Who We Are
From humble beginnings…
Brothers Garry and Peter Lusk commenced the operation of Lilydale Instant Lawn in 1985 on a small rural property in Wonga Park. As the business rapidly expanded, they soon acquired a larger, 70-acre property in Yarra Glen.
Since then, Lilydale Instant Lawn has grown to become Melbourne’s leading turf producer, employing over 30 staff. With Garry Lusk at the helm as Managing Director, Denise Lusk running WHS and HR, and Steve Cole as General Manager, Lilydale Instant Lawn continues to go from strength to strength.
Lilydale Instant Lawn’s farm portfolio now comprises in excess of 1500 acres, including the original 70-acre farm and head office in Yarra Glen, two farms in Pakenham, and a large-scale sand-based farm at Bairnsdale.
The acquisition of the Bairnsdale property in 2011 has given us the flexibility to expand our range. We now supply a variety of soil-based turf products, including sand-based instant turf to service the sports and racing industries.
Our Team
Garry Lusk - Managing Director
Garry Lusk has been a pivotal member of the turf industry in Australia for over 30 years.
From humble beginnings on a small property in Wonga Park in 1985, Garry has taken Lilydale Instant Lawn from strength to strength with a farm portfolio now comprising in excess of 1500 acres in total, including the original 70 acre farm and head office based in Yarra Glen, two Pakenham farms and a large scale sand based farm at Bairnsdale.
Employing over 30 staff Garry consistently strives to be a leader passing not only his vast turf experience onto the next generation of turf professionals, but also exploring new technologies and methods to push Lilydale Instant Lawn into the future.
Garry was a founding member of Lawn Solutions Australia and currently holds a seat on the Lawn Solutions Australia Advisory Board since its conception in 2013.
With a constant positive drive, a love of the Richmond Tigers and the turf industry as a whole, Garry looks forward to being part of the turf industry long into the future.
Steve Cole - General Manager
With over 35 years of technical experience in the turf industry, Steve Cole is an indispensable part of the Lilydale Instant Lawn team. He is a longstanding member of many industry boards and committees, including NGIV, Turf Vic, AGCSA, and Sports Turf Association.
Steve literally grew up on his uncles golf course and from an early age was helping out on weekends and school holidays starting a life long love of grass and the industry. After so many years in turf he still gets a buzz when he drives past a old project and the kids get sick of hearing about “when we laid that turf back in 2006 …”
Steve qualified in Turf Management as an apprentice at the Spring Valley Golf Club in Melbourne before transferring to the University of Ohio as part of an international exchange program which involved work placement at Johns Island Golf Club in Florida on returning to Australia he completed an Associate Diploma of Applied Science – Turf Management at NMIT (now Melbourne Polytechnic).
Steve joined the Lilydale Instant Lawn team in 2005, bringing a new production farm at Pakenham with him. Since then Steve has helped many commercial clients to complete their projects with turf supply and install on everything from golf courses, parks, racetracks and large commercial sites.
Steve’s extensive and varied experience in turf management, from farm production right through to sales and project management, has been a key factor in the company’s ongoing growth and development. His unwavering dedication to customer service and innovation continues to inspire respect and loyalty from customers and staff alike.
Denise Lusk - OH&S and Human Resources
Denise Lusk and Garry Lusk are co-owners at Lilydale Instant Lawn Pty Ltd.
Lilydale Instant Lawn has been operating over 30 years and Denise has had a career spanning over 20 years in HR and now specialising in OH&S.
Denise has been instrumental in developing and implementing Lilydale Instant Lawn’s OH&S policies, procedures and ensuring that they are audited and functioning effectively.
We operate with a staff of 30 people who are essential to Lilydale Instant Lawn’s success. Working together in a harmonious and productive work environment is crucial to Lilydale Instant Lawn’s achievements.
My specialities are:
- OH&S Management
- Business Development
- End to end recruitment and engagement
- HR/IR systems and policies
- Workforce planning, training, mentoring and development
- Development Discussions