The Queensland Engineering Excellence Awards (QEEA) – the state’s premier event recognising the contribution engineers make to the community through their innovations, teamwork, ingenuity and creativity – has announced this year’s category winners.
“Each year a panel of judges consider entries for six individual awards, seven project categories and for the prestigious RW Hawken Award – Queensland’s top engineering prize,” said Mr Stuart Lister, Chair of the Queensland Engineering Excellence Awards Judging Panel.
“The $360 million Richlands to Springfield project, entered by TrackStar Alliance, was this year’s winner of the RW Hawken Award, and also took out and Excellence Award in the Project Management category. The transport infrastructure project required a range of engineering techniques and expertise to deliver 9.5km of electrified dual-track passenger rail line, two new stations at Springfield and Springfield Central, seven rail bridges, over 1.5km of elevated rail structures including an 815m-long viaduct, and a 5.5km Centenary Highway upgrade.”
The Excellence Award in the Business and Structures category was handed to GCUH engineering JC (Aurecon and Jacobs) for the $1.76 billion Gold Coast University Hospital – Australia’s largest health infrastructure development completed to date – drawing on a breadth of engineering knowledge to complete specialised projects including 2.4m thick concrete radiation bunkers and a helicopter landing pad with a system of channels filled with aluminium filings to prevent spilt fuel from catching fire.
Dr Burt Look was named the Queensland Professional Engineer of the Year. Dr Look is a geotechnical engineer with over 30 years professional engineering experience who has introduced many innovative testing procedures and designs to Queensland, and to Australia.
“It was great to see a range of high-calibre projects and individuals recognised in each of the categories. With such great engineering minds working on innovative projects, Queensland has a bright future ahead of it,” said Mr Lister.
Category winners:
- R W Hawken Award
Richlands to Springfield – TrackStar Alliance - Buildings and structures
Gold Coast University Hospital – GCUH Engineering JV (Aurecon and Jacobs) - Environment
New Parallel Runway: Phase 1 Civil Works Package – BMD Constructions and Brisbane Airport Corporation - Industrial development and manufacturing
AXIS-33 Mobile Elevated Working Platform – Practical Engineering Australia - Project management
Richlands to Springfield – TrackStar Alliance - Project infrastructure under $50 million
Resilient Infrastructure – Don Tallon Bridge Emergency Response – Department of Transport and Main Roads - Project infrastructure over $50 million
Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade – BMD Constructions - Research, development and innovation
Modular On-Site Cyanide Production Unit for Gold, Silver and Base Metals Industries – Synergen Met Pty Ltd
Individual winners:
- Queensland Professional Engineer of the Year
Dr Burt Look - Queensland Engineering Technologist of the Year
Errol Milevskiy - Queensland Engineering Associate of the Year
Jarrod Pettigrew - Queensland Young Professional Engineer of the Year
Michael Vollbon - Queensland Young Engineering Technologist of the Year
Andrew Wilson - Queensland Young Engineering Associate of the Year
Luke Chaczko
