Laing O’Rourke is the winner of the 2016 Australian Construction Achievement Award for the Moorebank Units Relocation Project in Sydney’s south west, the largest single Australian Defence capital works project since the Second World War.
Announced recently in Perth, the Australian Construction Achievement Award is the peak annual award for Australia’s construction industry, and is proudly presented by Engineers Australia and Australian Constructors Association (ACA).
ACA President John Flecker FIEAust CPEng NER said that the winning project “showcased the project management and innovative approach required of construction companies on large complex projects”.
“The three-year task of demobilising 13 Defence units and facilities, including the School of Military Engineering and moving 2,000 Defence personnel from a 190 hectare site at Moorebank and relocating to new, purpose-built facilities at Holsworthy was a vast scale project,” Mr Flecker said.
The award was conferred by Western Australian Senator Linda Reynolds CSC, representing the Federal Government, and West Australian Attorney-General Michael Mischin.
Laing O’Rourke Managing Director Cathal O’Rourke said he was extremely proud of the team that delivered this significant project.
“As Australia’s largest, privately owned engineering and construction firm, we were engaged to deliver the Moorebank Units Relocation project in 2011,” Mr O’Rourke said. “The project was delivered ahead of schedule and under budget for a satisfied client that sees it as a benchmark for delivering all major construction and engineering schemes in the future.”
Australia’s largest construction and engineering businesses vie competitively for the prestigious accolade, by first qualifying for their project to be a finalist, and then submitting their project to be rigorously assessed by a panel of experts.
Speaking on ABC News Breakfast, Engineers Australia Victorian President and Chair of the Judging Panel Chris Stoltz FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER highlighted the importance of celebrating engineering achievements, just as we celebrate cultural and artistic triumphs at a national level.
“Often we forget how much of our world is engineered: when we look around us, our water, electricity, gas, rail infrastructure, the building we are sitting in now, they are all engineered,” Mr Stoltz said. “Engineers hide themselves under a bushel sometimes and don’t brag enough about how well they do, so this award is about showing off great engineering and great construction and so we celebrate the best of the best, and this project was the best of the best.”
Full details of the winning project and finalists, including videos of the projects and other information.