Building & Construction

Plans to upgrade Tennant Creek’s Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre (NNACC) have progressed, with the awarding of a $7.1 million construction tender to a joint venture between Territory companies ANT Galactic and M&J Builders ... the new-look site will include multi-sensory exhibitions featuring the Nyinkka (spiny-tailed goanna), and a truth-telling exhibition that shares Warumungu perspectives and personal accounts of Australia’s past.

“After nearly two years of our home repair work being privately funded by local organisations and philanthropists we are very grateful that the NSW Reconstruction Authority is providing this additional funding so that we can continue to help people return to safe and secure homes”: Resilient Lismore Executive Director Elly Bird.

A new hay export plant is being constructed at Warracknabeal by farmers and businessmen Scott Somers and Paul Johns, who, after six years of planning, are finally seeing the results of their efforts with the footings for the air-conditioned production shed now under way.

Donald 2000 has taken a big step towards reducing the shortage of housing in the town ... Donald Housing Innovations Pty Ltd (DHIP) ... will ask the local community and local employers to invest in housing as a way to overcome a lack of property developers undertaking housing projects in small rural towns. 

Gannawarra Shire Council has made the difficult decision to permanently cease providing the service of issuing building permits, which are required for all major projects, including new homes, home extensions, garages and commercial projects. Council announced last month it had suspended accepting building permit applications, whilst reviewing its Building department’s current level of service.

Farmers, community members and potential investors gathered at cluBarham this week to learn more about an exciting opportunity for the region. Attendees listened to how the growing, processing and value-adding of industrial hemp could provide great opportunities to producers, in employment and provide a boost to the local economy. 

Earthmoving contractors who worked to protect Koondrook during the October 2022 floods have finally received payment from the state government after 17 months of waiting. Local contractor Danny Gleeson said that not being paid makes you question dropping everything to help.

Over the next 10 years 2700 mansions, at a cost to the taxpayer of $1.5m each, will be spread across Aboriginal communities in the NT outback ... It's simple: $4,000,000,000 divided by 2700 houses equals $1,481,481 per house ... we have asked Mr Albanese and Ms Lawler for a break-up of what the $4 billion will be spent on.

The Territory and Federal Labor governments announced a landmark $4 billion investment this week to improve Aboriginal housing in remote communities across the Territory. The investment will see 2,700 homes built across the Territory’s remote communities in the next 10 years, with 270 homes built each year.

The grand old dame of South Hay, Bishop’s Lodge Historic House, is receiving a face-lift ... Work carried out over the past weeks include repairs to cracked plaster in the dining and drawing rooms and chapel, render to large parts of walls and general paintwork on windows.

One of the most invasive Australian weeds is being touted as a potential economic crop, with benefits for the construction, mining and forestry industries, and potentially many First Nations communities. The prickly paddy melon weed, which costs the agricultural industry around $100 million a year in lost grain yields, cattle deaths, and control measures, could turn into an unlikely money spinner...

Member for Indi, Helen Haines, said governments need to do better when she addressed an audience of local governments, not- for-profits, peak bodies and housing advocates as a keynote speaker at the National Regional Housing Summit in Canberra last Friday.

The grim reality of the shortage of available housing in Hay hit home to one young family recently. After a career change which saw Mick and Gabby Flattery and six-year-old Connor leave employer-supplied housing, they faced the disheartening search for a rental property in Hay ... “There isn’t even small one-bedroom unit to rent, let alone family houses."

Regional-specific new build targets; bolstered and quarantined regional housing infrastructure funding; and better planning for growth are among the asks of government from the National Regional Housing Summit ... A Discussion Paper, presenting the latest regional housing stock data and featuring stories of communities who’ve successfully taken action to solve their housing issues, provided context to Summit.

One of the key steps ahead of construction of the new Toowoomba Hospital build is now complete, with enabling works recently concluding. Darling Downs Health Chief Executive, Annette Scott PSM said the completion of the $20 million enabling works package ... is an important milestone.

Taking on board feedback from members of the local community Southern Downs Regional Council has approved repairs to the Allora Community Hall, which has been out of action since structural problems were identified early in 2022.

Jack Bradshaw. Australia, along with 16 other countries, has recently committed to the “Initiative for Greening Construction with Sustainable Wood” at COP28 in Dubai ... How will Australia support this initiative with insufficient forest resources to service even the present demand?

A spokesperson for NSW Health Infrastructure has revealed planning for the Grafton Base Hospital (GBH) redevelopment is continuing, and confirmed there has been no change to the NSW Government’s $263.8 million investment commitment to improve health outcomes for residents of Grafton and surrounding communities ... following the recent release of the updated Clarence River Flood Model by CVC, there has been an increase in the Probable Maximum Flood Level across Grafton.

Woodburn IGA is being knocked down. Tanya and Neale Hundy have gone away during the demolition because it’s “emotional” to watch ... The IGA supermarket was renovated and modernised a year before it was flooded to the ceiling in the 2022 floods.

Twenty-one families have recently moved into homes at Alpurrurulam, and three more five-bedroom homes will be ready in the next couple of weeks. The modular homes, built by Territory company Demountable Sales and Hire have been installed by Wilga Indigenous Corporation, which has provided employment opportunities to Alpurrurulam locals.