A precast facility set up a year ago to produce segments for the construction of a large bridge in Tasmania is set to expand for another large project and create more jobs.
In July 2023 we reported that the Tasmanian Government’s Department of Infrastructure and Transport had established the precast concrete facility 20 km north of Hobart to supply the segments for the new Bridgewater Bridge. The bridge is the state’s largest-ever transport infrastructure project coming in at a cost of $768 million.
Around 1082 concrete segments weighing between 50 and 90 tonnes and measuring 15 metres wide are being precast at the purpose-built concrete production facility, which was originally planned to operate until the end of 2024, employing 90 people at peak production.
However, developer David Marriner, is planning a housing development at the former site of the Kensington Park Racecourse at New Norfolk, north-west of Hobart, with 300 homes with a blend of affordable and upmarket housing, according to ABC News.
The houses will be constructed of precast concrete from the above facility which will be expanded to meet the need and in turn create more jobs.
With this in mind, a multi-trade training college is also being developed to train local workers.
Image: Still from ABC News footage.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia and at the helm of our magazine for 8 years. She was behind the Institute's weekly news bulletins from 2016-2021 and is now writing our focused news items. Desi has been an engineering news and features journalist/editor across all disciplines since 2013 - part of a 30-year career writing for a wide range of industries.