08/08/2025

August 08, 2025

šŸ— šŸš§ šŸŒ šŸ›  šŸš€ šŸ¦ŗ ā™» šŸ¤– šŸ§± šŸ› šŸ§°

THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES

āœ’ Headlines & Industry

Tasmaniaā€™s largest ever transport infrastructure project ā€“ the new Bridgewater Bridge ā€“ has taken out the 2025 Australian Construction Achievement Award (ACAA), the construction industryā€™s most coveted prize.

šŸ—ļø Projects

NSW

AGLā€™s proposed Tomago BESS in NSW will deliver 500 MW/2,000 MWh storage, connecting to Transgrid substations via two routes. It includes full site infrastructure. Also announced, Hydro Tasmaniaā€™s Tarraleah upgrade will double capacity to 190 MW with 20 hours storage and add 16 km of 220 kV transmission to meet future demand.

A state significant development (SSD) application is currently on exhibition with the NSW government for the transformation of the historic MLC building at 105 Miller Street in North Sydney, which was originally designed by Bates, Smart and McCutcheon in 1952 and completed in 1957.

QLD

ā€œItā€™s a big risk, but we think itā€™s going to be successful,ā€ the developer said on Thursday. An infinity pool overlooking the water, swim-up bar, gym, wellness centre, and bus terminal feature in plans for the five-star hotel.

The Queensland Government is seeking design consultants for Coomera Connector Stage Two, a 4.9 km corridor from Yawalpah Road to Shipper Drive. Works include interchanges, bridges, local road upgrades, a shared path, and bus access provisions, forming part of the broader 45 km north-south Coomera Connector transport project.

Rio Tinto has approved investment of about $277 million and started work on the Norman Creek access project at its Amrun bauxite mine on Cape York. The project opens the way for mining of the Norman Creek region of Amrun, which holds about half of the currently declared Amrun ore reserves of 978 million tonnes

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has unveiled its Preliminary Draft 2026 Master Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the airportā€™s growth over the next two decades. The plan focuses on enhancing connectivity, sustainability, and economic contributions while addressing the demands of a growing passenger base, forecast to double to 52.3 million by 2046.

TAS

The announced Tarraleah Power Station Redevelopment will upgrade Hydro Tasmaniaā€™s aging hydropower scheme, aiming to double its capacity from 90 MW to 190 MW with 20 hours of storage per cycle. The project includes 16 km of new 220 kV transmission lines and addresses future electricity demand challenges.

VIC

The Metro Tunnel will undergo full weekend trial operations on 16ā€“17 August ahead of its early opening later this year. Trains will run through the tunnel using next-gen signalling, with increased services and station staff on hand. Passengers must change at Footscray and Caulfield, as in-tunnel travel isnā€™t yet permitted.

A contract for the first part of the $318 million Barwon Heads Road Upgrade ā€“ Stage Two has been awarded. FCC Construction Australia and BildGroup will deliver the first part of Stage Two and will involve the addition of new lanes along the 3.5-kilometre stretch between Reserve Road in Charlemont and Lake Road in Armstrong Creek.

WA

West Star Industrialā€™s (ASX:WSI) wholly owned subsidiary SIMPEC has been awarded  $11 million for the delivery of work at the Tianqi Lithium Hydroxide Processing operation in Kwinana, Western Australia.SIMPEC will begin civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical, and instrumentation works, which is expected to be completed in Q1 2026.

The Western Australian government has approved the first three precinct plans for its large-scale redevelopment of East Wanneroo, which lies 25km north of the state capital. 

The gift from a philanthropist ā€“ the largest given to a WA university in one hit ā€“ will be used to completely rebuild Murdoch Universityā€™s vet school.

šŸ§° Construction Au Other

Holcim Australia has unveiled a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) which will underpin its support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.   The RAP encompasses practical actions and long-term partnership initiatives spanning from July 2025 to July 2027. It builds upon the previous RAP, which was launched in 2022.  

OCU Group, a contractor based in Stockport, UK has announced its entry into the Australian market through the acquisition of multidisciplinary All Energy Contracting (AEC) for an undisclosed sum. AEC was founded in Brisbane in 2018 and delivers solar, wind, storage, civil and power infrastructure services in Australia and New Zealand.

šŸš€ Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology

XISUI Design has completed Boulder Park, a 13,000-square-meter community playground in Jiā€™nan, Shandong Province, China, that incorporates 3D concrete printing technology. The park features natural boulders combined with 3D-printed concrete structures to create play areas, including a rock cave adventure zone built using additive manufacturing techniques.

Arup, a global design and engineering consultancy, and Eversheds Sutherland, a global law firm, recently joined leading digital platform PlanRadar at a key industry event in Spain, highlighting a shared commitment to advancing the construction industry towards a digital future.

Artificial intelligence offers contractors new ways to remain competitive and profitable before projects even start.

The global ā€œArtificial Intelligence in Construction Marketā€ research report for 2025 focuses on major statistical analysis and a historical review of the most recent trends, challenges, key opportunity, and restraints of the leading key players throughout the projected period. 

Belgian heavylift specialist Sarens has added a fifth ring-mounted crane to its giant SGC series. Sarensā€™ new SGC-170 has a maximum rated lift capacity of 3,200 tonnes with a maximum load moment of 170,000 metre-tonnes. Its main boom with jib can lift 1,300 tonnes to a radius of 200 metres.

šŸŒ± Sustainability ā€‹& Environment

This study reveals a machine learning approach to find lower-carbon cement substitutes, offering a scalable solution to reduce construction-related emissions.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have developed a biomineral-infused concrete that captures up to 142% more carbon dioxide than traditional mixes. By blending diatomaceous earth with 3D printing technology, this innovative material offers a sustainable solution for construction while promoting carbon capture and marine ecosystem restoration.

šŸŒ Around the World

A Webuild-led consortium today won the contract to build the long-planned bridge over the Strait of Messina in Italy to provide the first fixed link between Sicily and the mainland. The huge public outlay for the worldā€™s longest suspension bridge will be counted as defence spending to help Italy meet NATOā€™s military expenditure target.

The social media giant says it has begun piloting the use of mass timber in construction on its datacenter campuses this year, in line with its goal of achieving net zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2030.

Colas, the US arm of French construction company Colas Group, has agreed to acquire Suit-Kote, a US-based road solutions company, for over $450m.

šŸ‘·ā€ā™€ļø Tradies and Resource

Australian unions have launched a fresh push to revive the National Training Guarantee, a levy formerly imposed on businesses in the 1990s to boost employee training. Itā€™s hoped the move will provide a ā€œmuch-needed rebootā€ for apprenticeships in Australia, which have been bleeding numbers as many tradies struggle with the low wages on offer.

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