More than 200 engineers were considered for inclusion on the prestigious list, with the winners selected by a panel of judges including:
- Bronwyn Evans, CEO, Standards Australia
- John Immelman, former Managing Director, Endress+Hauser Australia
- John Wilson, Executive Dean, Swinburne University of Technology
- Alex Kingsbury, former Director of CSIRO's additive manufacturing centre, Lab 22
- Ian Opperman, NSW Chief Data Scientist
- James Trevelyan, Professor, University of Western Australia
Engineers Australia National President John McIntosh congratulated all the winners.
"Australian engineers are respected worldwide both for our ingenuity and persistence in making our solutions work," he said. "We are the home, after all, of world famous inventions such as WiFi and the black box flight recorder."
Innovative engineering has always been part of McConnell Dowell’s DNA and this nomination is a strong endorsement of Vito’s engineering leadership and recognition of our ‘Creative Construction’ brand.
You can read Vito’s profile in create magazine.
Announced the night before the project’s official opening events, the timing of the award was near perfect.
“It was a great night – fantastic,” says Alliance Project Manager Iain Simmons. “What it says for me is that we are the best delivered project as far as our peers in the construction industry are concerned.”
“For me personally winning the award means a great deal. But this is one for the team – not just for me or the project’s managers - everyone has played a part.”
Since breaking ground in 2012, the project has been delivered by an Alliance comprising the customer NZ Transport Agency together with McConnell Dowell, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Fletcher Construction, Beca Infrastructure, Tonkin & Taylor and Obayashi Corporation.
Iain says the judges were impressed by the way home companies and organisations in the Alliance, and their workers, collaborated and worked as one team. The project’s commitment to upskill workers, keep people safe, and to reach out to their families to make lives better scored well too.
Award judges also drilled down into the many different processes and systems used by the Alliance to deliver a successful project - relationships with designers, customer and community satisfaction, quality and protecting the environment “We had a fantastic story to tell,” says Iain.
The scope of work includes installation of new steel piles through the existing concrete deck; remediation and rehabilitation of the deck and fender beam; and removal and installation of a new crane rail.
Commenting on the award, McConnell Dowell’s Australian Managing Director Jim Frith said…
“We are thrilled to be working with Port of Melbourne again after our very successful collaboration on the award winning redevelopment of Webb Dock.
“The Webb Dock project showcased McConnell Dowell’s technical leadership in marine construction, and our ability to deliver major construction projects with minimal disruption to port operations. We are ready to deliver similar positive outcomes for the Port of Melbourne on Swanson Dock East.”
The project will commence immediately with handback to the terminal operator expected in May 2018.
McConnell Dowell Managing Director - Australia, Jim Frith was extremely pleased to be working with the Australian and Victorian governments to deliver this significant rail upgrade.
“We are ready to maximise the benefits of this substantial investment in Victoria’s rail network, and deliver a safer, more productive rail freight network for V/Line and the people of Victoria,” Mr Frith said.
“Generating local jobs and spending locally will be a key focus of our team and we will be recruiting at least 15 per cent of our workforce from the Murray Basin region.”
More than 400 personnel will be employed on the project at its peak.
Construction is scheduled to commence onsite in July 2017, with practical completion scheduled for August 2018.
If you would like information on how you can be involved in this project, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Project Facts
The Murray Basin Rail Project involves:
- upgrading 1,055 kilometres of rail track
- converting the track from broad gauge to standard gauge
- increasing the allowable train axle loading from 19 tonnes to 21 tonnes, except for the Ouyen to Murrayville line which remains at 19 tonnes
For further details visit the V/Line website: www.vline.com.au/murraybasinrail
The award comes after an extensive early contractor involvement process between Jemena and McConnell Dowell, during which time Jemena secured the necessary approvals and land access to allow the project to move forward. With this award secured, McConnell Dowell will expeditiously commence site activities over the coming weeks with the first gas expected to run through the pipeline in late 2018.
McConnell Dowell CEO Scott Cummins said the company has industry leading experience in the delivery of cross country pipeline projects.
“This project will build on the successful relationship between McConnell Dowell and Jemena and is a testament of the customer’s confidence in our experience and ability to construct this critical infrastructure link.”
Jim Frith, Managing Director Australia said “The award of this contract for the Northern Gas Pipeline project is the result of substantial collaboration between our two companies that ensured the project design is fit-for-purpose whilst significantly reducing costs.”
At a signing ceremony held in Melbourne today, Jemena’s Managing Director Paul Adams said the company is confident McConnell Dowell is well placed to construct and deliver the NGP.
“McConnell Dowell has been one of Jemena’s key partners throughout the NGP Project, having worked closely with us throughout the initial tender, and throughout 2016. They have a fantastic mix of skills and experience which will be key to this project’s success.”
Mr Adams said the NGP’s resequencing in early March meant Jemena had re-evaluated or put on hold a number of key contracts until such time as land access and other approvals were finalised.
“With land access arrangements agreed with Traditional Owners and other landholders, we now have the certainty we need to appoint McConnell Dowell to construct the Territory portion of the NGP.”
“Partnering with McConnell Dowell allows us to build a cost-effective pipeline, relatively quickly to support a strong gas industry for the Northern Territory by delivering gas to the market at a competitive price,” said Mr Adams.
McConnell Dowell has committed to maximising local and Indigenous participation during construction of the project.
If you are an individual seeking employment opportunities on the Northern Gas Pipeline Project, please visit Jemena’s Jobs and Training website: www.ngpjobsandtraining.com.au where all local employment opportunities will be advertised.
McConnell Dowell will continue to use the Northern Territory ICN Gateway and our established local business networks to identify suppliers and subcontractors, with proven competence, who are commercially competitive, to participate in the construction of the pipeline.
If you are a company seeking contracts on the Northern Gas Pipeline Project, please ensure you are registered on ICN Gateway with your full company profile. If you have previously registered your interest for this project with us, you are not required to submit another EOI. Expressions of interest for contract opportunities on the NGP are available at: www.northerngaspipeline.icn.org.au.
img - Jemena Managing Director, Paul Adams with McConnell Dowell CEO, Scott Cummins at the signing ceremony
