare open range Monarto Zoo in South Australia.

Visitors to the Lions 360 exhibit enter through a tunnel and emerge within clawing range of one of Australia’s largest lion prides. A prey’s-eye view of these predators is enjoyed from the safety of a secure cage and safari vehicle.

Golotta says working inside an active zoo “produced its own bespoke challenges although, at the same time, was a lot of fun”.

With a fixed launch date ahead of them, Golotta and his team had to work quickly.

Safety was an obvious priority, and Golotta says Sarah Constructions installed a temporary electric fence in just five days to protect the lions from the construction site – and his team of tradies from the lions.

Quality and speed were achieved by using 3D modelling to enable building the steel cage offsite.

“The structural steel for the dome was fabricated in Mount Gambier in three sections. Because it could be manufactured, welded and painted offsite, we could deliver a higher quality product – and it was quick to assemble. When it arrived on site it fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle”.

The prefabricated system reduced the amount of welding – and with it noise and light flashes that might have disturbed the lions.

Pouring the 16-metre exposed aggregate structural slab was also a challenge. “We had to box out 39 individual pockets, all with different templates,” Golotta explains, adding that this demanded innovative 3D modelling, a full-time surveyor onsite and precision installation.

Lions 360 was delivered on time and budget, and Golotta says the project wasn’t just a professional highlight, but a personal one.

“I developed a strong relationship with Zoos SA and gained a deep understanding of animal conservation – and I now volunteer my time with Zoos SA in Adelaide.

“It was a rare and rewarding opportunity to manage the construction of such an iconic attraction which will serve an important role for animal conservation and a boost in South Australian tourism,” Golotta concludes.

Check out the time lapse video of Sarah Constructions’ Lions 360 project.