September

Wodonga rail bypass opens

After more than 20 months of construction, the first train, Perth-bound Pacific National freighter carrying steel, crossed Wodonga’s rail bypass on July 23. But not without delay.

Wind power grew 40% last year

Wind turbines across the eastern states increased their input to the grid by 40% last year to 4.1m MW/h.

Brisbane Airport Flyover to open early

The final bridge segment on the new 750m Brisbane Airport Flyover was installed last weekend, bringing completion of the $327m Airport Roundabout upgrade project one step closer.

After middle age an annual health check is vital

One of the benefits of writing this column for the Earthmover is the feedback I receive which is sometimes positive, sometimes negative but always valuable. However the negative responses can be hard to take. I have been told that a particular article was bland and puerile while others have said it wasn’t even that good.

Brisbane’s Clem 7 is a PPP tunnel too far

Like Sydney’s Cross City and Lane Cove tunnels, Brisbane’s first major road tunnel the Clem 7, is facing financial difficulties because of over optimistic traffic forecasts.

Coming events

 

Early delivery of Adelaide’s new northern artery

LOCALS have played a major part in South Australia’s largest road project since the 1960s, the $564m Northern Expressway that opened to traffic on September 13, three months ahead of schedule.

Hazell Bros expands to Queensland

Hazell Bros Group Pty Ltd, Tasmania’s largest and most diverse construction company has started its strategic expansion onto the mainland.

Hensley XS GET save time, money for Sydney contractors

Two Western Sydney contractors have seen significant reductions in downtime and operational costs by using Komatsu’s range of Hensley XS ground engaging tools.

Leighton records record profit of $612m

In mid August, Leighton Holdings reported a record annual profit of $612m, up 39% on the previous year.

National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act is full of grey areas

The end of the financial year is important not just for financial and accounting reasons but because it also signifies the approach of the greenhouse gas and energy reporting deadline underthe National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Act 2007, where corporations over a certain size are required to report their emissions and energy use by 31 October.

OH&S trainer knows vertical rescue, vehicle extrication and more

Gary Grant knows what life’s like abseiling down a darkened cliff face to rescue an injured bushwalker or trekking through deep snow in search of a lost cross-country skier.

Operators give thumbs up to 36t JCB excavator

JCB’s 36t JS360 long carriage (LC) tracked excavator, recently landed in Australia and is being demonstrated to operators along the east coast by national distributor, JCB Construction Equipment Australia.

Quarry “sale” courted disaster by lack of a contract

It’s a scary fact that a large number of construction disputes revolve around whether the parties have entered into a contract and, if so, what the terms of the contract actually are.

Melbourne, Adelaide winners in airport control tower replacement program 

In late June Hansen Yuncken began building a new 50m high control tower at Adelaide Airport, immediately east of the runways adjacent to the now demolished domestic terminal building.

Adelaide should consider bike roads: architect

ADELAIDE architect David Cooke wants his city to consider models like in the Netherlands and Germany that allow bikes to take more ownership of certain roads.

Big Liebherr crawler crane excavates sewer pump station diaphragm wall

A new 1270L/s capacity sewer pump station started in February at Officer South, 50km south east of Melbourne, will feature an 18.5m deep dodecahedron or 12-sided, circle-shaped pump well shaft.

Brisbane’s Airport Link TBMs are the biggest ever

Two of the biggest TBMs ever used in Australia have started constructing the twin 2.5km tunnels of Brisbane’s $4.8bn Airport Link 6.7km toll road – the nation’s largest infrastructure project currently under construction.

Conserving an iconic NSW gaol tests many skills

TRIAL Bay Gaol is a granite and concrete ruin on the mid-north coast of New South Wales midway between Kepsey and Nambucca Heads.

Dynamic new entry for Adelaide showbiz venue

THE Adelaide Entertainment Centre in Hindmarsh just west of the CBD has undergone a $52m makeover completed in February this year. In the words of local TV identity Keith Conlon: “The old girl has lifted her skirts and laid out a brand new 21st century welcome mat underneath a massive new dome.”

Local casting yard makes Brighton T beams appreciably less expensive 

As mentioned last month, the Brighton Bypass component of the Midland Highway Improvements Projects was split into two separate parts – North and South – to spread the workload between two contractors. The Tasmanian government is managing the federal-government-funded project.

Contracts Let - September 2010