Building & Construction

On the first anniversary of the Victorian state government’s closure of Gippsland’s native forest industry, France’s rebuilt historic Notre-Dame Cathedral has been completed in all its glory – and French timber was at the heart of this historic project. The oak hardwood timber used came from trees in French forests between 80-150 years old, with some more than 200-years-old.

In August 2024, the NSW Government announced the appointment of an expert panel to lead consultation on a Forestry Industry Action Plan. The final report of the Independent Forestry Panel has been provided to the NSW Government. Whether the report will be made publicly available and the shape of the future Forestry Industry Action Plan is a matter for the Government.

Work on the Mallanganee observatory project is expected to start within the first three months of next year. At the Kyogle Council meeting on Monday, December 9, the meeting went into confidential to discuss the tender for the construction of the Mallanganee observatory at the Mallanganee Lookout.

Aussies still love their local libraries, with recent data from the Australian Public Libraries Statistical Report 2022-2023 showing a rise in borrowing and in-person library visits ... Recently, Fulton Trotter Architects developed a self-serve library kiosk in a residential suburb development in Port Macquarie to cater for community reading, nestled close to the community’s playground.

NSW Crown Lands has employed the NSW Department of Works to create a Cloud Point Survey via Photogrammetry using drones, GPS Satellite terrestrial laser scanning within five millimetres of accuracy in preparation for major restoration works at the historic Dome Pavilion at the Narrandera Showground.

Andrew Fedorowicz has won another award for his work on the stunning rejuvenation of the Fernery at Ballarat Botanical Gardens. Andrew’s company, Balance Architecture, has been awarded a First Award at the 2024 Global Architecture & Design Awards ... A picnic in the gardens makes a lovely day out. Andrew hopes for many visitors to the Fernery; "I want the world to know about it!"

The Aboriginal art gallery, now known as ATSIAGA, will be placed on about half of the present Anzac Oval car park ... ATSIAGA stands for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia, suggesting the plan still has ambitions for national status ... there was no mention of the assertive campaign by traditional custodians who want the gallery to be built south of The Gap.

The Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency (ASSEA) is calling on Australians to understand the growing dangers of ageing and deteriorating asbestos, particularly as the summer season approaches, and home renovation projects kick off. Despite a complete asbestos ban more than 20 years ago, an estimated one in three homes across Australia still contain asbestos. 

This month, the Gordon Dam, nestled in Tasmania's untamed south-west, reaches a significant milestone - it celebrates its 50th year. It is a marvel of Australian engineering and ambition. This monumental project, completed in 1974, transformed a remote wilderness into a powerhouse of renewable energy, supplying around 25 per cent of Tasmania's electricity today. Standing 140 meters tall, the 50-year-old dam holds the title of Australia's highest arch dam, constructed using a double-curvature design that maximised strength while minimising costs.

People First Bank has announced a significant new partnership with the award-winning, locally based FKG Group to develop a new five-storey head office in Toowoomba’s CBD ... The new head office at 502 Ruthven Street will accommodate up to 400 employees in a modern, adaptable work environment.

The facade of Leeton’s Roxy Theatre was damaged by a driver who lost control on the nearby roundabout last week. The historic building is in the middle of extensive renovations. CCTV footage shows the vehicle being driven at speed and going into an apparently deliberate slide or "drift" before hitting the building and being driven away.

The Albury to Illabo (A2I) section of Inland Rail will enter the construction phase after the project received NSW Government planning approval on Friday. The approval from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is a significant milestone, and opens the way for construction to begin in 2025.

Antoinette O’Brien. On Wednesday 21st August the community in North Lismore and beyond was hit with another wave of destruction and devastation as the house at 13 Wotherspoon Street was demolished without notification ... Luke had been given 12 months to organise the relocation of his beloved home and was looking at land in Tenterfield.

A delightful tiny (or as the grandkids say "small" home) has been moved to 9 Norman Street. Arriving on the back of a truck in May this year owners of the tiny home, Allyn and June Jones, have settled in nicely to their new abode.

Iron Gates has the go-ahead after decades of opposition – Goldcoral Pty Ltd has permission to build on the land next to Evans River. It is a devastating decision for those Evans Head residents who have fought the development for so long.

Following their August meeting, where memories of previous Olympic Games were shared, Donald Combined Probus Club members welcomed retired local builder, Murray Broughton as their guest speaker. Murray spoke on the changes to the local building industry as he has seen it, over the last 58 years, since becoming an apprentice to J.L. and M. A. Howley, after completing year 10, at the age of 15.

Four new homes in Tennant Creek are ready for tenants, and a construction tender has been awarded for a further six. The one-bedroom units at 86 Peko Road will augment the public housing stock in Tennant Creek.

It would seem that the first step in developing a new housing estate is to bulldoze the land to a point where no trees are left standing, but is this good planning or a danger to the health of future inhabitants? Images of new housing estates in the local area generally present a frightening view of houses on small postcard sized blocks of land without a tree in sight or the room to grow one.

Clarence Valley Council’s Draft Local Housing Strategy has been amended to limit the construction height of new dwellings in Yamba and Iluka after Council received 873 public submissions and a petition containing 1086 signatures against the previous draft. When Clarence Valley Council CVC placed its draft Local Housing Strategy (LHS), and draft Affordable Housing Policy (AHP) on public exhibition … they also received 7 NSW Government agency submissions, and one from a non-government organisation.

Southern Downs Regional Council is inviting feedback from the community, the local building and development industry and community service organisations with a survey regarding the potential of small homes in the region. The survey aims to gather valuable feedback to guide Council’s decision-making process concerning minimum dwelling sizes and related policies.