The Rookwood Weir Project by Sunwater, GHD, ACCIONA and McCosker Contracting was announced as the winner of the 2024 Australian Construction Achievement Award (ACAA) at a black-tie award dinner at The Doltone House in Sydney, in conjunction with the Foundations and Frontiers forum (FF24).
Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies said, "This award is one of the highest honours a project can receive, recognising not only construction excellence but also the forward-thinking initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable industry.”
“The Rookwood Weir project is a worthy winner, constructed on the Fitzroy River, the second largest seaward catchment in Australia, the project was a highly complex build with significant risks. These risks were minimised thanks to the exemplary collaboration of the alliance.”
“The project excelled in lifting the skills base within this sector, exceeding its training targets by achieving 106.9% for 'New Entrant' training hours and 209.8% for 'Other Workforce' training hours. The project also significantly surpassed its Indigenous employment targets, engaging 81 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander personnel, far exceeding goals,” said Mr Davies.
Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew AO said “The finalists’ projects showcase the power of collaboration and creativity. By integrating sustainable practices and cutting-edge engineering and technology they have shown that the construction industry can lead the way in environmental responsibility and innovation."
“One of the standout features of the Rookwood Weir Project is its technically complex fishlock and the world-first design turtle passage. Informed by the largest freshwater turtle telemetry project in the world, it is the first passage in Australia to provide safe upstream and downstream movement for turtles,” said Ms Madew.
Now in its 27th year, this premier construction industry Award has again been partnered by some of the major businesses connected with the industry including Caterpillar, Cbus, Gallagher, InEight and InfraBuild.
The ACAA Finalists for 2024 were:
Rookwood Weir Project Gogango, Central Queensland
By Sunwater, GHD, ACCIONA and McCosker Contracting
Rookwood Weir, a mass concrete structure situated on the Fitzroy River in Central Queensland, stands at 16.2m in height and stretches across 350m in length. The project encompasses several key components including a stilling basin designed to dissipate energy from water discharge and environmentally considerate elements to support local wildlife. The construction also includes permanent access roads within the site to ensure ongoing maintenance and operation ease. The project is complemented by associated infrastructure, which highlight the modern engineering and operational capabilities embedded within this significant hydraulic structure.
Cairns Southern Access Corridor Stage 3: Edmonton to Gordonvale Project (E2G) Cairns, Queensland
By John Holland Group, Seymour Whyte and AECOM
The Cairns Southern Access Corridor, Stage 3: Edmonton to Gordonvale Project (E2G), part of Queensland's extensive Bruce Highway Upgrade, is a significant infrastructure initiative. Spanning 10.5km, this project aims to duplicate and expand the highway to four lanes, integrate a shared path/cycleway, and reposition a section of the North Coast rail line, enhancing safety, capacity, and flood resilience.
Central Station Metro Sydney, New South Wales
By Laing O'Rourke
Laing O’Rourke is proud to have delivered the $955 million Sydney Metro upgrades to transform Australia’s busiest railway station. The scope included the new Central Walk underground pedestrian concourse, upgrades to the Northern Concourse with a new landmark roof canopy, significant accessibility upgrades with the installation of 14 new lifts and 42 new escalators, and new underground Sydney Metro platforms.
Western Sydney International Airport Bulk Earthworks Badgerys Creek, New South Wales
By CPB Contractors and ACCIONA
The Western Sydney International Airport Bulk Earthworks (WSABE) Project entails comprehensive land preparation, including excavation, grading, and compaction to establish a stable foundation for the airport infrastructure. The project spanned the excavation, movement, and placement of an almost 27 million cubic metres of material over the course of five years, setting the stage for construction of the Western Sydney International Airport.
Further details about the finalists and the ACAA are available at https://acaa.net.au/
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Media Contacts:
Megan Anderson
Australian Constructors Association Head of Media and Communications
megan.anderson@constructors.com.au 0475 978 478
Australian Constructors Association is the peak industry body in Australia representing the industry’s leading construction and infrastructure contracting companies while Engineers Australia represents the engineering profession that is responsible along with the constructors for the design and delivery of Australia’s infrastructure project.
Lisa McKoy
Engineers Australia National Media Manager
lmckoy@engineersaustralia.org.au 0468 366 691
As Australia’s national body for engineering, Engineers Australia is the voice and champion of our 120,000-plus members. Providing them with the resources, connections and growth they need to do ethical, competent and high-value work in our communities.
