The Redbank Plains Pump Station was completed in March 2024 to help cater for current and future growth in the Ipswich area.

It supplies water to Redbank Plains, the Ripley Valley, the Swanbank industrial area and beverage giant Frucor Suntory’s new manufacturing facility in Redbank Plains, which also opened its doors in 2024.

Aleisha Billing, Community & Stakeholder Engagement Manager, said a key feature of the project was the team’s approach to ensuring that the community was at the forefront of its planning.

“To ensure we could engage meaningfully and build trust within the community before the start of works, we quickly kicked off an investigation to gain a deeper understanding of the demographic of the Redbank Plains community. We identified that English was not the first language for many local residents living near the construction, with Samoan, Dinka and Swahili the top three languages other than English. Using this information, we brainstormed ways to better connect with this diverse, multicultural community.

“We enlisted a translator to interpret our project factsheet into the three predominant languages and ensure QR links to the translated information was included on our English versions. The bilingual messaging was also used for other public-facing collateral such as the site fence wrap and online.

“In doing this, we were able to immerse ourselves in the neighbourhood and encourage a culture of inclusivity between Downer, the client, and our communities,” said Aleisha.

James Ashton, Delivery Manager, said another key factor driving the way his team approached the task was the requirement to ensure completion at the same time as the Frucor Suntory beverage facility, which was under construction at the same time.

“The constrained schedule meant there was no room for error in the project planning and the team utilised its tried-and-tested Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) process for enhanced collaboration, streamlined processes and improved cost estimates. This ensured the best value for the client and enabled the team to identify any potential challenges from the outset.

“The successful, on-time delivery of the Redbank Pump Station ensured Frucor Suntory was able to immediately commence production of the 20 million cases of drinks it intends to produce each year – with the capacity to scale up in the future,” said James.

“This is an exciting win for James and his team and important recognition for their commitment and hard work to deliver this complex project,” said Neal.

The result? The delivery of a once-in-a-generation critical infrastructure project that delivered on time, on budget and in partnership with the community that will enhance water service reliability for residents, businesses and industry in the Ipswich area now and into the future.

The Redbank Plains Pump Station was announced the winner of the $5 million – $10 million project category at the 2024 Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (Queensland and Northern Territory) Excellence Awards. The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia is the peak association for infrastructure asset management and public works professionals in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Executive General Manager Water Services, Neal Firth, said the Award embodied the spirit of Downer’s purpose of enabling communities to thrive.