CONSTRUCTION of the Australian Defence Force’s Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC), near Bungendore, NSW is nearing completion.
Praeco is company that has been established by Leighton Contractors and ABN AMRO to provide the new HQJOC facility. This project is the first Public/Private Partnership transaction undertaken by the Australian Government.
The new $300 million purpose-built facility in NSW was designed, constructed, operated and maintained under contracts entered into by the Australian Government, represented by the Department of Defence, and Praeco. Praeco will provide the new facility for the Australian Defence Force over a 30 year term.
Praeco CEO Peter Hicks said construction was on schedule. “The 100m and 500m perimeter fences including new jersey curbing, along with the surrounding earthworks, culverts and various other site infra-structure, are nearing completion,” he explained.
“The main access road is also complete and the new railway bridge has been operational since January. All major structures are nearing completion with each of the main buildings on the site taking shape. The extensive civil infrastructure including the water supply dam, perimeter roads and car park are well underway.”
Hicks said this speed of progress will continue through to completion at the end of June 2008. The HQJOC facility will have a five star Australian Building Greenhouse Rating, and will be completely self sufficient in water supply and on site sewage treatment.
Thales Australia will be responsible for the design, build and testing of most of the facility's command, control, communications, computing and intelligence (C4I) systems. Hicks said the Praeco consortium was committed to the conservation of the archaeological discoveries that have been made during construction.
Praeco had been working closely with ACT Heritage, the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Water Resources and members of the local Aboriginal communities.
“Praeco considers archaeological conservation to be an important part the project. Care was taken to ensure the site was thoroughly researched before earthworks commenced; Praeco amended the plan, where necessary,” Hicks said. “Measures are also being adopted to protect and preserve a number of sites, including the remains of the Hibernian Hotel.”
Source: Construction Contractor