With over 40 years of successful project delivery in the Pacific, Downer has established a proud legacy, collaborating on projects across multiple Pacific Islands since 1980.

Major infrastructure projects have been completed in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Niue, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Beyond construction, Downer has fostered long-term partnerships and implemented industry best practices, contributing to the development of local capabilities.

Infrastructure upgrade at Niue Hanan International Airport

Niue is a self-governing island nation in the South Pacific and part of Polynesia. Despite its small population of approximately 1,620 residents, Niue’s Hanan runway spans an impressive 2,335 metres—longer than some of New Zealand’s largest airports.

Some key details relating to this special project:

  • 1,800 tonnes of bitumen, 25,000 tonnes of asphalt, 30,000 tonnes of aggregate and 245 new lights were placed and installed over the course of two years. 
  • Two bitumen grades were used, following temperature and weather analysis. PG 76-V was used in high stress areas such as the turning nodes and taxiways, with PG-64V used elsewhere. Milling and paving was completed in 80 metre blocks along the runway each day. Then, following each shift, the runway was reopened for aircraft. 
  • 15 pieces of specialist machinery were imported for the project, including millers, pavers, trucks, sprayers, and line marking machines.

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Upgraded Seghe Airfield in the Soloman Islands to enhance air connectivity

The upgrade of the Seghe Airfield runway in the Solomon Islands’ Western Province was a $55 million project co-funded by New Zealand, Australia and the Solomon Islands, and delivered by Downer and AECOM. 

The project scope included pavement reconstruction and surfacing works, terminal buildings, and solar airfield ground lighting (AGL) works at two isolated regional airfields in the Solomon Islands – Seghe Airfield and Choiseul Bay Airfield. All aggregate for the pavement and surfacing at these sites was imported by barge from Honiara. This involved 22 voyages of a 5000t barge from Honiara to Seghe (250km) and Choiseul Bay (500km) shipping a total of 50,000m3 aggregate products.

The upgraded runways enable flights to operate under all weather conditions, making operations safer and more reliable, and enhancing connectivity for the Solomon Islands' provinces.