Geelong, Australia’s second-largest city in the state of Victoria, is not just getting a facelift; the region is transforming due to the AUD $16 billion development budget that has been allocated to the region under Victoria’s ‘Big Build’, the state government’s major infrastructure program. Many civil and commercial construction firms based in Geelong and Melbourne, and even independent civil contractors, are forming cross-border alliances to cope with the ongoing projects and the projects that are still waiting to be rolled out.
Anticipation is high for these firms as they spearhead landmark regional transformations, which include among others the recently completed Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, which absorbed close to AUD $450 million from the ‘Big Build’ allocations for Geelong. Coupled with the fact that civil construction firms are also juggling massive transport and residential expansions across the Surf Coast corridor, the coastal region southwest of Geelong, it would not be too far-fetched to say that Geelong’s development surge has been kicked into high gear by these companies. The sheer volume of earthworks, trenching and site preparation has also driven strong demand for excavator hire in Geelong, as contractors look to scale their fleets up and down to match project timelines without the cost of owning more machinery.
In essence, the entirety of Greater Geelong could be said to be going through a structural evolution like never before as multi-level government investments, such as the AUD $676 million Geelong City Deal jointly funded by the federal, state and local governments, are being gradually injected into the region. For the most part, the development of the region has moved beyond the planning phases and is currently in its active phase, with several projects completed successfully despite the complexities; some are still ongoing, and others are waiting their turn.
Over the past two years there have been several landmark civic and commercial deliveries, such as the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, which was delivered by the Plenary Conventions consortium.
Construction firms involved in the execution of the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre admitted that this particular project was challenging, as it required the integration of complex waterfront civil engineering, public plazas and a companion hotel, packaged along with complex plumbing, water, drainage and power delivery systems.
From an economic perspective, this project on its own, which saw the merging of two construction fronts (civil and commercial), generated more than 1,400 jobs.
These construction projects have far-reaching positive consequences according to city planners, based on the fact that the projects were also used as a training ground to ease the current labour shortage, especially among skilled workers. Many of the projects were designed to dedicate hundreds of hours to trainee skill development through partnerships with construction firms and suppliers.
Other issues being resolved through these projects under the ‘City Deal’ include alleviating the persistent transport and infrastructure pressures that have plagued the region for years.
In essence, the rail and road overhauls have brought significant relief to targeted congestion hot spots such as Boundary Road, among others, and prepared the region to cope with the expected increase in population over the next few years.