Description
Located just south of Cairns in Far-North Queensland, the Edmonton to Gordonvale, Bruce Highway, Cairns Southern Access Corridor (Stage 3) (E2G) project is the largest infrastructure project completed to date in the Far North Queensland Region. E2G was delivered by Joint Venture Partners, John Holland, Seymour Whyte Constructions, and AECOM (HSA Group), on behalf of the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). All parties collaborated closely to achieve positive sustainability outcomes across the project.
The project included a 10.5km highway upgrade including duplication of all existing two-lane sections to four lanes, new service and local roads, the construction of 10kms of shared path cycleway and 11 new bridges. This also involved the relocation of all utilities including electric, sewer, water main and telecommunication, the relocation and construction of 4.4kms of Queensland Rail line, the construction of two new active level crossings and the relocation and construction of 8.8kms of cane rail and.
Rating Highlights
| Category | Credit | Achievements/ Description |
| MAN | Man-6 | Level 2 – Enhanced sustainability practices and knowledge among the JV Partners, TMR, and the broader industry by hosting knowledge-sharing events onsite in Cairns, conducting several webinars, and presenting case studies at industry conferences both in Australia and internationally |
| HEA | HEA-1 | Level 3 – Made a positive contribution to the local community that went beyond the project's scope by supporting active transportation, implementing local skills development programs, and establishing Indigenous traineeships and employment opportunities. |
| HER | HER-1 / HER-2 | Level 3 / Level 3 – Successfully protected local cultural heritage features during construction and demonstrably enhanced local heritage values through collaboration with the Yindiji People |
| INN | INN | 9.75 Pts – The development and implementation of multiple innovations including 2 Australian Firsts and 2 Queensland Firsts |
Verified Innovations
| Innovation Name | Description |
| Emesh (Paving Process) | The use of a slip form paver to construct concrete share path & cycleway with recycled plastic fibre reinforcement. Reduced Scope 1 carbon in footpath construction by 85% and tripled productivity with an overall cost reduction. |
| Emesh (Product) | The use of recycled plastic macro reinforcement in the shared path & cycleway replaced 115T of steel with 25T of recycled plastic fibres, reducing embodied carbon in the reinforcement by 73% while also supporting an NDIS initiative. |
| Off-Grid Solar Hybrid Power | The widespread use of solar-hybrid generator systems to provide reliable off-grid power to the project compounds and temporary utilities. Reduced diesel and emissions from generator use by 70% and supported a Cairns local business to diversify further into sustainability. |
| Drones Light Pollution Inspections | The use of Drones to conduct aerial inspections of light pollution was developed as a more efficient, more effective and safer way to review potential light escape impacts on sensitive receivers during nightworks such ass the local community and protected flying fox roosts. |
Acknowledgements - People
- HSA Joint Venture Project Team
- TMR Project Team including the construction verifiers APP Group
- INTI APAC Sustainability Consultants
- Biosphere Ecological Consultants (Cairns)
Acknowledgements - Suppliers
- Vital Chemicals
- Holcim Concrete
- NQ Solar (Cairns)
- Site Hive
Testimonial
The IS Rating tool was an effective way for the project team to understand how each discipline and scope of work could contribute to sustainability outcomes across the pillars of sustainability. The tool allowed the team to holistically assess sustainability performance and ensure that the E2G project would positively contribute to infrastructure sustainability. Andrew Kindness, Sustainability and Environmental Advisor - John Holland
