The pipeline of construction activity in Victoria is dominated by very large transport projects coming to market in large (>$1 billion) portions. New portions of North East Link, Suburban Rail Loop and Melbourne Airport Rail Link are still coming to market, albeit at a slower timeframe based on industry capacity and budgetary constraints at State and Federal level. The Federal Government review on the benefits of funded projects has given the State Government impetus to announce a pause on selected projects; coupled with the recent change in Premier, has added uncertainty to the future pipeline of transport projects in Victoria. Some projects are “must do” based on their relationship to projects that are well advanced, such as Secondary Packages associated with the Primary Tunnelling Package for North East Link. New Planning Guidelines have also recently been announced, to densify the existing urban footprint in Melbourne and key regional cities. But the State Government is contending with a significant debt hangover from the pandemic, so is signaling that balancing the budget must be a priority.
Nonetheless, BG&E is well placed to secure significant roles on infrastructure projects that will proceed. It is a DNOP in an alliance bidding for the East and West Packages of North East Link, alongside Acciona, Decmil and AECOM. It is also part of CPB/Acciona’s team for the tunnel and station excavation packages for Suburban Rail Loop East. It continues to deliver significant projects such as Packenham Roads Upgrade (TOC of approximately $150 million), Narre Warren North Road, Tarneit Road Upgrade and a shared use bridge over the Yarra River at Banksia Park in Bulleen.
BG&E also continues to grow in the rail sector, with new projects at the proposed Tasman Terminal, Somerton Intermodal Terminal and Warnambool Stabling Yards. These project successes have been the result of a collaborative working relationship between Melbourne’s Civil and Structural teams, and the Rail business unit based in Brisbane. The recent appointment of a key rail person in Melbourne will continue our strong momentum in this market.
The recent appointment of Barry Roben as our new Buildings Lead in Victoria also marks a new chapter in our efforts to develop a strong market presence in Melbourne. The team has recently grown substantially so is now better placed to secure and deliver local projects. Recent success in winning the redevelopment of Richmond Power Station is another step forward for our Buildings team.
2022-23 also marks a new chapter in the evolution of our office, moving to a new location at 367 Collins Street. This provides enough space to accommodate a team of about 100, while also providing a variety of collaborative spaces to enable people to work and interact together. The office also sits at the forefront of BG&E’s efforts to become a more diverse place to work - about two thirds of our junior engineers are female, and we have attracted people from a very diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. This has added to our efforts to be a place where people can bring the best of themselves to work, and present different perspectives that help us do better by our clients.
The coming year looks promising as the office looks ahead to future opportunities further afield. From a geographical perspective, BG&E is looking at a strong pipeline of projects in South Australia, including the Torrens to Darlington section of the North South Corridor, which is coming to market next year. There are also a range of other transport, energy and defence opportunities emerging in South Australia as BG&E secures the opportunities to enable the establishment of a new office in South Australia over the coming year. Project opportunities are also emerging in Tasmania, with upcoming work on Tasman Bridge and further opportunities in energy and hydro.
