November

5.7km Adelaide rail contract worth $291m

A JV between Thiess and McConnell Dowell will design and build a 5.7km dual-track extension of the Noarlunga rail line to Seaford in Adelaide’s south.

ABCC launches litigation policy

ABC commissioner Leigh Johns has released a guidance note detailing the ABCC’s litigation policy which sets out guidelines to be followed by the ABCC when starting civil legal proceedings.

American civil engineers recognise Harry Poulos

Work on the foundations on Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, has no doubt helped Australian civil engineer Harry Poulos, win recognition as a distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

And you thought wages were good in construction....

Well according to an article in the The Australian on October 11, if you happen to be in the offshore oil rig construction industry in WA, wages and conditions could be very good!

Biggest post tension concrete pour in Melbourne

Problems experienced by Toll SPD with maintaining and sealing many closely spaced joints and cracks in an original conventional pavement, prompted it to pour new pavement in one hit and avoid joints altogether.

Call to curb reef runoff

A leading earth scientist is calling for intensified efforts to curb the runoff of sediment and nutrients onto the Great Barrier Reef and other coral assets, to protect them through a period of unavoidable climate change.

Change in contracting leads McIlwain to new markets

McIlwain Civil is a third generation civil contracting family business, south east Queensland based, that has witnessed greater industry change in the last five years than at any time in its history.

Dredging reduced at Murray mouth 

DREDGING operations at the Murray Mouth were recently halved to 12-hours/day following the release of water from barrages in the Lower Lakes.

Early works contracts awarded for Gold Coast Rapid Transit

Two contracts worth $68m for early works for the city-changing Gold Coast Rapid Transit light rail system have been awarded to Seymour Whyte Constructions and Baulderstone p/l.

Eastern US seaboard transmission line boosted by equity infusions

The US$5bn Atlantic Wind Connection project to build a 560km high tension transmission line backbone along the eastern seaboard of the US, received a major boost in mid October, when Good Energies, Google and Marubeni agreed to equity investments in the project.

National office is essential to stay ahead of the political game

I know I continue to push the barrow in support of a strong national CCF office and some have questioned my dogged (or monotonous?) approach to this issue.

Preventative maintenance solutions drive profits for civil contractors

Tightening government regulations coupled with the need to cut costs as a result of the global credit crunch had spurred many civil contractors to seek out innovative ways, like computerised maintenance management systems, to better manage their assets.

Qld desal water on tap

Plagued by problems, the Queensland government has finally accepted handover of the Gold Coast Desalination Plant at Tugun 18 months past contract.

Rio Tinto opens central Queensland mine

Rio Tinto Coal Australia’s new $1.3bn Clermont thermal coal mine in central Queensland, is ground breaking above and below the surface.

Tony Wong is Civil Engineer of the Year 

The excellence of the contribution to civil engineering, across Australia and internationally, by Professor Tony Wong of Monash University and AECOM in Melbourne, was officially recognised at the presentation to him of the Sir John Holland Civil Engineer of the Year Award 2010 in Canberra on 28 October.

Townsville turbo-charged for growth

After spending one week in the Townsville region, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh committed to boosting the area’s economy and industry based growth, to guarantee its future as Queensland’s second capital.

Tunnelled water might help restore Murray Darling environment

Appropriately named Kevin Lake from Wyoming, NSW, wrote a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald in mid October, in the wake of the ill received Murray-Darling Basin Authority report into restoring catchment health, promoting the ancient Iranian practice of capturing and running irrigation water in tunnels.

Volvo factory fits excavator ROPS/FOPS

Volvo has joined Komatsu, Caterpillar and Hitachi, in factory fitting its excavators with roll over and falling objects protective structures, in compliance with ISO 12117-2:2008, the new international standard for better operator protection.

FROM THE CCF NATIONAL POLICY DIRECTOR

In my last article I flagged that we would be following very closely the big economic debates as they play out in the coming months.

CCF awards Kevin Renfrey life membership

The Civil Contractors Federation made owner/director of Renfrey Plant Hire, Kevin Renfrey, a life member of the organisation at the national conference in Canberra.

Earthmoving plant is inadequately identified

Earthmoving plant owners are doing themselves in the eye by not identifying their equipment adequately say the New South Wales police.

Hybrid excavator to launch here in 2011

Komatsu will introduce its hybrid 20t excavator into Australia next year according to Komatsu’s national business manager Chris Moroz.

Is the ABCC dead or just resting? - Ian Dixon

According to Ian Dixon of Gadens Lawyers in Sydney, the office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner continues to perplex the construction industry in the manner he portrayed at the CCF national conference in Perth last year.

Major roads big winners in national Earth Awards

Three multi‐million dollar road projects in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory were recognised for environmental and construction excellence at the CCF Earth Awards Gala Dinner in Canberra on the Saturday night of the conference, October 24.

Winning that tender might just be about better communications

Retired Civil Contractors Federation Victorian branch CEO and civil engineer Bob Seiffert summed up conference proceedings when he implored participants to communicate better.

Driest state giving Tron Civil plenty to do

THE city of Salisbury 25km north of Adelaide is an international leader in constructed wetlands and aquifer storage technology.

Grass extracts clean energy from toxic soil 

A team of Australian and Chinese scientists has pioneered a new way to make clean energy from land so contaminated with toxic waste that it is good for little else.

Last new lane of Melbourne’s M1 opens

 

Modern-day look for a city square

ADELAIDE has five public squares – Victoria, Light, Hindmarsh, Hurtle and Whitmore. A century ago they all had fences.

Qld desal water on tap

Plagued by problems, the Queensland government has finally accepted handover of the Gold Coast Desalination Plant at Tugun 18 months past contract.

Singapore’s new walkway a world-beater

MARINA Bay in Singapore has the world’s first double helix structure. It’s a pedestrian walkway known as the Helix that opened in April this year.

Switzerland’s Gotthard rail tunnel breaks through

A new world record was created on October 15 when miners working on the $10bn Gotthard Base Tunnel shook hands after 1.5m of rock remaining between two 10m diameter tunnels bored from the above ground Sedrun and Faido access points, was excavated.

Contracts Let - November 2010