Decking in Ocean Reef
Northern Decking Co builds raised decks, pool surrounds and composite or hardwood decks in Ocean Reef, the boat harbour suburb in the City of Joondalup. Homes here date from the 1970s onward and sit behind a wide dune reserve in salt air, so every fixing is stainless steel. The contractor visits, measures and quotes free.
- Postcode
- 6027
- Council
- City of Joondalup
- Coastal lot rules
- Apply
- Last reviewed
- October 2026
Decks that suit Ocean Reef homes
Ocean Reef took its name in 1974, replacing the earlier Beaumaris, and the developers who coined it were selling a coastal suburb that has kept its shape ever since: an older section of 1970s homes, a newer section beyond the main road that divides them, and a wide protected dune reserve between the back fences and the water. The boat harbour anchors the suburb and a marina redevelopment is planned around it. For decking, the brief is set by the dunes and the salt air that comes over them.
Raised decks behind the dune reserve
The dune reserve is high along much of Ocean Reef, so a ground-level deck looks at the dune rather than the sea. Owners who want the water in view build up: a raised deck off a first-floor living room, or a platform on posts that lifts the outdoor area a metre or more above the lawn. In the City of Joondalup a deck within 7.5 m of a side or rear boundary needs a privacy screen at least 1.6 m high, so the contractor plans the screens on the neighbour sides and leaves the western edge open behind a stainless wire or glass balustrade. Our raised decks page covers how the posts, bearers and balustrade go together.
Pool surrounds in the older section
The 1970s section has the older pools, often with cracked paving or a timber surround that has been through fifty summers of salt air. A new pool deck in a textured, pool-grade composite gives bare feet a cooler, splinter-free surface and ties the pool to the alfresco. Fixings are 316 stainless because the salt carried over the dunes meets the salt or chlorine in the pool. The deck is detailed around the barrier so it does not shorten the fence or create a foothold.
Two eras of house, two kinds of job
In the older section the work is usually a replacement: an original deck with galvanised screws that have rusted through, a frame that may or may not be sound, and an owner who wants the deck back without the upkeep. In the newer section it is more often a first deck off an alfresco or a second-storey living area. The contractor looks at the frame on an old deck before saying whether a re-board will do, and quotes a new frame when that is the honest answer.
Built for the sea air
Everything metal on an Ocean Reef deck is stainless steel, from the hidden clips to the stirrups on the stumps. Composite is the common board this close to the harbour because it shrugs off the salt and never needs oiling. Hardwood in merbau or spotted gum is the alternative for owners who want timber underfoot and will oil it when the colour goes flat.
What to know before you build in Ocean Reef
City of Joondalup
- Building permit requirements depend on the deck. Confirm with the City of Joondalup on 9400 4000 before work starts.
- For a single house or grouped dwelling, development (planning) approval is not required for decking 500 mm or less above natural ground level.
- Decking over 500 mm can avoid planning approval if it meets the R-Code setbacks for the lot's density.
- A deck within 7.5 m of a side or rear boundary needs a privacy screen at least 1.6 m high.
Salt air
Ocean Reef is a coastal suburb, so the fixings, hangers and stirrups are stainless steel and the frame is detailed to dry out. Composite boards suit lots within reach of the sea breeze; hardwood works too when it is oiled and fixed properly.
The ground
The Ocean Reef foreshore is Quindalup dune sand over Tamala Limestone, with higher dunes of 10 to 20 m where the reserve is wide and limestone outcrops along the coast. That describes the reserve rather than the house lots, where footings usually go into sand, and the first hole tells the contractor whether rock is close enough to matter.
Bushfire map
Check your lot on the DFES Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas. If it is inside a mapped area the deck is built to the BAL requirements of AS 3959. We do not say here whether Ocean Reef is or is not bushfire prone, because the map runs through suburbs and is revised.
How it goes in
-
Footings
Stumps go into footings in the sand. Some sites in the far north hit limestone close to the surface and need core drilling.
-
Joists
Joists go across the bearers at the centres the board maker specifies, typically 450 mm for hardwood and tighter for composite.
-
Boards
Boards are laid from the house out with an even gap, fixed with screws or hidden clips.
Questions from Ocean Reef
Do I need council approval for a deck in Ocean Reef?
For a single house or grouped dwelling in the City of Joondalup, development (planning) approval is not required for decking 500 mm or less above natural ground level. Decking over 500 mm can avoid planning approval if it meets the R-Code setbacks for the lot's density. Building permit requirements depend on the deck. Confirm with the City of Joondalup on 9400 4000 before work starts.
Can a raised deck in Ocean Reef get a view over the dunes?
Sometimes, and it depends on the lot and the height of the dune reserve in front of it. A raised deck off a first-floor living area is the usual approach, with a balustrade where the fall is 1 m or more. A deck within 7.5 m of a side or rear boundary needs a privacy screen at least 1.6 m high, and the contractor designs the screen and balustrade together so the open side faces the view.
What deck works around a pool in Ocean Reef?
Composite with a textured, pool-grade finish and 316 stainless fixings, because salt air and pool water together are hard on hardware. The deck is set out so it does not shorten the effective height of the pool barrier or give a foothold in the non-climbable zone.
My Ocean Reef house is from the 1970s. Is the original deck worth saving?
The contractor checks the frame before answering. Bearers and joists that are dry and sound can take new boards with stainless fixings. If the frame has rot or the galvanised hardware has rusted through in the salt air, the honest answer is a new deck, and you hear that before anything is quoted.
Nearby areas we cover
Read about pool decking and raised decks, or our guide to composite versus timber decking. All areas.
Get a free quote in Ocean Reef
Send your details. The contractor calls you, looks at the site and quotes in writing. No obligation.