With early works complete and bulk excavation underway, the first tower crane has been installed at the new convention centre site in Geelong.
The project, to be known as the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre (GCEC) when complete, is being constructed by head contractor, Built.
An additional three tower cranes are expected to arrive on-site in the coming months to facilitate four concurrent construction zones and an associated workforce boom, according to Built construction director, Andrew Morgan.
The GCEC will comprise a purpose-built convention and exhibition space incorporating a 1000-seat venue, two large exhibition spaces, conference facilities, flexible event spaces and meeting rooms.
“The onsite construction workforce will grow to near 200 by mid-year and 500 by year end, in addition to Built’s primarily local 50-member project team, creating employment opportunities for skilled locals, as well as job seekers experiencing barriers to work,” Morgan told Inside Construction.
The project is a public-private partnership between Plenary Conventions Consortium and the Victorian Government whose funding partners are the Geelong City Deal involving the Australian Government, and the City of Greater Geelong.
The Plenary Conventions Consortium, with the Victorian Government, will maintain the Nyaal Banyul Centre and the 1.6 hectare waterfront precinct for 25 years, which will include Geelong’s largest hotel and retail/commercial spaces with the potential for a future commercial office tower.
The GCEC is the centrepiece of the Geelong City Deal one of 12 between the federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development with various cities around the country. Construction started in early 2024 and is expected to be complete by 2026.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is our weekly news journalist and the editor of Concrete in Australia magazine for 10 years. She has been heavily involved in all forms of engineering since 2013; part of a 30-year writing career across a range of subjects and media.