Region digs deep

A STRONG outlook for major projects, led by North Queensland, has the construction industry eyeing the latest and greatest diggers to get the job done.

Caterpillar dealer Hastings Deering displayed the 25- tonne Next Generation Excavator in Townsville this week which is among the first centres in Australia to show the machines.

Local contractors are looking to put them to work on projects such as the Burdekin Dam upgrade, the $ 200 million Haughton pipeline water supply project and the $ 515 million Haughton floodplain Bruce Highway upgrade.

Hastings Deering manager Simon Turnbull said 35 orders already had been placed for the machines in Queensland with keen interest from Townsville.

“There’s a lot of interest from the Townsville market because of the upcoming infrastructure projects,” Mr Turnbull said.

“I expect that in the next few weeks we’ll see these machines going to work here.”

The $ 300,000 excavators have touchscreen displays and new safety features which stop the machine swinging into a roadway or cutting too deep to interfere with infrastructure.

Meanwhile, a Queensland Major Projects Pipeline Report shows the North Queensland region is expected to have the strongest growth prospects in Queensland with an expected $ 8.2 billion in the projects in the next five years.

The report, by the Queensland Major Contractors Association, Construction Skills Queensland and the Infrastructure Association of Queensland, identified 190 projects across the state with a total value of $ 39.9 billion over the next five years.

The 2017- 18 value of $ 6.9 billion was up 58 per cent on the previous year.

The funded pipeline of projects in Queensland was $ 23.8 billion, forecast to support 12,700 jobs annually with a further 4700 jobs if all projects are funded.

CSQ CEO Brett Schimming said the projections were promising.

“After two years of low activity, the 2018 report indicates growth for major projects in Queensland and is a great indicator for tradespeople and businesses throughout the state to preempt construction work and plan for the future,” Mr Schimming said.

“Southeast Queensland still commands the largest share of major projects activity with $ 13.6 billion in the pipeline, however the Surat Basin is also a growth area with $ 3.8 billion forecast,” he said.

Mr Schimming said with Victoria and NSW also ramping up investment, companies needed to retain and upgrade skills to keep abreast of trends and to maintain a strong safety culture.