Building Brisbane's Story Bridge

24/10/2017

​Recently, Downer sponsored Constructionarium Australia’s Story Bridge construction project.

he project comprised of 17 engineering students and graduates who came together to construct a replica of Australia’s iconic Story Bridge, located in Brisbane city.

The initiative, aimed at giving students and graduates hands-on experience, included participants from Downer, Transurban Queensland, Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads, HDR and University of Queensland.

The Brisbane Story Bridge has great historical significance to Downer, as Evan Deakins Industries – who Downer merged with in 2001 – built the bridge in the 1930s.

The 5 tonne Constructionarium version (approximately 1:20 scale of the Story Bridge), was built at the Construction Training Centre (CTC) site at Salisbury in Brisbane. The CTC site was the location for the workshop where the steel was fabricated for the original Story Bridge.

The team successfully delivered the 24x5m replica over a one-week period, experiencing the design, planning and tendering process as well as construction of the bridge using best practice project management principles. The engineers applied all critical aspects of a major project’s construction including safety, operations and contractor management.

Mark Mackay, Executive General Manager, Downer Infrastructure Projects, says, “We were very pleased to partner with Constructionarium Australia to support our industry’s infrastructure talent of the future. The practical realities they were exposed to in the Constructionarium Story Bridge build is exactly the sort of environment they will be experiencing in major construction projects.”

The students and graduates performed so well that Downer decided to offer two of the University of Queensland students a position at Downer.

“The Infrastructure Projects business is proud to announce that we will be recruiting one of the undergrads to join our team next year.”

The Story Bridge built by the participants will be dismantled, and will be rebuilt by new participants for future Constructionarium programs.

Click here to see an interview with the participants.