A recently completed water catchment project in Central Queensland has received praise after its world-first turtle highway saw it snap up one of the nation’s top construction gongs.
The Rookwood Weir Project was handed the 2024 Australian Construction Achievement Award (ACAA) in Sydney earlier this month. The award recognises construction excellence in forward-thinking engineering.
The Weir will provide 76,000 megalitres of long-term water security to the Rockhampton region while also boosting job opportunities for Central Queenslanders set to benefit from the subsequent growth and diversification of local agriculture it will bring.
But while the project has been commended for the economic boom it should bring to the Central Queensland region, it was the weir’s incorporation of newly developed sustainable building practices and a “turtle highway” that saw it come out of its shell for the judges.
Built by construction firms Sunwater, GHD, ACCIONA, and McCosker Contracting, the weir’s cutting-edge engineering feats encompass several key components, including a stilling basin designed to dissipate energy from water discharge and environmentally considerate elements to support local wildlife—including the world-first two-way migration path for the local turtle population.
Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew AO praised the project’s shell-shocking feature and commended the designers’ use of creativity to ensure environmental responsibility through innovation.
“One of the standout features of the Rookwood Weir Project is its technically complex fish lock and the world-first design turtle passage,” Ms Madew said.
“Informed by the largest freshwater turtle telemetry project in the world, it is the first passage in Australia to provide safe upstream and downstream movement for turtles.”
Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies says the project has put itself on the map as a leader in modern, sustainable infrastructure construction.
“This award is one of the highest honours a project can receive, recognising not only construction excellence but also the forward-thinking initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable industry,” he said.
“The Rookwood Weir project is a worthy winner, constructed on the Fitzroy River, the second largest seaward catchment in Australia, the project was a highly complex build with significant risks. These risks were minimised thanks to the exemplary collaboration of the alliance.”
In addition to its environmental focus, the $568.9 million weir was also lauded for its work in building up the skills base within the local workforce, exceeding its training targets by achieving 106.9 per cent for ‘new entrant’ training hours and 209.8 per cent for ‘other workforce’ training hours.
The project also significantly surpassed its Indigenous employment targets, engaging 81 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander personnel, far exceeding its goals.
