IPWEAQ 2021 Excellence Awards Commemorative Book

EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC WORKS

Kingsford Smith Drive Upgrade | Brisbane City Council Project of the Year

CONTENTS President’s Foreword

1

Sponsors 3 Judges 5 Project Awards

6

Project of the Year

7

Asset Management

9

Coastal Engineering

15

Community Road Safety

18

Environment & Sustainability

21

Innovation 25 Innovation & Sustainability In Water

30

Projects Under $1 Million

33

Projects $1 to $2 Million

36

Projects $2 to $5 Million

40

Projects $5 to $10 Million

49

Projects $10 to $20 Million

54

Projects over $20 Million

58

Road Safety Infrastructure

62

People Awards 64 Employer Awards

IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

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PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD For the past 20 years, IPWEAQ has been celebrating the achievements of councils, engineering and consulting firms, and supplier organisations delivering exceptional outcomes for Queensland communities.

And we’re proud to present all the projects and people nominated for the 2021 awards program. A record 100 projects and people were nominated with the winners announced at the gala awards ceremony and dinner at the Cairns Convention Centre, Tuesday 12 October.

Thank you to our 17 judges (see page 5) for devoting a substantial amount of time and reflection considering the nominees. There were a number of results with less than 1% between scores making it another challenging year for our judges. Thank you also to each of the individual award sponsors for your support of our sector. Congratulations to all nominees entered for the 2021 awards program. It is our great pleasure to showcase the people and projects that make Queensland great.

Craig Murrell President

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland.

1

SPONSORS

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IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

SPONSORS OVERALL SPONSOR

INNOVATION

ROAD SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE

PROJECTS OVER $20 MILLION

COMMUNITY ROAD SAFETY

PROJECTS $5-$10 MILLION

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

YOUNG ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

WOMAN IN ENGINEERING

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR – PUBLIC SECTOR

COASTAL ENGINEERING

ASSET MANAGEMENT

INNOVATION IN WATER AND SUSTAINABILITY AWARD

ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

3

JUDGES

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IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

THANK YOU TO OUR 2021 JUDGES

Martin Crow

Manager Infrastructure Planning, Rockhampton Regional Council

Noel Dwyer

Deputy Chief Engineer, Department of Transport & Main Roads

Patrick Murphy

Advisor to Assistant Minister Road Safety & Freight, Office of the Hon. Scott Buchholz MP

Jothi Ramanujam Director, Pavements Rehabilitation, Department of Transport & Main Roads

Rob Daly

Senior Consultant Engineering & Technical, McArthur Management Services

Dion Jones

Director Engineering Services, Goondiwindi Regional Council

Kym Murphy

General Manager RoadTek, Department of Transport & Main Roads

Ross Ullman

Project Director Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion Project, Sunshine Coast Council

John Derbyshire

Local Government Engineer, Retired

Glenda Kirk

Trevor Dean

Executive Manager Engineering & Technical Services, Fraser Coast Regional Council

Seren McKenzie

Director Infrastructure Services, Mareeba Shire Council

Director Infrastructure and Operations, Townsville City Council

Dean Ostrofski

Warren Paulger

Executive Coordinator Drafting Services, Infrastructure Delivery, Transport and Infrastructure, City of Gold Coast

Dennis Walsh

Chief Engineer, Department of Transport & Main Roads

Graeme Wills

Owner, George Bourne & Associates, Retired

Manager, WR & CA Paulger

Ian Woodyard

Technical Manager, Retired

5

PROJECT AWARDS

6

IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

PROJECT OF THE YEAR WINNER Kingsford Smith Drive Upgrade

Brisbane City Council

Brisbane City Council Branch Manager Asset Management Joe Bannan with Angela Fry IPWEAQ President.

7

PROJECT OF THE YEAR HIGHLY COMMENDED Surfers Paradise Sand Backpass Pipeline Project

City of Gold Coast

City of Gold Coast Director Engineering Services Alton Twine with IPWEAQ Ambassador, Maddie Stahlhut.

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IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

ASSET MANAGEMENT WINNER

SPONSORED BY

BUNDABERG REGIONAL COUNCIL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY (L-R) Jordan Maultby (Water Resources Team Lead, AECOM), David Fulton (Civil Engineer - Program Management, Bundaberg Regional Council), Stephen Hegedus, Shepherd (award sponsor) and Dwayne Honor (Branch Manager - Engineering, Bundaberg Regional Council).

management responsibility is complicated by increasing demand from the community to provide higher levels of service, changing risk environments and funding constraints. Council’s management of stormwater infrastructure has led to highly reactive investment, financially unsustainable outcomes, and no clear direction for the medium to long term.

Bundaberg Regional Council | AECOM Historically, the Bundaberg region has been developed on top of very low-lying overland flow paths without formal drainage infrastructure. This has led to significant community exposure to rainfall run-off in urban areas where surface water exceeds the capacity of the street gutters and creates ongoing nuisance to property owners. Bundaberg Regional Council currently owns and manages over $300 million worth of stormwater assets to provide local protections against rainfall run-off across the region.

To break out of this unsustainable cycle, Council engaged in a collaborative partnership with AECOM to create an overarching Stormwater Management Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy provides an essential framework for best practice asset management that caters for future growth, while maintaining and improving existing stormwater infrastructure. Furthermore, the Strategy defines a clear level of service for the community that employs risk-based decision making to inform long-term investment. It brings a holistic vision for stormwater management in the region by increasing awareness and education within the community, capturing social and environmental values, and identifying critical infrastructure needs.

Recent decades have seen significant growth in Council’s assets which accentuates the need to proactively plan and manage infrastructure in a sustainable, adaptable manner. The asset

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ASSET MANAGEMENT NOMINEES

A once in a lifetime allocation of $3.55m approved by council and supplemented by the State Government was secured to turn data into information and information into decision making. CHRC embarked on an ambitious task undertaking condition inspections across the $1.9b asset base, The journey was an experience in expecting the unexpected and challenging a culture of “this is how we have always done it”.

The outcomes were worth the journey taking the organisation to a place where discussions on asset management are commonplace in the boardroom and decisions are based on evidence.

ASSET PHYSICAL CONDITION INSPECTIONS Central Highlands Regional Council The 2008 Queensland local government amalgamation of the four shires of Emerald, Peak Downs, Bauhinia and Duaringa Councils resulted in the formation of the Central Highlands Regional Council (CHRC), an area covering 60,000 square kilometres the size of Tasmania.

The region is home to 30,000 people living in 13 unique communities of Arcadia Valley, Bauhinia, Blackwater, Bluff, Capella, Comet, Dingo, Duaringa, Emerald, Rolleston, Gemfields, Springsure, and Tieri.

Servicing these communities is an asset base in excess of $1.9 billion including: • 4,600km road network • 133km piped stormwater network • 282km piped sewer network • 6 aquatic centres • 3,400 minor culverts and floodways • 189 houses, and • 38 Bridges & 80 major culverts The requirement to fund the new council’s vision and aspirations while maintaining and renewing councils existing infrastructure with limited knowledge on the condition of existing assets had started to impact on the ability to align: • Asset Management Plans, • Long term financial model, • Business process models, and • Service Levels.

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ASSET MANAGEMENT NOMINEES

MBRC GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PORTFOLIO - ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN Moreton Bay Regional Council In June 2021, Moreton Bay Regional Council endorsed its first Green Infrastructure Portfolio Asset Management Plan. The Green Infrastructure Portfolio - Asset Management Plan (GIPAMP) outlines Council’s approach to the management of Council’s green infrastructure assets and provides a detailed roadmap for optimising asset lifecycle cost, risk and performance.

Green infrastructure assets include fauna fences, escape and refuge poles, fauna overpasses and underpasses, road pavement stencils (wildlife), nest boxes and roadside signage located across the region. The primary function of green infrastructure assets is to provide safe and ongoing movement opportunities for wildlife and to improve road safety for all road users.

Collectively the financially recognised green infrastructure assets have an estimated replacement value of $11.7M. The GIPAMP identifies future investments in green infrastructure acquisitions worth $11.0M over the next 10 years. Such investments require a systematic process to guide the planning, acquisition, operation, maintenance, renewal and disposal of green infrastructure assets.

The GIPAMP was developed to ensure council’s green infrastructure network is financially stable, is being managed within a sustainable economic range and ensures the assigned levels of service are responsive to network growth. The development of an asset management plan for Green Infrastructure assets demonstrates a level of network management maturity which we believe is an Australian first initiative for this type of infrastructure.

ASSET RATIONALISATION Cassowary Coast Regional Council Council’s asset rationalisation project will enable Cassowary Coast Regional Council’s community to have access to fewer but better quality assets that suit the community of today and tomorrow. By being courageous and demonstrating leadership Council has resolved to rationalise a number of assets which no longer provide value to its community as they are underutilised and a financial burden to ratepayers.

Through a well planned and targeted consultation process Council has been able to make some tough calls which will see over $600,000 per annum saved by its ratepayers. The savings will be used to fund new and better facilities for its community while not adversely impacting on sustainability. By adopting a plan and series of principles Council has been able to have the tough conversations and lead change that will provide a positive legacy for its community for years to come.

Council conducted a comprehensive assessment of its asset base in order to determine essential assets and identify options to rationalise or dispose of those assets that are surplus to requirements, with a focus on prioritising renewal of essential infrastructure over new capital expenditure. The asset rationalisation project explored options including: • Transfer ownership • Sell building •S et lease agreements with clauses that require users and not ratepayers to renew assets •C hange end of life renewal treatments, e.g. concrete to deco • Remove asset • Replace with fit for purpose asset • Increase usage through shared arrangements

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ASSET MANAGEMENT NOMINEES

•P rovide risk-based and fit-for-purpose Level of Service (LoS) targets which split the network into two cohorts • I mprove consistency of targeted road condition across the City’s road network •O ptimise programs to enable cost effective management of the City’s road pavements • I mprove and extend asset life of road pavements, and •S et the City as a leading industry partner in innovation in road pavement asset management.

Benefits for the community will be: •T aking a more sustainable approach to keeping our network at the required LoS •E nsuring the $62m investment on road maintenance and resurfacing is best utilised •A greater awareness for the community on when, why, and how roads will be maintained and renewed •T rialling the latest technology to reuse materials contributing to the City’s environmental and sustainability goals, and •E nsuring our dedicated crews are best utilised where the need is required.

SUSTAINABLE ROAD PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN City of Gold Coast Council The Sustainable Pavement Management Plan (SRPMP) is a City initiative to ensure the region is well placed into the future when it comes to road asset management. The SRPMP brings together key aspects of best practice asset management, setting a strategic framework to effectively manage the city’s ageing and more heavily utilised road network surface and pavements.

The SRPMP identifies 32 actions across five priority areas that will ensure the City manages the $2 billion road network sustainably into the future. The SRPMP is the framework for the City’s unprecedented investment in the community to ensure roads are smoother and safer for users. The sustainable approach within the plan will:

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ASSET MANAGEMENT NOMINEES

The project delivered numerous independent studies under dedicated project guidance ensuring integration with prior work and organisational knowledge as well as taking full advantage of significant concurrent studies. Studies addressed growth in demand, asset condition and projected renewal commitments, water security and financial sustainability. The over-arching regional Asset Management Strategies for Water and Wastewater draw together all components and present recommendations in a format suited for consideration and adoption by Council. Importantly, financial recommendations guide Council’s consideration of full cost pricing and sustainability.

TOTAL ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGY PROJECT (TAMS) South Burnett Regional Council, GenEng Solutions, ATC Consulting The Total Asset Management Strategy (TAMS) Project, delivered by South Burnett Regional Council, provides a platform of detailed study and analysis to support the management of Council’s major investment in water and wastewater infrastructure, address emerging issues and inform sustainable, long-term strategy.

This significant project has established a 30 year planning framework for the entirety of Council’s owned water and wastewater infrastructure comprising of Gordonbrook Dam, weirs, bores, treatment plants, pump stations, reservoirs and reticulation networks for communities right across the South Burnett region. The project met aspects of all strategic priorities identified in Council’s Corporate Plan 2018-2023, including: 1.Enhancing the Community 2.Growth and Opportunity 3.Environment 4.Infrastructure 5.Organisation Excellence Council was successful in securing State funding under the Maturing the Infrastructure Pipeline Program (MIPP2). The MIPP2 is a State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Program that supports development of strong project pipelines that can be advanced from conceptual notions through to firm propositions. The completed TAMS project clearly meets this objective.

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ASSET MANAGEMENT NOMINEES

THE STRATEGIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSET ASSESSMENT PROJECT National Heavy Vehicle Regulator The Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP) started in late 2019, when the Australian Government provided the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) with $7.96 million in grant funding over two years to assist local government road managers across Australia to undertake heavy vehicle assessments of on-road assets, such as bridges and culverts.

While asset assessments have been undertaken for many years across the nation and an Australian Standard for bridge assessment (AS 5100) exists, there is no national and consistent methodology for practically applying it.

The SLGAAP sought to establish a standardised approach to the application of bridge and culvert assessments, developing an Asset Assessment Framework and practical resources in a Road Manager Toolkit.

The Project has successfully delivered more than 300 assessments of local government-owned bridge and culverts, nationally over 74 local government areas and has captured key data for more than 1000 assets in a centralised database.

Before introducing the SLGAAP, there was no central database of local government assets, with each council area holding varying levels of asset information. Additionally, operators requiring heavy vehicle access along a route may be restricted due to unknown asset capacity. This Project relied on providing engineering assessments to support improved productivity and evidence-based access decision making, benefiting local government road managers and transport operators.

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COASTAL ENGINEERING WINNER

SPONSORED BY

SURFERS PARADISE SAND BACKPASS PIPELINE PROJECT

Alton Twine, Director Engineering Services, City of Gold Coast with Graham Alexander, Sales Manager Queensland, RCPA Pty Ltd (award sponsor).

compromising foreshore infrastructure and beach amenity. This pipeline will enable the City to conduct annual renourishment campaigns, proactively increasing the resilience of this section of coastline.

The pipeline is able to redirect up to 20 per cent or approximately 120,000 cubic metres of the sand transported via the sand bypass jetty to South Stradbroke Island each year.

The Surfers Paradise Sand Backpass Pipeline is an important long-term investment in maintaining our beaches and supports all of the strategic outcomes of the City’s Ocean Beaches Strategy.

City of Gold Coast Council The Surfers Paradise Sand Backpass Pipeline project is a 7.8 kilometre sand delivery pipeline which is due for completion in November 2021. This pipeline will deliver natural sand from The Spit and deposit it on the Gold Coast’s iconic northern beaches to provide protection from coastal erosion and maintain beach amenity for residents and visitors.

Once completed, 6.3 kilometres of permanent pipe will run underground and connect to 1.5 kilometres of temporary above-ground pipe to deliver sand from the existing Gold Coast Waterway Authority’s Sand Bypass Jetty at The Spit onto the upper northern beaches from Surfers Paradise to Main Beach.

The Gold Coast northern beaches are regularly impacted by large waves, storms and king tides,

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COASTAL ENGINEERING HIGHLY COMMENDED

MAROOCHY GROYNE PROJECT

Nick Cooney, Manager, Transport and Infrastructure Policy, Sunshine Coast Council with IPWEAQ Event Coordinator, Savannah Roberts.

Facing significant community and political interest in groyne replacement options, the project involved extensive community consultation including establishment of a community reference group (the Maroochy River Estuary Consultation Group) which continued to work with Council after the initial consultation period on design options and testing, and wider community engagement.

Sunshine Coast Council Sunshine Coast Council’s $2 million Maroochy Groyne Renewal Project (Stage 1) renewed two groyne structures and the seawall surrounding the Cotton Tree Holiday Park at Maroochydore.

Driven by failing assets the project was the result of extensive planning by Sunshine Coast Council, including a 10-year Shoreline Erosion Management Plan (SEMP) developed in 2014.

The project was required to protect the iconic park and other valuable assets in the surrounding Cotton Tree precinct (including recreation areas, businesses, accommodation and residential properties) from erosion, and was an Australian first for using 9 tonne geotextile bags. Over 2,000 sand-filled geotextile containers were used.

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The project was delivered by a cross organisational team, with continuity of involvement for each project phase drawing on project management and coastal engineering expertise throughout. It employed a design which was informed by comprehensive research and physical modelling of different design structures and onsite testing, undertaken with industry specialists at the Water Research Laboratory at the University of New South Wales.

This research, combined with coastal engineering principles and a sound understanding of the Maroochy River’s natural migration processes, delivered a successful project and infrastructure that will serve the community for decades to come.

COASTAL ENGINEERING NOMINEES

REDCLIFFE, SCARBOROUGH CLIFFS STABILISATION PROJECT

HOLLOWAYS BEACH STABILISATION

Moreton Bay Regional Council

Holloway’s Beach has historically experienced coastal erosion that has progressed to levels prompting protective works and increased shoreline erosion management. These previous measures have included a rock revetment, installation of a geotextile sandbag groyne and multiple beach nourishment campaigns. However, the threat of erosion to Holloways Beach persists, with long-term recession trends apparent in some areas, indicating that these measures are no longer effective and need to be improved or replaced with more suitable options.

As a result of this, Cairns Regional Council have implemented an updated and improved shoreline erosion management plan. This plan included the construction of two 30m rock groynes, combined with an updated nourishment plan. The end product of these actions helps to maintain shoreline position south of the groynes and maximise the benefits of future nourishment campaings at Holloways Beach. The chosen action plan has also been tailored to minimise damages to land, community disruption and short and long-term costs, as well as maintaining recreational use of the beach. Sand recycling south of the two groynes will maximise the potential benefit while also reducing the initial quantity of sand required. This change in sand nourishment methodology resulting from the construction of the groynes offers both increased flexibility and a significant reduction in ongoing operational costs.

MBRC have successfully delivered a technically innovative, environmentally friendly, and aesthetically sympathetic coastal cliff stabilisation solution on the Redcliffe peninsular.

The Scarborough Cliffs Stabilisation Project was initiated by MBRC to address persistent coastal cliff erosion, including public safety risks plus risks to infrastructure, along a 320m stretch of the Redcliffe coastline. MBRC also identified the need to protect the character of the cliffs given that the Redcliffe peninsular name, given by Lieutenant Matthew Flinders in 1799, derives from its iconic red cliffs.

Long-term monitoring, including periodic terrestrial laser scanning, identified lower cliff erosion, due to the actions of tides and waves, as a key driver of the persistent erosion and subsequent localised cliff failures. Multiple options were investigated to address the lower cliff erosion, ranging from conventional rock armour seawalls to novel largescale precast blockwork walls.

An innovative concept solution was put forward

by MBRC’s design consultant, entailing a coloured and textured, soil-nailed, glass-fire reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced shotcrete seawall. This innovative solution was designed to best mimic the natural form and aesthetic of the natural cliff, whilst protecting the lower-cliff from erosion, minimising the footprint of the structure and maximising the durability and resilience of the wall. The design was further developed by the design consultant in close collaboration with MBRC and other project stakeholders.

Cairns Regional Council / BMT / GHD

The construction works, which occurred predominantly within the environmentally significant Moreton Bay Marine Park, were successfully completed in 2020.

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COMMUNITY ROAD SAFETY WINNER

SPONSORED BY

SCHOOL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLANS AND IMPROVEMENTS

Joe Bannan, Branch Manager Asset Management, Brisbane City Council with Larry Geddes, Regional Sales Manager - North Queensland, Delnorth (award sponsor).

stopping, and students, parents and carers crossing roads at inappropriate locations.

Council has helped more than 200 schools in Brisbane to develop TMPs. Council officers have been meeting with schools to help identify and resolve traffic management issues, as well as developing strategies to manage emerging issues.

This year Council has delivered infrastructure improvements to support school TMPs and encourage community participation in Council initiatives, such as the Active School Travel program.

Brisbane City Council Every day, Brisbane City Council (Council) works with schools and local communities to make the city a safe environment for children, families and carers to travel. Council provides support to schools to develop tailored traffic management plans to help ease traffic congestion and increase safety around schools. This is one way Council is delivering on the commitment of getting people home quicker and safer.

A traffic management plan (TMP) is a tool for schools to assess, document and communicate the way in which students and families can travel to and from school. Preparing a TMP helps schools identify and address traffic management issues, such as behaviour at ‘drop and go’ zones, unlawful parking or

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Traffic Management Plan Improvements (TMPI) projects included: •E agle Junction State School – construction of a pedestrian refuge crossing and intersection improvements to improve pedestrian access, connectivity and safety.

•O ur Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School – construction of intersection improvements to improve pedestrian access, connectivity and safety.

•S horncliffe Street School – intersection improvements to improve pedestrian access, connectivity and safety, and traffic management at the school’s frontage.

COMMUNITY ROAD SAFETY NOMINEES

PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLE NETWORK IMPROVEMENT PLAN - BLI BLI STATE SCHOOL PRECINCT

BROADBEACH 30 KM/H AREA SPEED ZONE

Sunshine Coast Council and Sidelines Traffic

Implemented in mid-2021, the Broadbeach 30km/h area speed zone is the first ever 30km/h area-wide speed zone in South East Queensland.

The purpose of this project was to identify barriers in walking and cycling networks around a local state school, and to identify solutions to overcome these barriers.

To identify the barriers, a fast and targeted consultation process with parents and caregivers at the school was developed. An online survey including heat map questions captured very specific data about where safer infrastructure was needed.

This data is easy to interpret and communicate and provides a solid foundation for justifying future investments. It captures actual user concerns and experience, and is considered a more accurate method than relying on practitioner judgements or feedback from a small number of stakeholders to identify solutions and prioritise works.

The project provides an excellent example of how the Safe System Approach to road safety can be used to prioritise road safety projects and to develop countermeausres. In this project, priority was given to projects that could more effectively reduce the chance of crashes likely to result in deaths or serious injuries. Solutions were developed that focussed on separating vulnerable users where possible and reducing vehicle speeds, to below critical impacts speeds at locations where school children needed to cross roads.

An interesting finding, was that locations identified by parents and caregivers as being unsafe, also generally scored porely using Safe System criteria.

This project is a great demonstration of how community input can be used to plan and prioritise road safety infrastructure, consistent with road safety technical guidance.

City of Gold Coast

The Gold Coast Transport Strategy 2031 and supporting modal plans provide actions to support national objectives to encourage a safer transport system that promotes the uptake of active travel.

This project supports the vision of the City’s Active Transport Plan 2017-27 to provide a connected and safe transport network that helps make walking and cycling attractive alternatives to car travel. The project is an example of a best practice solution that contributes towards high quality, safer facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. This assists in achieving an active travel network that increases the likelihood of pedestrian and cycling activity.

The speed limit reduction was applied to five streets which form part of Broadbeach’s central business and tourist centre and is defined by the area bounded by Surf Parade, Queensland Avenue, Old Burleigh Road and Charles Avenue. The area was identified as a high active transport user area which previously had 40km/h and 50km/h speed limits.

The City reviews speed limits on its road network in accordance with Queensland Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. This incorporates consideration and endorsement by the local Speed Management Committee (SMC) which includes representatives from the Queensland Police Service (QPS), the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), the City of Gold Coast and the Royal Automotive Club of Queensland (RACQ) who each have a strategic and operational interest in the setting of speed limits.

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COMMUNITY ROAD SAFETY NOMINEES

LOCAL GOVERNMENT TEMPORARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT HARMONISATION INITIATIVE PROJECT Toowoomba Regional Council Several years ago, Austroads identified the need for the harmonisation of roadwork operations across Australia, resulting in the development of the 10-part Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (AGTTM). These documents have since been adopted by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) in Queensland together with variations contained in the Queensland Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (QGTTM). The Queensland Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (QMUTCD) Part 3, Works on Roads, has also been pared back and now a harmonised approach to signage and devices can be found in the Australian Standard 1742.3:2019.

All temporary traffic management conducted in Queensland from the 1 December 2021 will need to comply with these documents.

The project called for collaboration between several Local Government (LG) organisations, the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), Local Government Mutual Scheme (LGMS), IPWEAQ and Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) and was designed to assist LGs across Queensland in adopting these new requirements. LGs, under these requirements, are not only entities performing Temporary Traffic Management (TTM) but also have the added burden of being Road Infrastructure Managers (RIM’s). Being a RIM places added burdens of responsibilities to provide information and consultation to industry, as well as monitor their performance, a full list is contained with the AGTTM. More remote and rural LGs, in isolated locations with limited resources, are expected to achieve the same levels of governance as of larger Councils located in Queensland.

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ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY SPONSORED BY WINNER

KLEINTON WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY

Amy Bernier, Project Manager, Project Services, Toowoomba Regional Council.

The facility has been designed to be self-sufficient from a water and power perspective. The site has 20kW of solar, 320kL of rainwater tanks, 24ML of stormwater capture dams, and an on-site bore system. The Building Management System promptly reports electrical, sewer, fire system, CCTV or water pump faults to key operational staff, to enable early detection of issues that may affect the operation of the facility.

Toowoomba Regional Council The Kleinton Waste Management Facility services the northern parts of the Toowoomba Region. The $18M project incorporates a new waste transfer station and involved the rehabilitation of the existing landfill now used for bulk materials segregation. The facility is designed for a 25-year life with an expansion option to cater for the waste service needs for the next 50 years.

Project planning began in 2015. Practical completion was staged, with the main facility practical completion being achieved in December 2020 and the final practical completion achieved in April 2021. The project has attracted positive customer google reviews, and Council’s operating staff have provided positive feedback around how easy the facility is to operate.

The Kleinton Waste Management Facility delivers positive environmental outcomes through sustainable waste management practice.

Environmental and safety were paramount to manage during the waste relocation and landfill rehabilitation activities. A fauna spotter, asbestos spotter, waste handling contractor and gas monitoring system was used during the construction work. The facility has also been designed to ensure that the landfill and residual waste cannot contaminate the groundwater or stormwater and create leachate.

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ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLY COMMENDED

SOUTHERN SUBURBS RISING MAIN

Seren McKenzie, Director Infrastructure and Operations, Townsville City Council with Kym Murphy, General Manager (RoadTek), Department of Transport and Main Roads (award sponsor).

main to be used as part of Townsville’s Recycled Water Re-use Scheme.

With approximately 70% of the project located in tidal areas, BMD overcame technical challenges of scheduling works around low tidal periods, working within the groundwater table, poor subsurface materials and the treatment and disposal of 70,000m3 of combined acid sulphate soil and water.

Townsville City Council, BMD Funded by Townsville City Council (TCC) and the Queensland Government, the Southern Suburbs Rising Main (SSRM) project has helped reduce pressure on Townsville’s sewerage network. The completed project has also provided new capacity for the key defence and economic precincts of Lavarack Barracks, the Townsville Hospital and James Cook University and supports future population growth in the southern and western suburbs of Townsville, catering for 20,000 new residents.

The pipeline has a combined length of 11.2 kilometres, with BMD’s section of the project including the installation of a 3.8 kilometre new high-density polyethylene trunk main running from Oonoonba to the Cleveland Bay Purification Plant (CBPP) and construction of a return recycled water

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As part of TCC’s three-point water security solution, a recycled water facility is planned to be constructed to provide 10 million litres per day of A+ class recycled water from the Cleveland Bay Purification Plant for irrigation purposes to Townsville’s parks, sporting fields and open spaces, as well as some additional commercial uses.

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY NOMINEES

CARBONMASTIC SMA 7 ASPHALT TRIAL City of Gold Coast and Austek Asphalt In April of 2021, Austek in collaboration with the City of Gold Coast conducted a trial of an innovative Carbonmastic product, a first of its kind with any Australian local government. The project involved the resurfacing of Lightbody Court and Shaw Court in the suburb of Ormeau.

Carbonmastic is small-stone Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) that has been modified with carbon char from reclaimed Queensland waste tyres. Designed on a 7mm nominal maximum stone size, Carbonmastic produces superior performance over conventional asphalt products including greatly improved skid resistance, higher rut resistance, greater resistance to fatigue, higher shear strength, increased colour duration, noise reduction as well as environmental benefits, all whilst maintaining a cost competitive edge. These performance properties perfectly addressed the concerns raised from the sharp turning loads applied on the cul-de-sacs. The plant that produces the Carbonmastic Asphalt runs off a diesel fuel that is also derived from recycled tyres.

The project was able to use local tyres that no longer had a use to attain a recycled pavement in a highly urbanised environment that was executed safely.

Carbonmastic is a truly unique and technically sound product especially when considering problems waste tyre materials pose if not being repurposed into better performing road surfacing projects. The circular economy massively reduces the impacts on the environment and offsets the carbon footprint of the asphalt production process and the City of Gold Coast’s asset renewal process.

SUNSHINE COAST COUNCIL - ROAD RESEAL & REHABILITATION PROGRAM FY 20/21 Sunshine Coast Council Sunshine Coast Council Road Reseal and Rehabilitation Program Financial Year 2020/2021.

Sunshine Coast Council maintains more than 2200 kilometres of roads across the region through the Road Reseal and Rehabilitation Program, to ensure road safety for motorists. Through this program, Council repairs road failures, improves the road surface and renews line marking to deliver safe and high-quality local roads for the region.

In 2020/21 the $19.6 million dollar program included in excess of 56 kilometres across 120 roads. A particular focus this year was placed on Environment and Sustainability in both the design and delivery of this program.

When planning and undertaking this program of work at every stage the question was asked, how we could conduct this work in a sustainable fashion? This led to the use of recycled materials in both in-situ and also imported products. Waste/spoil generated was reused, pavements recycled utilising improvement products such as cement and asphalt surfacing incorporated waste products such as tyres and glass. The sustainable approach also continued with finishing works where the team partnered with other areas of Council and the community to then plant trees on selected projects upon completion of the road resurfacing/ rehabilitation, which encourages natural cooling of the road surface to ensure longevity of the infrastructure and increases in biodiversity in the Sunshine Coast urban and rural areas.

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ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY NOMINEES

WILDLIFE AWARENESS MONITORS Brisbane City Council Brisbane City Council is installing wildlife awareness monitors (WAMs) as part of an initiative to help protect and maintain our city’s biodiversity by increasing driver awareness of high wildlife presence on roads in an effort to reduce animal strikes. The purpose of the monitors is to alert drivers to their speed in wildlife zones across Brisbane and to reinforce safe driver behaviour.

Wildlife awareness monitors are part of the Infrastructure for Brisbane Program and one of the many ways Council is driving a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable city. The wildlife awareness monitors are permanent message boards, sustainably operated through solar powered installations. The signs are customised based on wildlife behaviours and movements across the seasons to display messages such as breeding season or joey season. The monitors are installed with radar to detect speed as drivers approach.

Depending on the motorist’s speed, one of the following two messages is displayed: •A smiling koala face is displayed when the driver is travelling at or below the posted speed limit.

•A ‘slow down’ message is displayed if the driver is travelling above the speed limit.

To date, Council has installed 29 monitors in areas which have been identified as priority hot spots by Council’s Natural Environment, Water and Sustainability branch. This initiative is part of Council’s commitment to delivering improved safety in local areas, helping residents and visitors get home safety.

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INNOVATION WINNER

SPONSORED BY

KINGSFORD SMITH DRIVE UPGRADE

Joe Bannan, Branch Manager Asset Management, Brisbane City Council with David Klease, National Manager, C.R. Kennedy Machine Control (award sponsor).

Brisbane City Council Kingsford Smith Drive (KSD) is one of Brisbane’s busiest roads, serving as a gateway between the CBD and Brisbane Airport, Northshore Hamilton, Australia TradeCoast and Gateway Motorway.

The KSD upgrade involved widening the existing road from four to six lanes between Theodore Street, Eagle Farm and Cooksley Street, Hamilton.

The KSD upgrade is much more than just a road project - it has transformed one of the city’s most significant and historically rich routes into a vibrant urban corridor with the Brisbane River as the centrepiece.

This critical upgrade has reduced traffic congestion along the corridor and improved local amenity and access for all road users, including cyclists, pedestrians and public transport users.

A key feature of the upgrade is the subtropical treeline boulevard which creates a new entry statement to the city. Key features of the upgrade progressively opened to the community, include: •M ore than 1.3 million pedestrians and cyclists have now used the 1.2km riverside Lores Bonney Riverwalk.

• r emodelled Cameron Rocks Reserve with the WW1 war memorial as its centrepiece (opened April 2019) •n ew Bretts Wharf plaza (opened November 2019) •n ew Recreation Hub – public pontoon with various freeboard heights to suit different sized vessels (opened March 2020) • s ix lane median-divided roadway.

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INNOVATION NOMINEES

MAROOCHY GROYNE PROJECT Sunshine Coast Council Sunshine Coast Council’s $2 million Maroochy Groyne Renewal Project (Stage 1) renewed two groyne structures and the seawall surrounding the Cotton Tree Holiday Park at Maroochydore.

Driven by failing assets the project was the result of extensive planning by Sunshine Coast Council, including a 10-year Shoreline Erosion Management Plan (SEMP) developed in 2014.

The project was required to protect the iconic park and other valuable assets in the surrounding Cotton Tree precinct (including recreation areas, businesses, accommodation and residential properties) from erosion, and was an Australian first for using 9 tonne geotextile bags. Over 2,000 sand-filled geotextile containers were used.

Facing significant community and political interest in groyne replacement options, the project involved extensive community consultation including establishment of a community reference group (the Maroochy River Estuary Consultation Group) which continued to work with Council after the initial consultation period on design options and testing, and wider community engagement.

The project was delivered by a cross organisational team, with continuity of involvement for each project phase drawing on project management and coastal engineering expertise throughout. It employed a design which was informed by comprehensive research and physical modelling of different design structures and onsite testing, undertaken with industry specialists at the Water Research Laboratory at the University of New South Wales.

This research, combined with coastal engineering principles and a sound understanding of the Maroochy River’s natural migration processes, delivered a successful project and infrastructure that will serve the community for decades to come.

26 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

FREIGHT PRIORITY SYSTEM City of Gold Coast This is the first time intersection signal priority based on vehicle mass has been implemented in Queensland.

The excellent outcomes attributed to this project are due to the innovative application of proven technology and systems to develop a unique solution in response to a common problem.

The project driver was an ongoing maintenance issue caused by heavy vehicles stopping at a signalised intersection with a downward gradient, causing rutting and pavement damage. The freight priority system allows vehicles greater than 45 tonnes to be detected upstream and given priority (green signal) through the intersection thereby reducing the number of times heavy vehicles need to stop in response to a red signal. Cost savings associated with reduced maintenance and road rehabilitation are a benefit for the City and the community. The project also offers numerous secondary benefits which have been evaluated over the initial 12 month period of operation.

The benefits that can be attributed to this initiative include: •R educed costs associated with pavement asset management and renewal • I ncreased operational efficiencies for the freight industry • I mproved safety on the road network •E nvironmental improvements through reduced vehicle emissions • I mproved operational efficiency of the road network • I mproved data collection

INNOVATION NOMINEES

PALM BEACH FOAMED ASPHALT TRIAL - QLD FIRST City of Gold Coast and Stabilised Pavements Australia Foamed Asphalt is the newest innovation in pavement recycling technology in Australia, taking a back-to-basics approach by maximising the recycling potential of existing road materials.

Foamed Asphalt combines traditional foamed bitumen pavement rejuvenation treatment with a single-pass, paver-laid operation, similar to conventional asphalt. All operations occur in just one pass of the construction train.

Although Foamed Asphalt is being successfully used overseas throughout Europe, UK and USA, the machinery and technology to undertake this process was first introduced into the Australian market in early 2020 by Stabilised Pavements of Australia (SPA). The revolutionary initiative was seen as having such significance that SPA set up a subsidiary division solely dedicated to the process – Pavement Recyclers.

The City of Gold Coast partnered with Pavement Recyclers to deliver the first Foamed Asphalt Paver Laid Recycling project undertaken in Queensland in June 2020. This iconic project in Palm Beach showcased a design and construction contract that delivered approximately 3.6 lane km of Foamed Asphalt across two residential roads in lieu of a deep lift asphalt alternative. It was also the first project in Australia to utilise this construction methodology to recycle previously cement stabilised pavement materials.

Consequently, the City of Gold Coast was able to attain a fully recycled pavement in a highly urbanised environment that was executed safely and quickly, at a fraction of the cost of an equivalent deep lift asphalt design.

BUNDABERG REGIONAL COUNCIL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Bundaberg Regional Council | AECOM Historically, the Bundaberg region has been developed on top of very low-lying overland flow paths without formal drainage infrastructure. This has led to significant community exposure to rainfall run-off in urban areas where surface water exceeds the capacity of the street gutters and creates ongoing nuisance to property owners. Bundaberg Regional Council currently owns and manages over $300 million worth of stormwater assets to provide local protections against rainfall run-off across the region.

Recent decades have seen significant growth in Council’s assets which accentuates the need to proactively plan and manage infrastructure in a sustainable, adaptable manner. The asset management responsibility is complicated by increasing demand from the community to provide higher levels of service, changing risk environments and funding constraints. Council’s management of stormwater infrastructure has led to highly reactive investment, financially unsustainable outcomes, and no clear direction for the medium to long term.

To break out of this unsustainable cycle, Council engaged in a collaborative partnership with AECOM to create an overarching Stormwater Management Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy provides an essential framework for best practice asset management that caters for future growth, while maintaining and improving existing stormwater infrastructure. Furthermore, the Strategy defines a clear level of service for the community that employs risk-based decision making to inform long-term investment. It brings a holistic vision for stormwater management in the region by increasing awareness and education within the community, capturing social and environmental values, and identifying critical infrastructure needs..

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INNOVATION NOMINEES

THE STRATEGIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSET ASSESSMENT PROJECT

THE AI ENABLED STORMWATER INSPECTION SYSTEM

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

Moreton Bay Regional Council

The Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP) started in late 2019, when the Australian Government provided the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) with $7.96 million in grant funding over two years to assist local government road managers across Australia to undertake heavy vehicle assessments of on-road assets, such as bridges and culverts.

Efficient and effective management of stormwater infrastructure assets represent a multimillion dollar investment involving a collaboration of human and technology resources, timely and quality data, and suitable plant and equipment. Through the use of the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence, image processing and the cloud, Moreton Bay Regional Council has successfully implemented a fully integrated region-wide stormwater inspection system that will reduce the pipe network inspection time by almost seven times with a 36% cost saving.

While asset assessments have been undertaken for many years across the nation and an Australian Standard for bridge assessment (AS 5100) exists, there is no national and consistent methodology for practically applying it.

The SLGAAP sought to establish a standardised approach to the application of bridge and culvert assessments, developing an Asset Assessment Framework and practical resources in a Road Manager Toolkit.

The Project has successfully delivered more than 300 assessments of local government-owned bridge and culverts, nationally over 74 local government areas and has captured key data for more than 1000 assets in a centralised database.

Before introducing the SLGAAP, there was no central database of local government assets, with each council area holding varying levels of asset information. Additionally, operators requiring heavy vehicle access along a route may be restricted due to unknown asset capacity. This Project relied on providing engineering assessments to support improved productivity and evidence-based access decision making, benefiting local government road managers and transport operators.

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This sophisticated inspection system leverages an artificial intelligence trained image detection model to identify structural and service defects in stormwater pipes using camera zoom technology.

The data is then automatically transferred into the enterprise asset management system where the defects are prioritised for renewal and maintenance works.

To continue with traditional CCTV methods would take a further 40 years to complete the stormwater network survey whereas this new initiative will reduce the network inspection to only 6 years.

Timely, high quality data is an important asset to a local government authority where its core business is about quality service provision and the delivery of quality infrastructure. An increase in timely and quality asset data is better informing Council planning, maintenance and renewal programs and asset lifecycle decisions across the 2800km stormwater pipe network valued at $1.6 billion, offering Council an improved asset performance knowledge base that services the community across the Moreton Bay region.

but the new solar-powered water-cooling towers have successfully reduced the potable bore water temperature to a cool drinkable level and reduces the degradation of existing water supply and reticulation infrastructure.

THARGOMINDAH WATER COOLING PROJECT Bulloo Shire Council, Peak Services, NRG Services Bulloo Shire Council (Council) has made significant investment in solar energy installations and the new Thargomindah Water Cooling System (Project).

The Project delivers long-term financial and social benefits while reducing risk to Council and the community, continuing their ‘green’ council legacy.

Conceived by Council in consultation with Peak Services, and with a 60% funding boost from the Department of Local Government Racing and Multicultural Affairs, the Project was made possible.

Council had a challenge like many remote councils; reliance on water supply from bores. Whilst the water quality is potable, without treatment the temperature exceeds acceptable level. The water temperature also degrades existing water supply and reticulation infrastructure.

The Project uses reliable technology in an innovative way, without compromising on maintenance and operational ease. Bore water is cooled via plate heat exchangers that are coupled with cooling towers bringing water temperature down from 72 to 35 degrees Celsius. Water is stored in 1.5ML storage tanks and pumped on demand to meet town water supply needs. The bore water is kept separate from the cooling process so that water quality standards cannot be compromised. A final stage UV filter assists to ensure that the water delivered to households meets required quality standards.

Using the power of the sun to reduce water temperature seems like an unlikely partnership,

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INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY SPONSORED BY IN WATER WINNER

URRAWEEN RESERVOIR FLOATING ROOF AND LINER REPLACEMENT

Trevor Dean, Engineering and Technical Services Executive Manager at Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Wide Bay Water and with Michael Krome, Regional Business Manager, Trimble (award sponsor).

polypropylene floating cover and is the largest potable water storage in the Hervey Bay Network.

The floating roof cover had deteriorated to the stage where holes were becoming more frequent and more significant with the repair of these holes was becoming increasingly difficult.

Any rainwater that falls on the surface of the reservoir accumulates on the cover and needs to be removed through pumping. Any holes in the cover are likely to allow rainwater, contaminated by anything contained on the surface of the floating roof, into the reservoir.

To renew the floating cover the reservoir had to be removed from service for a period of three months.

Fraser Coast Regional Council How do you take your largest water reservoir in network offline for a period of three months for relining? The short answer is, you bypass it. The reality (or the long answer) is that is takes 12 months of planning, trials, and teamwork to ensure water security.

Isolation of the reservoir would remove supply to the suction side of the pump station supplying the network and limit supply to the network to only the gravity supply from trunk supply mains, a situation deemed to provide insufficient security of supply.

The reservoir is a 32ML ‘in ground’ style reservoir where the water is stored between a 2mm HDPE floor liner (over earth) and a 1.35mm reinforced

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The complexity was that, since it was 22 years since this asset had been taken offline, there was no documented process to ensure water supply continuity.

INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY IN WATER HIGHLY COMMENDED

TOTAL ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGY PROJECT (TAMS)

Aaron Meehan, General Manager Infrastructure, South Burnett Regional with Ged Brennan, Managing Director GenEng Solutions Pty Ltd (award sponsor).

of all strategic priorities identified in Council’s Corporate Plan 2018-2023, including: 1.Enhancing the Community 2.Growth and Opportunity 3.Environment 4.Infrastructure 5.Organisation Excellence Council was successful in securing State funding under the Maturing the Infrastructure Pipeline Program (MIPP2). The MIPP2 is a State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Program that supports development of strong project pipelines that can be advanced from conceptual notions through to firm propositions. The completed TAMS project clearly meets this objective.

South Burnett Regional Council, GenEng Solutions, ATC Consulting The Total Asset Management Strategy (TAMS) Project, delivered by South Burnett Regional Council, provides a platform of detailed study and analysis to support the management of Council’s major investment in water and wastewater infrastructure, address emerging issues and inform sustainable, long-term strategy.

This significant project has established a 30 year planning framework for the entirety of Council’s owned water and wastewater infrastructure comprising of Gordonbrook Dam, weirs, bores, treatment plants, pump stations, reservoirs and reticulation networks for communities right across the South Burnett region. The project met aspects

The project delivered numerous independent studies under dedicated project guidance ensuring integration with prior work and organisational knowledge as well as taking full advantage of significant concurrent studies. Studies addressed growth in demand, asset condition and projected renewal commitments, water security and financial sustainability. The over-arching regional Asset Management Strategies for Water and Wastewater draw together all components and present recommendations in a format suited for consideration and adoption by Council. Importantly, financial recommendations guide Council’s consideration of full cost pricing and sustainability.

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INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY IN WATER NOMINEES

BUNDABERG REGIONAL COUNCIL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Bundaberg Regional Council | AECOM Historically, the Bundaberg region has been developed on top of very low-lying overland flow paths without formal drainage infrastructure. This has led to significant community exposure to rainfall run-off in urban areas where surface water exceeds the capacity of the street gutters and creates ongoing nuisance to property owners. Bundaberg Regional Council currently owns and manages over $300 million worth of stormwater assets to provide local protections against rainfall run-off across the region.

Recent decades have seen significant growth in Council’s assets which accentuates the need to proactively plan and manage infrastructure in a sustainable, adaptable manner. The asset management responsibility is complicated by increasing demand from the community to provide higher levels of service, changing risk environments and funding constraints. Council’s management of stormwater infrastructure has led to highly reactive investment, financially unsustainable outcomes, and no clear direction for the medium to long term.

To break out of this unsustainable cycle, Council engaged in a collaborative partnership with AECOM to create an overarching Stormwater Management Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy provides an essential framework for best practice asset management that caters for future growth, while maintaining and improving existing stormwater infrastructure. Furthermore, the Strategy defines a clear level of service for the community that employs risk-based decision making to inform long-term investment. It brings a holistic vision for stormwater management in the region by increasing awareness and education within the community, capturing social and environmental values, and identifying critical infrastructure needs.

32 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

THARGOMINDAH WATER COOLING PROJECT Bulloo Shire Council, Peak Services, NRG Services Bulloo Shire Council (Council) has made significant investment in solar energy installations and the new Thargomindah Water Cooling System (Project).

The Project delivers long-term financial and social benefits while reducing risk to Council and the community, continuing their ‘green’ council legacy.

Conceived by Council in consultation with Peak Services, and with a 60% funding boost from the Department of Local Government Racing and Multicultural Affairs, the Project was made possible.

Council had a challenge like many remote councils; reliance on water supply from bores. Whilst the water quality is potable, without treatment the temperature exceeds acceptable level. The water temperature also degrades existing water supply and reticulation infrastructure.

The Project uses reliable technology in an innovative way, without compromising on maintenance and operational ease. Bore water is cooled via plate heat exchangers that are coupled with cooling towers bringing water temperature down from 72 to 35 degrees Celsius. Water is stored in 1.5ML storage tanks and pumped on demand to meet town water supply needs. The bore water is kept separate from the cooling process so that water quality standards cannot be compromised. A final stage UV filter assists to ensure that the water delivered to households meets required quality standards.

Using the power of the sun to reduce water temperature seems like an unlikely partnership, but the new solar-powered water-cooling towers have successfully reduced the potable bore water temperature to a cool drinkable level and reduces the degradation of existing water supply and reticulation infrastructure.

PROJECTS UNDER $1 MILLION WINNER

RENEWAL OF THE AMARINA CULVERT, MOOLOOLABA

(L-R) John Phillips (Strategy and Market Development - Water and Civil Infrastructure, InterflowPty Ltd) (award sponsor), Nick Cooney (Manager, Transport and Infrastructure Policy, Sunshine Coast Council) and Denis Hurley (Project Manager, Interflow Pty Ltd).

inspection program in 2020. The large square shaped culvert has dimensions of 2.1m x 2.1m and a length of 37 metres.

Constructed in 1975, the culvert passes under a busy district collector street, taking run-off from the Sunshine Motorway to the Mooloolaba Canal. Severe spalling and corrosion of its reinforced concrete structure was consistent with its environmental exposure rating of “most aggressive.”

Renewal options considered were to line the box culvert with similar, smaller box sections or a large pipe, or to excavate and replace the culvert or the worst affected sections of it.

Both these types of solution meant compromises due to either the resulting reduction in culvert flow carrying capacity, or the extreme disruption that would be caused during construction.

Interflow proposed a solution using imported custom designed and manufactured glass reinforced plastic box sections. These could be designed to carry all loading, and their custom manufacture, thinner walls, and smoother interior surface meant that they did not reduce flow carrying capacity. They are corrosion resistant in marine conditions.

This solution was accepted by Sunshine Coast Council.

Sunshine Coast Council/Interflow Pty Ltd A large reinforced concrete box culvert located at Amarina Avenue in Mooloolaba was found to need urgent renewal by Sunshine Coast Council’s Stormwater Management Asset team during a culvert

Installation was performed by slipping the box sections inside the deteriorated culvert and filling the small annulus space with grout. No excavation was be needed, and community disruption was minimal.

Interflow successfully completed the project 12 days after mobilising to site.

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PROJECTS UNDER $1 MILLION NOMINEES

SANDGATE FORESHORE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ENHANCEMENTS Brisbane City Council

CASSY LIVES SKATE PARK UPGRADE Gladstone Regional Council The Cassy Lives Skate Park was originally built in 1996 and was named after Cassy Jones who passed away from melanoma skin cancer at age 14 in 1990.

The skate park services the largest residential centre in Gladstone and was well utilised despite its rough skating surface (spray bitumen seal) and aging skate elements.

Gladstone Regional Council’s 2019 annual playground inspection of the Cassy Lives Skate Park indicated that the park was due for relevant maintenance works.

Gladstone Regional Council took the opportunity to upgrade the skate park and reinvigorate that part of the city rather than conduct costly maintenance works that would likely need to be repeated yearly.

Following the first stage of community engagement, the projects main goals were to improve the riding surface, improve skate elements, retain shade, preserve the existing metal ramp and add seating areas and a drink fountain.

The project was designed and constructed within 18 months of inception and incorporated two stages of community engagement as well as consultation with Cassy’s family to ensure the finished outcome would suit the needs of the community for years to come.

Since the skate parks upgrade, it has seen a flood of new users and nothing but positive feedback from the community.

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Flinders Parade is a popular destination to access and enjoy the historical Sandgate to Brighton foreshore.

Sandgate, located on Brisbane’s northside, is a rapidly growing seaside destination for residential and commercial investment, with the foreshore providing a particularly appealing home to a number of Brisbane’s key attractions, including the Shorncliffe Pier, Arthur Davis Park, Sandgate Aquatic Centre, and several cafes and restaurants.

Council’s corridor enhancements were designed to manage the increasing growth and visitation to the area which hosts many popular coastline activities including cycling, walking, and sightseeing by car.

Through observing traffic behaviour and working closely with residents and businesses along Flinders Parade, Council was able to deliver efficient and measured safety improvements, while ensuring that the needs and expectations of the local community where also addressed.

These traffic improvements support Brisbane as a safe and accessible city, while also nurturing the economic growth of Sandgate’s small businesses. Works included the construction of several pedestrian safety and connectivity improvements, such as the three new pedestrian crossings, traffic calming devices, and upgrades to kerb ramps.

The enhancements included reducing the speed limit to 40km/h in conjunction with pedestrian crossing enhancements and supporting traffic calming devices to promote a lower speed environment, improving the safety and amenity for all road users. The traffic management improvements are an example of how Council takes a wholistic approach to advance the management of traffic in suburbs for residents and visitors to live, work and play.

PROJECTS UNDER $1 MILLION NOMINEES

BUNDABERG REGIONAL COUNCIL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Bundaberg Regional Council | AECOM

WELSH STREET FOOTPATH Gladstone Regional Council Calliope State School is located on the eastern side of the Dawson Highway. A large amount of the Calliope residential area is located on the western side of the Dawson Highway. Crossing the Dawson Highway is controlled by a children’s crossing with a crossing guard during school times. Whilst there is a footpath the entire length of the Dawson Highway on the eastern side of the road, there is no path on the western side and is a vital missing link in the Calliope pedestrian and cycle network.

Well warn paths in the grass were evident where pedestrians were continually walking between the Calliope State School children’s crossing and an existing footpath that terminated partway along Don Cameron Drive.

This project was developed to construct a new shared path along this existing route. The path interacts with 3 roadways; Dawson Highway ‐ Major Regional Highway, Welsh St ‐ Urban Access Street, and Don Cameron Drive ‐ Urban Minor Collector.

The path is partially located on Council road reserve, but majority of the project is within state controlled road reserve. As such, approvals were needed from the Department of Transport and Main Roads prior to construction.

The path was constructed in sections so that it could be periodically opened to the public. The path was very well utilised even prior to final project completion.

Historically, the Bundaberg region has been developed on top of very low-lying overland flow paths without formal drainage infrastructure. This has led to significant community exposure to rainfall run-off in urban areas where surface water exceeds the capacity of the street gutters and creates ongoing nuisance to property owners. Bundaberg Regional Council currently owns and manages over $300 million worth of stormwater assets to provide local protections against rainfall run-off across the region.

Recent decades have seen significant growth in Council’s assets which accentuates the need to proactively plan and manage infrastructure in a sustainable, adaptable manner. The asset management responsibility is complicated by increasing demand from the community to provide higher levels of service, changing risk environments and funding constraints. Council’s management of stormwater infrastructure has led to highly reactive investment, financially unsustainable outcomes, and no clear direction for the medium to long term.

To break out of this unsustainable cycle, Council engaged in a collaborative partnership with AECOM to create an overarching Stormwater Management Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy provides an essential framework for best practice asset management that caters for future growth, while maintaining and improving existing stormwater infrastructure. Furthermore, the Strategy defines a clear level of service for the community that employs risk-based decision making to inform long-term investment. It brings a holistic vision for stormwater management in the region by increasing awareness and education within the community, capturing social and environmental values, and identifying critical infrastructure needs.

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PROJECTS $1 MILLION TO $2 MILLION WINNER

MAROOCHY GROYNE PROJECT

Luke Sammut, Contracts Delivery Manager, Sunshine Coast Council with Clare Ferguson, IPWEAQ Ambassador.

Facing significant community and political interest in groyne replacement options, the project involved extensive community consultation including establishment of a community reference group (the Maroochy River Estuary Consultation Group) which continued to work with Council after the initial consultation period on design options and testing, and wider community engagement.

Sunshine Coast Council Sunshine Coast Council’s $2 million Maroochy Groyne Renewal Project (Stage 1) renewed two groyne structures and the seawall surrounding the Cotton Tree Holiday Park at Maroochydore.

Driven by failing assets the project was the result of extensive planning by Sunshine Coast Council, including a 10-year Shoreline Erosion Management Plan (SEMP) developed in 2014.

The project was required to protect the iconic park and other valuable assets in the surrounding Cotton Tree precinct (including recreation areas, businesses, accommodation and residential properties) from erosion, and was an Australian first for using 9 tonne geotextile bags. Over 2,000 sand-filled geotextile containers were used.

36 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

The project was delivered by a cross organisational team, with continuity of involvement for each project phase drawing on project management and coastal engineering expertise throughout. It employed a design which was informed by comprehensive research and physical modelling of different design structures and onsite testing, undertaken with industry specialists at the Water Research Laboratory at the University of New South Wales.

This research, combined with coastal engineering principles and a sound understanding of the Maroochy River’s natural migration processes, delivered a successful project and infrastructure that will serve the community for decades to come.

PROJECTS $1 MILLION TO $2 MILLION NOMINEES

KOWANYAMA AIRPORT Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council Kowanyama airport was housed in a shed with a toilet block doubling as a waiting/pilot briefing area. With over 500 passengers a week using the airport (more in the wet season when no road access) an airport terminal was deemed a necessity for community and stakeholder safety and comfort. Council desired a terminal grounded by the local area and values with an iconic and recognisable facade. With a tree of local significance existing on site it was decided the building needed to be housed around the tree and make it a focal point.

Council approached 5 local architects for concept designs with JB Designs, a local Cairns company winning the project.

The remote location of Kowanyama presented the largest challenge, the road is only accessable during the dry season and the Airport was the only connection during the wet Season. The only available construction material was concrete from the local batching plant, all other construction materials need to me shipped in (via road). Concrete and Steel were selected due to Council having a local concrete plant and the ability to pre-manufacture the structural steel off site. This allowed to speed up construction timeframes and the reduce cost labour in the remote area. Using standard type construction building allowed the builder to employ and train local staff in construction while creating a unique building..

LABONA AIRSTRIP – EXTENSION, WIDENING AND SEALING OF THE LABONA AIRSTRIP Principle Contractor - Wagner’s Civil Contractor - Newlands Civil Constructions PTY LTD Engineer - ACG The Carmichael Coal Mine Labona Aerodrome project was to transform a rarely used landowner’s dirt airstrip into a high volume sealed airstrip compliant to a “Code 2 Non-instrument rating “airstrip with the ability to upgrade to a” Instrument non precision” rating at a later date, to be used for transportation of the mines workers.

This involved creating a suitable load bearing subsurface whilst widening, lengthening the original airstrip and creating a large apron capable of parking multiple aircraft at any one time whilst complying with the coal mine safety act and the stringent environmental conditions that had been applied to the site in a remote location 250klm from the closest township whilst complying with restrictions put in place for the COVID 19 pandemic.

The Carmichael Coal Mine where the project is, is in a remote location with the nearest large population base being 500klm distance from site. As the mine is within an area with multiple mines the availability of local labour was deemed to be minimal. By constructing the airstrip provides a sustainable way for the mine to attract and safely transport workers but also for the workers to travel to and from site with minimal personal expenditure and time.

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PROJECTS $1 MILLION TO $2 MILLION NOMINEES

TOBRUK MEMORIAL DRIVE TOOWOOMBA ESCARPMENT LOOKOUT Toowoomba Regional Council

FLINDERS RIVER CROSSING/GLENTOR ROAD Flinders Shire Council Flinders River Crossing project involved planning, designing, and constructing a new concrete crossing with bitumen approaches along Flinders River.

The project was in the planning stage and on the wishlist for a long time. The project scope consists new concrete floodway (appx.190m) on Flinders River Crossing and 1.2km of bitumen approaches. The scope includes, excavate the riverbed to the shale layer (appx.5m), fill it with the rock (various sizes layered to allow natural interlocking). Construct the 6.5m wide concrete floodway using the rock foundation (8.0m wide) as a base, and ensure the top of the crossing is at river bed level. This road generally is closed for 4-7 months on an annual basis because of the crossing condition during and after floods. The project is a flood resilience and road safety project which saves at least 50k per year to the Council maintenance budget and provide access to the locals more than 11 months in a year. In the old state, the road was closed between 4-5 months during the wet season. The council and locals now call this road an all-weather link connecting North to South. The project was designed in-house and delivered by the Council construction crews with the support of local contractors. The team achieved 70% cost savings compared to the other options considered during the planning and design stage.

The $1.4 million Tobruk Memorial Drive Toowoomba Escarpment Lookout project is one of a series of colocated economic development projects associated with nature based recreation and tourism attractions across Toowoomba’s escarpment. The new lookout has provided an iconic tourist destination within the Picnic Point Parklands, and is well utilised by the local community.

The lookout involves a steel framed elevated structure overhanging the Toowoomba Escarpment and overlooking the culturally significant Table Top Mountain. It provides direct vistas to the Lockyer Valley and Table Top Mountain, the site of an Aboriginal war victory in 1843 against settlers known as the “Battle of One Tree Hill”. The project has set a new standard for engagement with Aboriginal stakeholders, who have gone out of their way to note how positive and respectful the project was for them.

The diverse cultural richness of the site is embodied in every aspect of the project, which also recognises the World War 2 “Rats of Tobruk”, holding great significance for the people of Toowoomba.

The project management was self performed by Council using its Project Management Framework, and was delivered on budget, but slightly behind program due to COVID-19 impacts. The project management plan comprehensively mapped project scope, budget, program and quality, as well as risk, resourcing, procurement, stakeholder management, project communications and integration with a benefits management plan.

The Lookout successfully integrates existing site features with sustainable practices, environmental values, user experiences, and encourages economic and social diversity through equitable access and community recreational opportunities.

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PROJECTS $1 MILLION TO $2 MILLION NOMINEES

LAKE MOONDARA STAGE 4 PIPELINE REPLACEMENT Newlands Group | Mount Isa Water Board Lake Moondarra Pipeline Replacement Project Stage 4 involved replacing approximately 1.25km of existing OD800 MSCL 800 mm diameter ductile iron pipeline with a new 813mm diameter Sintakote Mild Steel Cement Lined Pipe. The Lake Moondarra pipeline is what connects the Clear Water Lagoon pumping station to the Mount Isa treatment facility.

It is essential to the supply of over 18 million litres of clean drinking water for Mount Isa residents and over 30 million litres of semi-treated water for industrial businesses daily.

Newlands Civil Constructions begun works at the Lake Moondarra Pipeline Replacement Project Stage 4 on Monday 23 March 2020 as planned.

The intention was to maintain a very aggressive programme with the aim of completing this project six weeks ahead of the contractual timelines, which was achieved.

The project was not without its challenges as the existing pipeline remained in place for the duration of the project until the final cut in stage, where it was swapped out. This ensured that water supply to the Mount Isa region was not greatly impacted during the project. Approximately 60 years old, wrapped in a bituminous asbestos layer and followed an often-erratic alignment, the older as-constructed information was not as reliable as initially thought.

Furthermore, the initial design has its constraints when constructing the pipeline.

With the assistance of the Newlands Design Team, and the approval of the Mount Isa Water Board the initial design was altered to improve constructability, ensuring the protection of the existing pipeline.

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PROJECTS $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION WINNER

THARGOMINDAH WATER COOLING PROJECT

Jessica Jones, Business Development Manager, Peak Services with Lew Rojahn, CEO, Bulloo Shire Council.

temperature also degrades existing water supply and reticulation infrastructure.

The Project uses reliable technology in an innovative way, without compromising on maintenance and operational ease. Bore water is cooled via plate heat exchangers that are coupled with cooling towers bringing water temperature down from 72 to 35 degrees Celsius. Water is stored in 1.5ML storage tanks and pumped on demand to meet town water supply needs. The bore water is kept separate from the cooling process so that water quality standards cannot be compromised. A final stage UV filter assists to ensure that the water delivered to households meets required quality standards.

Bulloo Shire Council, Peak Services, NRG Services Bulloo Shire Council (Council) has made significant investment in solar energy installations and the new Thargomindah Water Cooling System (Project).

The Project delivers long-term financial and social benefits while reducing risk to Council and the community, continuing their ‘green’ council legacy.

Conceived by Council in consultation with Peak Services, and with a 60% funding boost from the Department of Local Government Racing and Multicultural Affairs, the Project was made possible.

Council had a challenge like many remote councils; reliance on water supply from bores. Whilst the water quality is potable, without treatment the temperature exceeds acceptable level. The water

40 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

Using the power of the sun to reduce water temperature seems like an unlikely partnership, but the new solar-powered water-cooling towers have successfully reduced the potable bore water temperature to a cool drinkable level and reduces the degradation of existing water supply and reticulation infrastructure.

PROJECTS $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION HIGHLY COMMENDED

ATHERTON WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Jon Turner, Manager Water & Waste and Megan Capella, Project Engineer Water & Waste, Tablelands Regional Council.

The infrastructure-based solution involved a capital investment of $3.4M to change the reliance on high risk surface water supplies to groundwater supplies. This required major changes in the mode of operation of the water supply scheme as the delivery of bulk water into the scheme was from an entirely different location.

Integration of numerous infrastructure elements was required to achieve the objectives and these were delivered in several concurrent packages to reduce the project time frame.

The project received $3.4M in funding from the Queensland Government’s Works for Queensland program and the project reached a major milestone in March 2020 with sustained cessation of BWNs after 786 continuous days.

Tablelands Regional Council The Atherton Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) was developed in response to acute problems with drinking water quality in the Atherton in early 2018. Areas of Atherton were on continuous boil water notices, which were a major burden on the community and the town economy. The project objectives were to reduce the frequency and duration of boil water notices (BWNs) in the scheme, avoid the risk of extending into all of Atherton Township and deliver in a short a time as possible.

Notably TRC, a relatively small Council was also carrying the development and delivery of the Ravenshoe WQIP in parallel with and with similar objectives to the Atherton WQIP.

The WQIP involved operational changes to the water supply scheme to reduce water quality risks until an infrastructure-based solution could be implemented to provide a sustained long-term solution.

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PROJECTS $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION NOMINEES

OREALLA CRESCENT BRIDGE REPLACEMENT Noosa Council Construction of the new $3.8 million Orealla Crescent Bridge at Sunrise Beach, Noosa, Queensland has delivered the local community a stronger and wider bridge with a 100 year life span. But this is no ordinary bridge. In fact, you could call it a major engineering feat.

Regular inspections of the bridge as part of Council’s ongoing infrastructure maintenance program identified it as requiring urgent investment works to maintain its current serviceability and ensure it remained safe and accessible for all vehicle types.

The project faced the challenge of delivering during the start of the COVID pandemic, landslip issues on the detour route and budget constraints meaning this project required innovative thinking and meticulous planning in order to deliver the project on time, within budget and with a minimal impact on the community.

With funding support from the Australian Government as part of the Bridge Renewal Program, Council successfully delivered the bridge which was officially opened for the community in February 2021.

Project benefits included: • improved traffic flow and road conditions for all road users • s mooth flow of traffic throughout Noosa communities by making sure the region’s bridges remain safe and accessible to all types of vehicles •c ontinued access for freight and reduce ongoing maintenance costs.

•e nhanced entrance area of Sunrise Beach and improved greenery at the nearby intersection.

Over 12,000 vehicles use this bridge daily, reinforcing its importance as a critical piece of infrastructure for the Noosa community.

42 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

GOLD COAST OCEANWAY - PALM BEACH NORTH City of Gold Coast The Gold Coast Oceanway is a 36-kilometre network of shared use pathways between the New South Wales border and the Gold Coast Seaway. The Oceanway is very popular and provides shared cycle and walking paths along the city’s iconic coastline.

Since the early 2000’s, the City has been progressively building the Oceanway to be a world class facility for residents and visitors. Guided by the Gold Coast Transport Strategy 2031, The Palm Beach Oceanway is part of this investment by the City to extend the network of shared cycle and pedestrian pathways and create a better connected Gold Coast.

This project runs along the existing road reserve (the Esplanade) between the Tallebudgera SLSC and Twenty Third Avenue at Palm Beach.

When complete this new section will include: •6 70 metres of 3.5-metre-wide fibre reinforced concrete, Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant shared pathway •a new viewing deck, picnic shelters, water bubblers, bike racks and beach showers at community nodes at street ends.

•p ath lighting and dune vegetation This project is constructed entirely on the beach foreshore on an existing road reserve seaward of neighbouring private properties. Dune revegetation works are incorporated into the project scope to further increase resistance to coastal erosion and improve dune vegetation ecosystems with formalised beach access ways to protect adjacent dune vegetation at key locations.

The project value is $3 million and the construction period is 6 months with completion expected by August 2021.

PROJECTS $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION NOMINEES

BOYNE ISLAND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT POND RELINING AND PUMP STATION

CABOOLTURE TO WAMURAN RAIL TRAIL

Gladstone Regional Council

The Caboolture to Wamuran Rail Trail is the latest in a growing number of recreational cycleways within the greater south-east Queensland region. It is a 10.5km long, shared pathway extending from Beerburrum Road, Caboolture to Atwood Street, Wamuran within the Moreton Bay Regional Council area. It is a unique project which follows the disused Caboolture to Kilcoy railway corridor - an historic trading and transport route - which closed in 1964. The aim of the rail trail is to showcase the rich history and landscape character of the area by providing a generous, high-quality 3-3.5m wide pathway and supporting infrastructure attracting cyclists and walkers to the region.

The trail traverses a varied landscape from the light industrial outskirts of Caboolture to the wooded and agricultural properties of Wamuran. Wayfinding and interpretive signage along the route provide visitors with stories and information about early settlement and the timber-getting, farming and transport industries which were the lifeblood of surrounding rural settlements. Remnants of the railway infrastructure have been incorporated into the trail as a tangible memory of Queensland’s regional train network. It provides an important link between several schools by connecting them to nearby residential areas. It is well used by the local community as a commuting track and has been embraced by tourists looking to discover new recreation trails. Contemporary colour theming and materiality reflects the area’s layered history and leads visitors on a distinctive, dynamic journey.

The Boyne Island Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is located in a small coastal town in the Gladstone Region. The WWTP is situated approximately 300m from the shore line and is subject to relatively high groundwater levels.

There were two ponds at the Boyne Island WWTP; an effluent storage pond and an emergency storage pond. The effluent storage pond was concrete lined and always contained effluent. The emergency storage pond had a grouted rock liner and was only used during bypasses when fixing components of the WWTP or during overflow events.

This project was required to line the emergency storage pond to prevent sewage leeching into the groundwater through the cracks in the grouted rock liner.

During initial groundwater investigations it was discovered that the groundwater was not only high but also impacted by the tides. As a result there were concerns regarding buoyancy of various liner options.

In addition, the existing above ground pump station had to be recommissioned. Unfortunately, this became not possible and the works for a new pump station needed to be brought forward.

Following investigations, the pond was relined with a concrete liner with additional base thickness to combat the effects of the groundwater buoyancy and a new pump station was constructed at the same time to save overall project costs by completing both projects simultaneously.

Moreton Bay Regional Council

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PROJECTS $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION NOMINEES

CITYLINK CYCLEWAY TRIAL Brisbane City Council Active travel in Brisbane continues to grow, and COVID-19 has changed the way we work, live and travel, with active transport being the safest method of travel while maintaining physical separation.

Brisbane City Council’s CityLink Cycleway Trial caters for this ongoing growth by installing a separated bikeway through the middle of Brisbane’s CBD to fill the missing link for cyclists journeying into Brisbane’s city centre. This city-shaping project encourages even more Brisbane residents, visitors and commuters to use sustainable modes of transport and help reduce the need for car-based travel.

The CityLink Cycleway Trial is a high-complexity project involving installation of 1.8km of separated two-way bikeway in a densely-utilised and heavily trafficked road reserve. The project works involved: •c onverting a kerbside traffic lane to a separated cycling facility by including raised kerbing, line marking and signage • r elocating many of the previous kerbside uses (e.g. disability parking spaces, loading zones, taxi zones) to new locations nearby •u pgrading intersections to include two-way cyclist movements on previously one-way roads •c reating a bikeway that also meets requirements to allow for use by e-scooters to contribute to the City’s e-mobility strategy.

The effectiveness of the CityLink Cycleway is being evaluated as part of a 12-month trial period to determine the ultimate long-term success of the bikeway. A range of factors will be considered, including community feedback, usage, traffic analysis and safety. Learnings from this project will be used to inform future projects.

44 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

BRISBANE CBD BURST MAINS REPLACEMENT Urban Utilities Diona is the Urban Utilities Delivery Partner for design and construction for the Water Northern Zone Program. One of the most significant package of work in the first year of the Program was the Mains Renewal in Brisbane CBD. This highly complex package included replacing over 1km of up to 100-year-old mains within four highly congested inner-city streets with significant design, planning, construction and community challenges. Diona developed innovative ways of communicating project objectives and progress to internal and external stakeholder see figure 1. The CBD is the ‘heart of Brisbane’, critical to the economic, cultural and social function of the City. The works delivered affected the key arteries and potentially affected traffic and visitors on the remainder of the body of Brisbane. Over 200 buildings were contacted with 30 water isolations over 6 months. The scale of the planning is illustrated by the need for over 15,000 community notifications.

Under the skin of the city, Diona crossed over 600 services, nine major road crossings, bus and cycle routes and challenging ground conditions.

Construction in the CBD presents a daily requirement for dynamic and high consequence decision making. We worked through the night knowing that any unplanned extension to a network isolation could cause major impacts to businesses, and unplanned impacts on traffic flow could cause misery to thousands.

Through all this pressure and challenge the project team has delivered a result that is on time, on budget and significant positive stakeholder feedback.

PROJECTS $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION NOMINEES

TENNIS CENTRE ROOF Cairns Regional Council The Cairns International Tennis Centre Roof project provides an aesthetically pleasing roofed structure over the centre court and facilitates opportunities for year round play with protection from both rainfall and the harsh Far North Queensland sun.

The covered centre court has enhanced the reputation and attractiveness of the Cairns International Tennis Centre to professional players as well as enhancing spectator experience at the range of tournaments and events held at the facility. It provides a facitity for elite level training camps in the region as well as future international events such as the Davis Cup or Fed Cup tournaments.

The Structure is sited over the main Court of the Cairns International Tennis Centre adjacent the clubhouse. Its lighting, positioning and technical conncetivity is suitable for broadcast standard and it is designed to cater for extensive removable grandstand seating that is owned by Council and located at the adjacent FINA Standard Tobruk Pool facility.

Cairns Regional Council received a grant of $997,908 ex GST as part of the Regional Jobs and Investment Packages - Local Infrastructure Stream and contributed the remaining funds of $1,690,000 ex GST. It was opened in 2020 by a panel of professional Tennis Athletes including Australian superstar Ash Barty.

WESTERN SHIRES TMR REST AREA UPGRADE PROGRAM Proterra Group The Department of Transport and Main Roads were provided with stimulus funding from the Federal Government to complete reconstruction and improvement works to 27 Rest Area sites on the Darling Downs and South Western QLD State Road Network. This was a significant project fund however it came with the requirement that works had to be completed before the end of the Financial year. That was approximately 16 weeks from the date that the projects were tendered out, to the time that works had to be 100% complete.

Proterra Group being a well known and respected Project Management business with project offices in Goondiwindi, Quilpie and Cunnamulla were invited to provide pricing proposals for the delivery of a number of these sites using local suppliers and subcontractors. Proterra Group were successful in obtaining 9 of these sites at a total value of approximately $2.3 million.

The aims of this project as nominated by TMR were as follows: •T o reduce the fatigue or road users through increased desirability of roadside rest areas on their network •T o ensure all rest stops are compliant with accessibility legislation and standards •T o attend to rectification and improvement issues identified by Roadtek during Site Audits in 2016 and 2020

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PROJECTS $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION NOMINEES

HUGHENDEN 4.3ML TANK CONSTRUCTION Flinders Shire Council, Wulguru Steel, GHD

PROSERPINE MAIN STREET STREETSCAPE UPGRADE Whitsunday Regional Council Whitsunday Regional Council delivered the Proserpine Main Street streetscaping upgrade from September 2019 to September 2020 after 18 months of planning, consultation and design. The works included upgrades to the footpaths, signage, furniture, lighting, landscaping and minor drainage amendments. The project formed part of the Proserpine Masterplan and was intended to attract further visitors who generally pass by on the Bruce Highway. The works tied in with the opening of the new WRC administration building at 83 Main Street, the Proserpine RV park, located on Main Street, and free camping at Lake Proserpine, accessed via Main Street. While the success of the project is hard to measure, it has coincided very fortunately with these other projects and an increased drive market following COVID. Businesses on the Proserpine Main Street have since seen vastly increased customer numbers and the entrance treatments now add further appeal in bringing visitors off the highway.

The construction stage was carried out by Council’s internal staff from Roads and Drainage and Parks and Gardens. This allowed for significant savings to be achieved and upskilling of staff on new techniques. The project was initially tendered and received quotes of approximately $6 million with the potential for numerous variations due to many unknowns. By carrying the works out internally the project was able to be delivered for under $3 million, yet still achieved the scope of the design and expectation of the community.

46 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

The Hughenden 4.3ML Reservoir, Booster Pump Station and Primary Chlorination project involved planning, design and construction of a new 4.3ML welded steel reservoir (19m diameter x 18m height), a booster pump station to service the adjacent industrial estate and primary chlorination system in Hughenden. The project was initially conceived in 2017 following community complaints due to poor water quality and pressure. Following this, Flinders Shire Council engaged GHD to undertake network modelling of areas experiencing insufficient water pressure and to recommend solutions including required water storage capacity for current and future needs. The report identified areas of inadequate water pressure and confirmed operational experience that the existing Hughenden 1.7ML reservoir was at capacity during summer peak demands. The modelling and engineering assessment also advised a new 4.3 ML storage was required which would also cater for the future demand. Additionally, in order to bring Hughenden up to standard with Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, Council needed to install a new automated chlorination system at Hughenden, which was previously undertaken manually on an adhoc basis pending water quality.

The final construction project was undertaken in 2020, amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic generally resulted in material shortages and cost escalation nationwide, and caused the township of Hughenden to close to outsiders for a period of close to 4 months. Despite this, the project incurred minimal impact due to the project planning and mitigation methods put in place by the project team, consisting of Flinders Shire Council, GHD and Wulguru Steel.

PROJECTS $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION NOMINEES

TUMMAVILLE ROAD BRIDGE REPLACEMENT Toowoomba Regional Council The new Tummaville Road Bridge crosses the Condamine River (North Branch) and provides connectivity between Pittsworth and the surrounding areas. The old 5 span timber bridge had reached the end of its useful life and was closed to traffic for more than a year, prior to its replacement.

The new Tummaville Road Bridge is a 2 span 2-lane bridge, 8.5m kerb to kerb, with overall length of 38m and a clear height of up to 3m above standing water level. The new bridge has been designed to current Australian Standards with a design life of 100 years.

The bridge has an improved flood immunity of Q50.

The bridge project management and construction were both self performed by Council teams, using specialist demolition and piling contractors.

Otherwise, the bridge was constructed using Council day labour.

The bridge is constructed on 21 500mm diameter hexagonal prestressed concrete piles driven to an average depth of 20m. These support 30 transversely stressed deck units, 19m long and weighing 19 tonnes each. The bridge abutments and pier have been designed with a platform to jack up the deck units for laminated elastomeric bearing replacement.

The outer deck units include precast castellated kerbs to accommodate use of wide agricultural machinery which provide a safety barrier for traffic but have a lower maintenance cost compared to bridge rail on low volume rural roads.

The $2.97 million bridge replacement was jointly funded by the Council and Australian Government Bridges Renewal Program, and provides improved connectivity for local agricultural production.

PAROO SHIRE COUNCIL DRFA PROJECT Paroo Shire Council / Proterra Group Proterra Group were engaged by Paroo Shire Council to scope and deliver their most recent DRFA Flood Restoration event. This was the first event that Council had experienced for many years and chose to use a consultant based approach due to lack of in house resources and recent experience in DRFA Event Management. To deliver the project successfully it was essential that works were delivered using local Contractors and Council Crews to not only bring the infrastructure back to pre-event levels, but maximise the economic gains for the local community who had experienced years of drought and low economic activity in the region.

Proterra Group assembled a Project Team inclusive of Project Manager, Site Inspectors and Contract Administrator to deliver the works with a total approved value of $3.3M. This was a difficult project to deliver as Council lacked experience Engineering staff at the time, and there was a severe lack of experienced local contractors to help deliver works.

Over the course of the project Proterra Group were able to liaise successfully with Council and local suppliers and subcontractors to build 100% Local teams to deliver the works. This ended up being a combination of Council works crews, and full contract works crews. The project was delivered successfully on time and in budget with a lot of learnings and local capacity building along the way.

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PROJECTS $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION NOMINEES

This $2.14 million project was co funded through Councils capital program together with a contribution from two rounds of the Works for Queensland Program. Engagement with the local Murgon Business Development Association, business owners, indigenous leaders, Council and residents during the project offered the township an opportunity to revitalise its business operations and CBD access to enhance and entice visitors to the town of Murgon.

MURGON CBD FOOTPATH RECONSTRUCTION South Burnett Regional Council The Murgon CBD Footpath Reconstruction Project transformed and regenerated the Central Business District (CBD) of Murgon whilst adding both a depth and connection to the historical and cultural indigenous heritage of the area.

This project was initiated by South Burnett Regional Council (SBRC) who had an aspiration to provide a footpath which would allow upgraded, safe and aesthetically pleasing access to the vibrant CBD businesses in the town of Murgon and its community. The Murgon CBD Footpath Reconstruction Project celebrates the regions indigenous culture and traditional history through a carefully designed layout and with the inclusion of artwork that is evident throughout the reconstructed assets.

Delivered over three stages, this multi-year project was delivered over three stages and Council strived to minimise construction impacts on the local business community for its duration with practical completion being achieved in 2021. The outcome succeeded in providing both a modern and cultural footpath incorporating associated infrastructure compliance while meeting current engineering standards.

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PROJECTS $5 MILLION TO $10 MILLION SPONSORED BY WINNER

THE MILL AT MORETON BAY WATER PARK AND PLAY SPACE

Darren Carlson, Stormwater Infrastructure Planning Coordinator, Moreton Bay Regional Council.

The Mill Playground features custom designed adventure and water play spaces which reflect the historic industrial nature of the site. The spaces have been carefully designed to include universal access zones, non-prescribed junior play and multiple level adventure exploration. The combination of water and adventure play provides a unique opportunity for all children to explore the limits of play.

Moreton Bay Regional Council

The site was originally the Petrie Paper Mill which was established in 1957. it was decommissioned recently and the site cleared to make way for a prosperous new future for the region. It is a hugley successful enterprise as evidenced by massive park patronage and positve community sentiment.

The Mill Parklands provides a regional attraction for the Moreton Bay Region and early recreational and open space amenity for the new Sunshine Coast University Campus (USC) at Petrie. It is the first stage in a larger significant open space which will support the expansion of the new university campus and the new urban and residential areas of The Mill precinct.

The park design endeavours to draw-in users to connect to the site’s history and natural amenity and embraces future innovation through its use of smart technologies and flexible planning and design responses.

Being positioned adjacent to the entry boulevard of this new urban centre, the parkland is a critical part of the arrival ‘sequence’ which draws-in the local community. Through integrated design with the adjacent streetscape, the physical and visual connections have been made seamless, enabling visitors to ‘engage’ with the parkland.

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PROJECTS $5 MILLION TO $10 MILLION HIGHLY COMMENDED

TULLY GRANDSTAND

Justin Fischer, Manager Asset Engineering, Cassowary Coast Regional Council with Michael Cleary, Region Leader, Reece Civil & Viadux Qld (award sponsor).

activities in a safe and appropriately supported environment. In addition, this state-of-the-art facility is a drawcard for promoting the benefits of sport and a healthy lifestyle for the Tully sporting community, the wider region and touring organisations.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council The Tully Multi-Use Sporting Complex and Grandstand project consists of the construction and fit out of a new 600 seat multi-use grandstand with associated facilities for the Tully community. The complex and grandstand created a new precinct within the existing Tully Showgrounds providing a range of tourism, cultural and recreational activities and events use. A focus on place-making has underpinned planning for the Tully MultiUse Sporting Complex and Grandstand providing opportunities to grow existing events and attract new events and tourism openings generating economic benefits for the region. The project has increased the town’s capacity to manage increased sport and recreation participation and to develop

50 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

While the facility is designed with National Rugby League (NRL) requirements specifically in mind, the new community sports facility is able to be used by a range of sporting and cultural organisations for a variety of events. The design of the facility considered: •F lexibility to adapt to varied purposes reflecting the needs of the local community; •E cologically sustainable through optimising the use of natural light and ventilation; •C yclone and flood resilient design; •L ow maintenance, easy to operate with equitable access; • I ncorporates emergency provisions and can be used as a disaster management centre to coordinate recovery efforts from events; •T he demand for private meeting and function venues in Tully

PROJECTS $5 MILLION TO $10 MILLION NOMINEES

FLINDERS RIVER ALDERLEY CROSSING BRIDGE

CAIRNS COURT HOUSE REFURBISHMENT

Flinders Shire Council

Cairns Regional Council

The Alderley Crossing bridge is a 152m long, 6 span transversely stressed bridge located approximately 40km north west of Hughenden. The project was jointly funded by Flinders Shire Council and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and was constructed to supersede the old causeway crossing. The original causeway crossed the Flinders River approximately 1m above the riverbed and was frequently inundated during the wet seasons, resulting in access to properties in the area lost.

The solution was to construct a new bridge with a deck level 4m above the causeway road level to provide greater flood immunity to the road network and increased access to the adjacent properties.

Approximately 1800m of approach roads were sealed and signed adjacent to the new bridge to provide a safer road network.

The regionally significant Court House building is situated on Abbott Street, a prime location of the Cairns CBD. Constructed between 1919 and 1921, it was the home of law and order in Cairns until 1992 when a new Court House and Police Station precinct was developed along Sheridan Street. The former Cairns Court House was then renovated as a restaurant and bar, known as the “Cairns Court House Hotel”.

Consideration was given for the remote location of the bridge, which required careful planning of resources and supply of products. The contractor employed the use of a mobile batching plant to improve the quality control and reliable placement of over 840 tonnes of reinforced concrete in the substructure. Supported on the substructure were 54 precast prestressed concrete deck units that were fabricated and delivered from Rockhampton. To minimise maintenance and potential blockages of conventional deck drainage systems, a castellated kerb arrangement was designed and constructed to allow flood waters to freely drain from the bridge deck.

In 2016, Cairns Regional Council acquired the Cairns Court House Hotel with the intention of refurbishing the building to its original condition. The building is registered on the Queensland Heritage Register and is therefore protected under the provisions of the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. The building is also registered on Cairns Regional Council’s local heritage list.

The Court House building is a key component of Council’s proposed Cairns Gallery Precinct, which would see two additional heritage-listed buildings, the Cairns Art Gallery and the former Mulgrave Shire Council building at 51 The Esplanade, transformed to create a dynamic and world class gallery precinct.

The primary aim of Court House Refurbishment project has been to expand the potential of the building as an event and gallery space for the Cairns Gallery Precinct, while ensuring that heritage values of the building are maintained for future generations.

The new bridge and approach roads provide a much safer and more flood immune bridge crossing than the previous causeway.

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PROJECTS $5 MILLION TO $10 MILLION NOMINEES

SURFERS PARADISE SAND BACKPASS PIPELINE PROJECT City of Gold Coast Council The Surfers Paradise Sand Backpass Pipeline project is a 7.8 kilometre sand delivery pipeline which is due for completion in November 2021. This pipeline will deliver natural sand from The Spit and deposit it on the Gold Coast’s iconic northern beaches to provide protection from coastal erosion and maintain beach amenity for residents and visitors.

Once completed, 6.3 kilometres of permanent pipe will run underground and connect to 1.5 kilometres of temporary above-ground pipe to deliver sand from the existing Gold Coast Waterway Authority’s Sand Bypass Jetty at The Spit onto the upper northern beaches from Surfers Paradise to Main Beach.

The Gold Coast northern beaches are regularly impacted by large waves, storms and king tides, compromising foreshore infrastructure and beach amenity. This pipeline will enable the City to conduct annual renourishment campaigns, proactively increasing the resilience of this section of coastline.

The pipeline is able to redirect up to 20 per cent or approximately 120,000 cubic metres of the sand transported via the sand bypass jetty to South Stradbroke Island each year.

The Surfers Paradise Sand Backpass Pipeline is an important long-term investment in maintaining our beaches and supports all of the strategic outcomes of the City’s Ocean Beaches Strategy.

52 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021

THE STRATEGIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSET ASSESSMENT PROJECT National Heavy Vehicle Regulator The Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP) started in late 2019, when the Australian Government provided the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) with $7.96 million in grant funding over two years to assist local government road managers across Australia to undertake heavy vehicle assessments of on-road assets, such as bridges and culverts.

While asset assessments have been undertaken for many years across the nation and an Australian Standard for bridge assessment (AS 5100) exists, there is no national and consistent methodology for practically applying it.

The SLGAAP sought to establish a standardised approach to the application of bridge and culvert assessments, developing an Asset Assessment Framework and practical resources in a Road Manager Toolkit.

The Project has successfully delivered more than 300 assessments of local government-owned bridge and culverts, nationally over 74 local government areas and has captured key data for more than 1000 assets in a centralised database.

Before introducing the SLGAAP, there was no central database of local government assets, with each council area holding varying levels of asset information. Additionally, operators requiring heavy vehicle access along a route may be restricted due to unknown asset capacity. This Project relied on providing engineering assessments to support improved productivity and evidence-based access decision making, benefiting local government road managers and transport operators.

PROJECTS $5 MILLION TO $10 MILLION NOMINEES

SUPPLY AND CONSTRUCTION OF RECYCLED WATER REUSE MAIN AND SOUTHERN SUBURBS RISING MAIN – CLEVELAND BAY PURIFICATION PLANT TO MURRAY SPORTING COMPLEX PLUS BRANCH TO SOUTH TOWNSVILLE Newlands Group | Townsville City Council This project was Newlands Group’s first venture to the Townsville Region. Working for the Townsville City Council the project involved the supply and construction of PD S21 Section (Cleveland Bay Purification Plant (CBPP) to Annandale Section) of a Recycled Water Reuse Main (DN710 HDPE) in conjunction with the Southern Suburbs Rising Main (DN280 HDPE) along a similar alignment in a common trench.

The PD S21 section of the project Newlands Civil constructed was 3.6km in length from the CBPP in Oonoonba Park to Sunbury Court in Annandale, progressing through the suburbs of Oonoonba, Idalia and Annandale. Involving multiple underbore’s (12 in total) travelling under roads; both Local and State controlled, along with the Ross River, Railway lines and multiple other waterways. The underboring construction techniques involved horizontal directional drilling, microtunneling and thrust boring methods including envelopers (predominately RCP jacking pipe).

Stakeholder engagement was crucial to the success of this project. Impacting on over 2,000 residents in the hustling residential area of Idalia and surrounds, multiple apartment complexes, large shopping centre and the Oonoonba State School, the staging of were calculated and required meticulous planning to limit disruption as much as possible.

Upon completion, the infrastructure will contribute to reducing pressure on the city’s sewerage network and futureproof the region for increased population growth.

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PROJECTS $10 MILLION TO $20 MILLION WINNER

KLEINTON WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY

Amy Bernier, Project Manager - Project Services, Toowoomba Regional Council with IPWEAQ Ambassador, Clare Ferguson.

segregating the construction work from the waste facility operations. This involved thoroughly planning the relocation of the waste facility operations three times throughout the construction works.

Significant planning was required to ensure the waste relocation and landfill rehabilitation activities were handled in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.

Project planning began in 2015. Practical completion was staged, with the main facility practical completion being achieved in December 2020 and the final practical completion achieved in April 2021.

Toowoomba Regional Council The Kleinton Waste Management Facility services the northern parts of Toowoomba Region. The $18M project incorporates a new waste transfer station, and also involved the rehabilitation of the existing landfill now used for bulk materials segregation. The facility is designed for a 25 year life with an expansion option to cater for service needs for the next 50 years.

The project objectives include optimising customer service, customer convenience and improved choice options. In addition the project has increased resource/cost recovery, with a significant reduction in the amount of waste sent to landfill.

Paramount was the need to maintain serviceability to the community during the construction by

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The Building Management System promptly reports electrical, sewer, fire system, CCTV or water pump faults to key operational staff, to enable early detection of faults and issues that may affect the operation of the facility.

The project has attracted positive customer google reviews, and Council’s operating staff have provided positive feedback around how easy the facility is to operate.

PROJECTS $10 MILLION TO $20 MILLION WINNER

COONDOO CREEK BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT

Bill Lansbury, General Manager (Indigenous Strategy) with Kym Murphy, General Manager (Roadtek), Department of Main Roads and Transport.

The team used rock bags in lieu of temporary mini piles or sheet piling for the working platform, the piles were cut off at levels that avoided works below standing water level, cranes were used instead of installing girders using a launching truss and more.

Positive design changes such as change from cast in-situ to pre-cast bridge barriers resulted in a safer, and more cost-effective construction effort.

RoadTek The $15.57 million Coondoo Creek Bridge replacement project was undertaken by RoadTek on behalf of the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). Carrying almost 4000 vehicles per day, the existing old timber bridge traversing over Coondoo Creek was a flood risk and a point of contention within the local community for safety reasons. A commitment was made to commence the bridge replacement quickly despite known constraints with environmental approvals, cultural heritage assessments, and limitations to design and constructability imposed by works in a waterway.

Despite the project being in a highly significant environmental area, environmental water quality data reflects that due to controls there was no significant impact on water quality or fauna.

RoadTek’s early involvement in this high-profile project was critical to finding a workable solution and the team achieving a perfect customer satisfaction score of 5/5. Construction started in June 2019 and the new safer bridge and road was formally opened in December 2020.

The project included the construction of a sidetrack, forestry service road and just over 1km of new embankment for road approaches. Several safe and cost-effective technical innovations were delivered.

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PROJECTS $10 MILLION TO $20 MILLION NOMINEES

HUGHENDEN RECREATIONAL LAKE Flinders Shire Council The Hughenden Recreational Lake is a 21.9 Hectare artificial freshwater lake surrounded by 6 hectares of landscaped park land. It was jointly funded by the Australian Government under the Building Better Regions Fund and Flinders Shire Council.

The project was considered in as early as 2011 with Flinders Shire Council’s “Our Future” Community Plan. The masterplan design began in 2014 with the construction for stage 1 being completed in December 2019, and the remaining works completed in April 202 .

The Hughenden Recreational Lake has successfully addressed a number of key themes of the Community Plan which include enrichment of a sense of community and liveability in Hughenden, developing the economy through tourism and business growth, and acting as a precursor for future sustainable water projects in central Queensland.

Visitors to the lake can enjoy a multitude of activities such as: •P icnics and barbeques •S wimming at the 2 beach locations •B oating and water-skiing •N on-motorised watercraft activities such as canoeing, kayaking and rowing •F ishing along the lake edge or off the jetty •E njoying the shaded playground •W alking, running or riding along the over 2km of dedicated footpaths The Hughenden Recreational Lake has already received an overwhelming positive response from the local community and visitors alike, providing a safe public space for all users. It is considered a major element in Council’s vision for connectivity throughout Hughenden

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INDOOR SPORTS CENTRE - SOUTH PINE SPORTS COMPLEX Moreton Bay Regional Council Council has recently completed construction of the Indoor Sports Centre expansion at the South Pine Sporting Complex, Brendale, designed to provide the complex with the infrastructure to host club, regional, state and international level tournaments for a wide variety of sporting activities and competitions aswell as providing flexibility to serve the wider community organisations. The indoor centre is part of a 86ha regional sports facility located 20Kms North/West of the Brisbane CBD in the Moreton Bay Regional Council local government area.

The project included the following: •E xtension of the existing indoor sports centre, including: •a dditional three multi-purpose indoor sports courts (5 in total) •c anteen and spectator areas •o ffices, multipurpose function room/event space with supporting servery facilities • r etractable grandstand seating, storage areas, universal change rooms, officials’ rooms, compliance and first aid rooms and spectator amenities Construction of a new Rugby Union clubhouse, including: •u niversal change rooms and officials’ rooms • fi rst-aid room, storerooms, merchandise room •g ym space, spectator amenities and canteen • s eparate club meeting rooms for the rugby union and touch football clubs.

Construction of external civic spaces including part construction of on average 5m wide East West cycle and pedestrian link as detailed on Council’s South Pine Sports Complex Master Plan.

PROJECTS $10 MILLION TO $20 MILLION NOMINEES

SOUTHERN SUBURBS RISING MAIN Townsville City Council, BMD Funded by Townsville City Council (TCC) and the Queensland Government, the Southern Suburbs Rising Main (SSRM) project has helped reduce pressure on Townsville’s sewerage network. The completed project has also provided new capacity for the key defence and economic precincts of Lavarack Barracks, the Townsville Hospital and James Cook University and supports future population growth in the southern and western suburbs of Townsville, catering for 20,000 new residents.

The pipeline has a combined length of 11.2 kilometres, with BMD’s section of the project including the installation of a 3.8 kilometre new high-density polyethylene trunk main running from Oonoonba to the Cleveland Bay Purification Plant (CBPP) and construction of a return recycled water main to be used as part of Townsville’s Recycled Water Re-use Scheme.

With approximately 70% of the project located in tidal areas, BMD overcame technical challenges of scheduling works around low tidal periods, working within the groundwater table, poor subsurface materials and the treatment and disposal of 70,000m3 of combined acid sulphate soil and water.

As part of TCC’s three-point water security solution, a recycled water facility is planned to be constructed to provide 10 million litres per day of A+ class recycled water from the Cleveland Bay Purification Plant for irrigation purposes to Townsville’s parks, sporting fields and open spaces, as well as some additional commercial uses.

EAST AND WEST CREEK PROJECTS TOOWOOMBA Department Transport and Main Roads and Toowoomba Regional Council In January 2011 Toowoomba experienced a significant flood event that resulted in multiple fatalities. After the floods, Toowoomba Regional Council updated its flood modelling for the Gowrie Creek Catchment and developed the East Creek Master Plan to inform future upgrades to reduce the impacts of a similar devastating event. As East and West Creeks form the head waters of Gowrie Creek they were identified as the last critical infrastructure requiring an upgrade to address flooding in Toowoomba City.

The $21.11 million projects to replace the culverts underneath Toowoomba-Connection Road (formerly Warrego Highway and locally known as James Street) at East and West Creeks were delivered from savings out of the Warrego Highway Upgrade Program and funded by the Australian and Queensland governments on an 80:20 split.

The aim projects was to improve the flood immunity of James Street from 20% AEP to 2% and 1% at East and West Creeks respectively. Once TRC undertakes further upstream improvements in East Creek, the level of immunity will be further improved to 1% AEP. The projects were delivered under full road closure of TMR’s main thoroughfare in Toowoomba with diversion onto Herries Street, a parallel council road. The Toowoomba Bypass opened six months prior to the culvert upgrades which significantly reduced the number of heavy vehicles impacted by the road closures. The project required exceptional organisation and management to be delivered prior to the annual Carnival of Flowers event and without disruption to the Toowoomba Hospital during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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PROJECTS OVER $20 MILLION WINNER

SPONSORED BY

TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL COUNCIL PRINCIPAL DEPOT

Mike Brady, General Manager, Infrastructure Group, Toowoomba Regional Council with Kipp Richter, Technical Development Manager, Danley (award sponsor).

Toowoomba Regional Council In 2016, Toowoomba Regional Council embarked on a 4 year project delivery journey to develop its new $67M regional scale principal depot. The new depot replaces several aging facilities inherited through the 2008 amalgamation of eight local Councils, and is located on a 68Ha site in the emerging Charlton Wellcamp industrial precinct. The project was undertaken using Council’s Project Management Framework, and included a robust economic business case, and a major change management project with significant staff consultation to develop the concept design over 2½ years. The

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project engaged local architects Sims White, Struxi Design and Stephanie Keays, and local engineering consultants Brandon & Associates and Ashburner Francis. The new depot allows for the co-location of over 500 staff and is home to Council’s Construction & Maintenance teams, Water Infrastructure, Fleet & Logistics, Parks & Recreation, Property Services, Stores and Procurement, the safety team and the parks nursery, as well as a colocated SES facility.

Sustainabilty is supported through a 200kW solar system and 400kW of battery storage for energy, as well as a 750kL rainwater tank for harvesting rainwater for irrigation and other non-potable uses. Council self-performed the site works and access road construction using internal day labour resources, moving 250,000m3 of earth and rock to construct the building platforms. The building works were undertaken by local Toowoomba builder McNab through a traditional design and construct contract that engaged the support of many local subcontractors and suppliers. Council’s new principal depot is a significant investment into the local economy providing modern workplace facilities.

PROJECTS OVER $20 MILLION HIGHLY COMMENDED

INDOOROOPILLY RIVERWALK

Geoff Bratt, Senior Project Manager, Brisbane City Council.

The project delivers a safe and accessible route from Twigg Street to the Jack Pesch Bridge in Indooroopilly, along with direct links to the local road network. The project also delivered three viewing platforms along the new elevated structure, allowing residents and visitors to take advantage of impressive views of the Brisbane River and the iconic Walter Taylor Bridge.

Brisbane City Council

The project delivered a critical part of Council’s bikeway corridor and enhances active transport from Brisbane’s south-west suburbs. The alignment improves the journey between the Western Freeway Bikeway, schools, public transport, the University of Queensland (UQ) at St Lucia and other key destinations by providing a safe and accessible, designated route for all users. This important connection is identified as part of the primary cycle route between the Western Freeway Bikeway and UQ, which is Brisbane’s largest trip generator outside of the CBD.

The Indooroopilly Riverwalk provides almost 800m of high-quality Riverwalk that takes advantage of the outlook over the Brisbane River. The facility was specifically designed to provide a separated, two-way cycle and e-mobility area and separate pedestrian walkway to provide for a safe facility for all users to share. Brisbane City Council delivered this important and complex project approximately six months ahead of schedule in June 2021, improving accessibility and connectivity of the active transport network for the community whilst saving $4 million of ratepayer dollars.

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PROJECTS OVER $20 MILLION NOMINEES

Embedding a community liaison officer onsite meant the project delivered a seamless communication and engagement experience for the local community which resulted in identifying potential impacts early and giving timely notice.

Only six community ‘complaints’ were recorded. This was an outstanding result given the high volume of traffic using the interchange, traffic impacts, night works and proximity of residents.

EXIT 57 INTERSECTION UPGRADE RoadTek Taking just under a year to be completed, this complex $25M project was delivered by RoadTek to improve travel times through the busiest interchange on the Gold Coast and enhance safety for road users through eliminating queued traffic on the M1.

Requiring a multi-disciplinary approach, construction commenced quickly to meet delivery timeframes and included additional lanes, new U-turn facility, improved overhead signage and on-road directional marking. Traffic flow was improved by reducing the number of traffic movements, Next generation SWARCO signals integrated the four intersections (the largest SWARCO installation to date).

These significant upgrades were made with minimal impact to the travelling public and no impact to the adjacent businesses during the delivery. Nil traffic incidents or traffic complaints were recorded.

By working closely within TMR parameters, the team ensured the overall project scope was not reduced.

Innovation was achieved using new, cost-effective construction methods for lean mix pavement and concrete bases, and deck wearing surface removal.

A strong focus on managing client expectations (and working together) ensured project completion was achieved eight days early, and with a resulting customer satisfaction score of 4.58/5.

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PROJECTS OVER $20 MILLION NOMINEES

CAIRNS ESPLANADE DINING PRECINCT Cairns Regional Council The new Cairns Esplanade Dining Precinct upgrades the most popular dining zone in the city. The upgrade incorporates Stage 3 of the “City Heart” project, the refurbishment and expansion of the Lagoon Plaza, and the revitalisation of the Esplanade Dining Precinct - almost a full City block. It features contemporary awnings that offer better weather protection, an extended dining area, modified and gently curving road alignment, inviting vertical gardens and grassed mounds, and extra footpaths to improve pedestrian connectivity. The design has an emphasis on pedestrian connectivity to the parklands, and the creation of a relaxed, green, tropical open space that reflects the true essence of Cairns. “Bare feet” friendly surface finishes, programmable feature lighting and all weather electrical connectivity have been included to allow the precinct to be easily transformed into a pedestrian-only space for major public events by the simple raising and lowering of removable bollards.

Inovative features include a ‘wave lawn’ and a vertical garden integrated into the dining and tropical CBD liveability experience.

At the recent soft opening Member for Cairns Michael Healy and Mayor Bob Manning cristened the green wall with water pistols.

“We want this project to be a driver of rejuvenation of the CBD precinct,” Cr Manning said.

“We need more tourists walking our streets, which is why we committed to this project , to make the CBD a more attractive place to visit.”

QUILPIE SHIRE COUNCIL 202 DRFA PROJECT Quilpie Shire Council / Proterra Group Proterra Group were engaged by Quilpie Shire Council to scope and deliver their most recent DRFA Flood Restoration event. Council has utilised Proterra for over 10 years now to manage these initially NDRRA and now DRFA events, and they have successfully delivered over $100M in approved value submissions for QSC. Council has chosen to utilise consultants due to lack of in house resources or recent experience in DRFA Event Management.

Quilpie is quite a remote Shire and requires a unique set of skills and experience to work efficiently and effectively. To deliver the project successfully it was essential that works were delivered using local Contractors and Council Crews to not only bring the infrastructure back to pre-event levels, but maximise the economic gains for the local community who had experienced years of drought.

Council requested Proterra Group to assemble a Project Team inclusive of Project Manager, Site Inspectors and Contract Administrator to deliver the works with a total approved value of $36M. (NOTE: The total project was delivered for approximately $20M, well below budget).

Over the course of the project Council were able to liaise successfully with Proterra Group and local suppliers and subcontractors to build 100% Local teams to deliver the works. This ended up being a combination of Council works crews, and full contract works crews. The project was delivered successfully on time and in budget with a lot of learnings and local capacity building along the way.

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ROAD SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE SPONSORED BY WINNER

SAMS FOR SCHOOL

Joe Bannan, Branch Manager Asset Management, Brisbane City Council with Larry Geddes, Regional Sales Manager - North Queensland, Delnorth (award sponsor).

The speed awareness monitors, known as SAMs, aim to change motorist behaviour by reducing vehicle speeds through suburbs. Motorists who are travelling at or below the speed limit receive a smiley face from SAM to thank them for doing the right thing. SAM displays a ‘slow down’ message to motorists who are speeding, reminding them to reduce their speed through these zones and to drive safely.

Since the program launch in November 2013, motorists have reduced their speed by an average of more than 8 kilometres per hour across all sites.

There are currently over 180 monitors in place across Brisbane.

Building upon the success of the Speed Awareness Monitors program, Council has commenced the delivery of 100 permanent SAMs near Brisbane schools over four years, to help create safer environments for students to travel to school. There has already been 31 SAMs installed this year, with an additional 69 SAMs scheduled for installation over the next three years.

Brisbane City Council Brisbane City Council’s Speed Awareness Monitors program is part of Council’s commitment to making Brisbane streets safer. The program aligns with the Transport Plan for Brisbane - Strategic Directions, by implementing local safety improvements in neighbourhoods, school zones and high pedestrian activity areas.

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ROAD SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE NOMINEES

NEW ‘NO U-TURN’ SIGNAGE Brisbane City Council Brisbane City Council has worked on a practical way of improving Brisbane’s road safety by undertaking a U-turn signage review and subsequent trial. The trial signage used clearer symbols, aimed at improving compliance and road user understanding of U-turn road rules.

U-turns at signals in Queensland are unlawful unless signed otherwise. The standard U-turn warning sign is text heavy and lengthy, which resulted in motorist confusion. The sign trial was installed at six key intersections and featured a new pictorial based redesign. The success of the trial was then evaluated

by Council through reviewing crash data, survey data and community feedback after both a three and an eight month period.

The new sign designs resulted in favorable outcomes, with reports showing a decrease in instances of observed U-turn movements across all locations, with three locations continuing to experience a decline. Due to the reduced number of reported crashes at these intersections, the new sign was proven to be more effective.

Following the trial, the sign was accepted by Queensland’s Transport and Main Roads as an official traffic control sign, which endorses the work that Council is doing to support the future Transport Plan. By coordinating positive outcomes with other levels of government, industry, and community, Council is guiding our city safely into the future.

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PEOPLE AWARDS

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WOMAN IN ENGINEERING WINNER

SPONSORED BY

BERNIE-ANNE FREEMAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS

Bernie-Anne Freeman, Principal Engineer, Department of Transport and Main Roads with Simon Wood, Lead Design Technicial Water, GHD (award sponsor).

Bernie-Anne Freeman is a dynamo with both feet firmly on the well-engineered ground who has progressed from cadet to recently leading a $50 million infrastructure works package.

After graduating from Warwick State High School, Bernie-Anne started at TMR as a full-time cadet at the Road Design Training Centre while studying engineering full-time at the University of Southern Queensland.

A keen maths student, Bernie-Anne took her teacher’s suggestion to consider engineering after finding finance work experience in the TMR finance area dull but the engineers “pretty cool”.

Bernie-Anne enjoys collaborating with engineers, inspectors and other professionals to deliver public works projects for communities and has found her career is opening doors to other opportunities.

She is one of 80 women from around the world participating in the Homeward Bound Leadership Program, an initiative for female leaders in STEMM that is due to culminate in a voyage to Antarctica.

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PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR WINNER

RHYS MCQUEEN CITY OF GOLD COAST

City of Gold Coast Transport Asset Management Engineer Rhys McQueen with his award for IPWEAQ Professional of the Year.

Rhys McQueen brings together staff from multiple disciplines to serve the community across the City of Gold Coast’s $5.2 billion transport network.

Rhys has implemented a Sustainable Road Pavement Management Plan, annual internally delivered revaluations programs, condition inspections and the transport asset management plan while improving asset systems and processes.

He has achieved these goals by leading and bringing together engineering, accounting and technology to achieve key outputs.

Sharing knowledge, encouraging others and challenging the status quo have allowed Rhys to initiate and implement continuous improvement.

His ability to work across multiple disciplines and communicate at all levels of the organisation has seen him share his knowledge and vision and bring engineering, asset management and asset accounting to the forefront of the city’s operations.

By analysing issues and datasets, formulating fit for purpose solutions, attention to detail and giving clear direction, he has ensured informed decisions are made and the best results achieved.

Rhys has a Bachelor of Engineering and has been with the City of Gold Coast since 2017, where he has built his knowledge and passion for civil engineering.

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EMERGING PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR WINNER

SPONSORED BY

NICK DELANY TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL COUNCIL

Toowoomba Regional Council Principal Project Manager Nick Delaney won IPWEAQ’s Emerging Professional award.

Nicholas (Nick) Delaney’s strong leadership and maturity has seen him achieve recognition and advancement at Toowoomba Regional Council. Over the past four years he has held project management positions with Council to deliver significant building and infrastructure projects.

One of Nick’s acclaimed skills is his ability to communicate engineering principals and issues with non-technical audiences while also practising as a stand-out civil engineer.

Nick has worked on projects including the new Highfields Library and associated roadworks, the Toowoomba Railway Goods Shed heritage restoration, the most recent refurbishment of the Empire Theatre, the Carnival Lane Toowoomba CBD development, and the refurbishment of the historic, heritage-listed Soldiers Memorial Hall.

Over the past year he has acted as Manager of Council’s Property Services Branch with around 65 staff and of the Project Services Branch with 40 staff and contractor project managers.

Nick is an emerging professional whose abilities inspire those around him as an engineer and leader who is capable, compassionate and with a heart for people, diversity and sustainability.

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ENGINEER OF THE YEAR WINNER

SPONSORED BY

ROSS ULLMAN SUNSHINE COAST COUNCIL

IPWEAQ Engineer of the Year Ross Ullman accepts his award from sponsor Darren Wilson of Wagner Composite Fibre.

Ross Ullman has been enhancing the quality of life for Queenslanders for decades while guiding some of the state’s major infrastructure projects from concept to completion.

He is now leading the state’s biggest regional aviation development as project director of the Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion Project. Ross is applying his strategic, tactical and communication skills honed over the past 30 years to meet the challenges of this multi-faceted project. The expanded airport, with its 2450m runway and new international terminal, is significant from a civil engineering perspective and as the bedrock underpinning other major developments including the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Sunshine Coast University and Maroochydore Town Centre.

His portfolio includes contract superintendent on infrastructure contracts worth more than $150 million associated with $6.5 billion of resource sector development in the Bowen Basin and more than 20 years leading the Main Roads Department’s South Western District based in Roma.

Ross’s community commitment extends to his 20+plus years as a patrol captain and member of Mooloolaba Surf Lifesaving Club.

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TEAM MEMBER OF THE YEAR WINNER

NATHAN WHITTAKER TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL COUNCIL

Nathan Whittaker from Toowoomba Regional Council was named Team Member of the Year.

Nathan Whittaker has combined dedication and a strong background in civil construction and maintenance to progress from a trainee at Booringa Shire Council to managing up to 50 team members as Coordinator in Toowoomba Regional Council’s Construction and Maintenance North Branch.

Over his 22-year career, Nathan’s communication and management skills have grown with his technical expertise. His ability to manage and lead people has seen members of his team also succeed as Nathan identified and nurtured their talents.

Nathan focuses on delivering the best possible outcomes to the community and building relationships with the people that the Council serves.

He is responsible for leading operational crews based in four depots in a challenging environment with competing daily priorities.

Nathan inspires, motivates and mentors staff, while giving clear direction and maintaining high quality standards. Safety is his top priority as he builds a positive work environment and culture that focuses on performance and capacity-building while delivering excellence in public works.

His knowledge of standards and specifications, Council policies and procedures and his positive, “can-do” attitude has allowed Nathan and his team to deliver results for the safety and growth of his community.

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EMPLOYER AWARDS

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EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE SECTOR) WINNER

GHD TOOWOOMBA OFFICE

GHD Business Group Leader SQ Roads & Highways and GHD civil engineer and IPWEAQ Ambassador Maddie Stalhut with the award for private sector Employer of the Year.

Leading engineering firm GHD Toowoomba, part of GHD’s global business, prides itself on autonomy and delivering projects that enhance Toowoomba and South West Queensland communities.

Over half of the team of 15 to 20 permanent local engineers, scientists and technicians are University of Southern Queensland Toowoomba graduates including incoming IPWEAQ incoming president Angela Fry and IPWEAQ ambassador Maddy Stahlhut.

Project of the Year), Someset Regional Council Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (IPWEAQ 2018 award winner) and Southern Downs Regional Council Supplying Water to Over 5000 People When the Dams Run Dry – the Stanthorpe Water Supply story (2020 IPWEAQ award winner).

GHD Toowoomba supports the engineering sector, celebrates cultural and gender diversity, and fosters career development and wellbeing with programs targeting graduates, young professionals, emerging leaders and women. As an employment partner of CareerTrackers, GHD creates pathways for Indigenous students to achieve at university and gain industry experience, employing a program graduate as a full-time water engineer.

By valuing and supporting professional registrations, accreditations and continuing professional development, GHD Toowoomba’s professionals attain leading edge capability and technical knowledge. Local and regional projects benefit from their understanding and implementing best design standards and practices.

GHD Toowoomba has a strong track record of applying diverse multidisciplinary skills to deliver technically challenging and complex engineering projects for the region. Over the past 15 years these have included projects such as Toowoomba Regional Council Outer Circulating Road (2015 IPWEAQ

GHD Toowoomba team celebrate their Employer of the Year award.

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EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR (PUBLIC SECTOR) SPONSORED BY WINNER

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS

Roadtek General Manager Bill Lansbury and TMR Regional Director Kym Murphy accept their award for public sector Employer of the Year from Edwina Mackay-Eyler, Business Development Manager with sponsor Leading Roles.

The Queensland Government Department of Transport and Main Roads is one of the state’s largest employers with almost 750 professional engineers contributing to the vision to deliver a single integrated transport network accessible to all.

TMR engineers work across a range of disciplines including civil, structural, geotechnical, traffic, transport, electrical, environmental and systems engineering. They connect communities by developing a safe and secure transport network and play a major role in delivering $27 billion in road infrastructure projects.

Known for its strong and supportive organisational culture, TMR acknowledges, supports and celebrates difference in work experience, caring responsibilities, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation and religious beliefs. It is a gold member of the Australian Network on Disability, which helps organisations welcome people with disability into their business.

TMR supports the technical and professional development of its engineering workforce from early career to executive, promoting life-long learning through access to technical and non-technical learning and development training programs, events and opportunities. In 2021, TMR recruited 40 graduate engineers, including 35 civil, four electrical and one design engineer, through its OneTMR Graduate Development Program.

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TMR’s commitment to professional registration include requiring engineers in P04 senior engineer roles or higher to be a Registered Practicing Engineer Queensland, with 79 per cent of TMR professional engineers currently registered.

Departmental leadership and subject matter experts work with key industry bodies to advance the engineering sector, including with IPWEAQ to raise awareness of the importance of civil engineering to Queensland communities.

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE SECTOR) NOMINEES

PROTERRA GROUP

ST GEORGE PROJECT SERVICES PTY LTD

TONKIN

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR (PUBLIC SECTOR) NOMINEES

MORETON BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL CULTURE CHANGE PROGRAM

SOMERSET REGIONAL COUNCIL

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