Formliners create an enviable pattern in retaining wall panels for the Melton highway project. Images: National Precast. National Precast’s CEO Sarah Bachmann gets up close with one of the Association’s more recent Industry Partners, PSA. Here, she chats with PSA’s Managing Director, Michael Smith. SB (Sarah Bachmann) – From your perspective, what are some innovations happening within the precast industry and how is your company contributing to those? MS (Michael Smith) – The precast concrete industry has been witnessing numerous innovations over the last decade that are aimed at enhancing eff ..read more

Crews carrying the removed boom gates off site. Image: Victorian Government. A construction blitz is underway on Ringwood’s last level crossing in Melbourne, with works also progressing on the new Ringwood East Station. The works are part of a winter construction blitz to make the Lilydale Line Melbourne’s first rail line to be level crossing free, with crews working 24/7 until early July to remove the dangerous and congested Dublin Road level crossing (in Ringwood East) and build the new Ringwood East Station. After dismantling the gates, crews then made short work of the old Ringwood East St ..read more

The RodRadar technology was recently trialled at Major Road Projects Victoria’s Pakenham Roads Upgrade project site. Image: MRPV. This might look like an ordinary excavator bucket, but the RodRadar Live Dig Radar ground scanning technology (pictured above) is ground-breaking in the field of underground utilities location…without needing to break any ground. As part of Major Road Projects Victoria’s commitment to safety and innovation, its Safety team recently tested the new RodRadar technology, which is capable of locating utilities and prevents service strikes and operator injuries. In o ..read more

Artist's impression of landside area of completed Lumsden Point development. Image: Pilbara Ports. Pilbara Ports has awarded two major contracts for works on Western Australia’s Lumsden Point, in the port of Port Hedland. Lumsden Point will facilitate the export of battery metals such as lithium and copper concentrates, the import of renewable energy infrastructure including wind turbines and blades, as well as support the growth of direct shipping services to the Pilbara. The first major contract is to Jan De Nul (Australia) Pty Ltd for dredging and land reclamation. Aerial view of Lumsden Po ..read more

Image courtesy of Sydney Metro/NSW Government. Waterloo Station has become the first station to be completed on the new city section of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project. Following more than four years’ worth of major construction, the works to transform the 25-metre-deep station box into a brand new station. The station will now be handed over to Metro Trains Sydney (MTS), who will operate the network. Final preparations will also get underway, with MTS set to undertake testing and commissioning before the station fully opens.   Related stories: Another upgrade complete for ..read more

Image: METRONET/WA Government. Construction is now complete on the Ranford Bridge, with traffic now flowing on the new bridge, which was delivered as part of the $1.352 billion Thornlie-Cockburn Link project in Western Australia. The significantly enhanced bridge, consisting of 140,000 kilograms of reinforcing steel, as well as 154 piles replaces the old bridge that was too low to support the new passenger rail below. The original bridge had only two lanes in each direction with the new bridge expected to cater for an estimated average two-way traffic flow of 43,000 vehicles a day. The ne ..read more

Image courtesy of the Tasmanian Government. Another 40 kilometres of upgrades have now been delivered for the Midland Highway as part of the $605 million, Midland Highway 10-Year Action Plan in Tasmania. As part of the 10-Year Action Plan, 153 kilometres of road is set to be upgraded, with only a 10-kilometre section remaining. This follows the recent completion of works near Ross in February, Oatlands in March and, just recently, between Conara and Epping Forest. These upgrade works included highway widening, extensive use of safety barriers along the side of the highway and down the centre a ..read more

Image courtesy of the Queensland Government. The Queensland Government has released funding for early works on the State and Federal funded $176 million Linkfield Road Overpass project, just north of Brisbane. The funding announcement will allow the Department of Transport and Main Roads to begin onsite activities in the coming months. Early works will focus on public utility plant relocations, including approximately 350 metres of existing gas main. Linkfield Road is a state-controlled arterial road that runs between Brendale and Fitzgibbon in North Brisbane. The overpass connects commuters a ..read more

Diversity programs are vital for attracting and retaining talent at Komatsu Australia. Image: Komatsu. The construction and mining industry has always been male-dominated, but global equipment manufacturer Komatsu is working to change that. Mel Morrison, General Manager of Human Resources at Komatsu Australia, says the Australian business has a three-year roadmap for inclusion and diversity.  “Komatsu believes that achieving greater diversity within industrial sectors has the power to be transformative. But we also acknowledge that there is a long way to go. There is work to do, and we ar ..read more

The BOMAG BF 200 C-2 track paver features a narrow 1118-mm track width. Image: Tutt Bryant. Tutt Bryant has supplied world-class compaction technology to the Australian market since 1986. With new devices coming online, there is a new king of the road. Having worked with Tutt Bryant Equipment for some 18 years, including the last nine as National Business Development Manager for exclusive brands BOMAG/Gehl/Lintec-Linnhoff, John Glossat is eager to always bring high-quality products to the market. “As a company, we are excited about the opportunities that have arisen in partnership with all our ..read more