The Shire of Campaspe has won prestigious awards for two key community projects.
Council’s work to refurbish the Echuca Wharf and build the Campaspe Regional Library in Echuca recently took out awards at the Project Management Achievement Awards.
The awards, hosted by the Victorian Chapter of the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM), were established to recognise and promote outstanding achievements in program and project management. Campaspe is one of only seven councils to have earned corporate membership with AIPM, the peak body for the profession in Australia.
The $6.67 million Echuca Wharf refurbishment won the “Sustainable Projects” category and the $5.1 million Campaspe Regional Library won the “Community Services and/or Development” category.
Mayor Ian Maddison said Council was extremely proud of the two key projects.
“We are…pleased that our approach to project management in their delivery has been recognised by the leading project management group. Both projects were complex to deliver and involved engaging multiple key stakeholders throughout, while ensuring that the budget was contained.”
Refurbishment of the Echuca Wharf has seen the historic wharf restored back to its original design as the last remaining high-level timber wharf of its kind in Australia.
“It was a unique project to deliver, as the structure crosses two state boundaries and has three heritage listings,” Councillor Maddison said.
The project was completed over two years, with impacts of fluctuating Murray River levels and flood events resulting in changes to the works schedule and the approach used. Red gum had to be sourced 12 months before the project to allow it to dry and the large cargo shed was emptied and relocated to a completed section of the wharf to allow works to continue.
“All this occurred while the wharf remained open for business. The impact on the surrounding port precinct was minimised and the project was delivered within budget,” Cr Maddison said.
Sustainability was at the forefront of the refurbishment. Heritage conditions meant the revitalised wharf had to be ‘true to the original design’ and reuse as much of the original timber as possible.
The Campaspe Regional Library has become an unmistakable part of the Echuca landscape – and centre of community life. It supports lifelong learning through its expanded collection and varied range of programs and activities.
The building has a number of special features, including the concealed roof plant area, the walkway canopy structure, brick and timber finishes and the use of heritage timber from the refurbished wharf. It includes indigenous emblems and an iconic regional ‘bookcase’ on the façade, which has the names of all the libraries in the Shire. Its construction was designed to harmonise with the existing war memorial, the aquatic reserve backdrop and the historic port of Echuca.
“The whole community has embraced it, from the war veterans attending the war memorial, to more than 12,000 visitors per month,” Cr Maddison said.
“Particularly, in the delivery of large projects for the community, competent project management comes to the fore and delivers great outcomes. We congratulate the project managers for their work on these iconic assets.”
The two awards place the Shire of Campaspe in the running for the national project management awards in October.
