Working against the clock, a 420 metre shore wall was built to reclaim more than one hectare of land along Lake Mulwala on the Victorian/New South Wales border. The $1.2 million Yarrawonga Foreshore Reclamation Project was developed to increase the size and appeal of this recreation area.
It aimed to create a major tourist area able to cater for large events and local community needs. The work by Moira Shire Council saw 1.2 hectares of land reclaimed along the southern shore of Lake Mulwala, and the construction of a 420 metre shore wall and new parks.
Despite the appeal of Lake Mulwala to tourists, the Yarrawonga foreshore had few attractive features. The land was reclaimed when Goulburn-Murray Water drained Lake Mulwala for three months for other work it was undertaking.
Prevailing drought conditions saw this timeframe reduced from three months to just six weeks. The tight timeframes, the possibility that water levels could rise without notice, the sheer scale of the work and the risk management involved posed major challenges for Moira Shire Council.
This necessitated a major change in Council’s approach to the project, including direct management by Moira’s three person capital works team. It involved the rapid development of an innovative design and construction schedule to manage the high risk involved, allowing the completion of the project on time and to budget.
The new design featured a 420 linear metre rock retaining wall varying in depth from two to eight metres along the shoreline. The wall was designed in two parts. The first involved a series of two metre tall pre-cast panels inserted into 250 universal columns.
The second part saw the same pre-cast panels placed into concrete footings poured directly on top of the rock wall to create visual uniformity above the water line. Solid footings were established to enable the piers and wall panels to be installed simultaneously in the shallow and deep sections.
Much of the work began before the water levels dropped, and on site precasting meant the construction team could literally follow the water out as it receded to begin work on the rock wall and complete the project on time. This design and direct management approach saved significant time and costs The new park features a large grassed area, walking and cycling paths, lighting, bench seats, bollards, barbeques and carparking. There are also plans to move the tourist information centre to the foreshore.
Most projects of this scale had been completed by contractors in the past. The decision to bring a project of this size inhouse, with considerable potential risks, was a big move that required high levels of trust from senior management and Councillors.
The project was completed just before the busy Christmas tourist season. The foreshore is now well used by hundreds of families each weekend, has hosted a number of large events and is the pride of the Yarrawonga community and foreshore committee that worked closely with Council during the project.
For further information contact Wayne Galloway on (03) 5871 9276.
