Central Coast Council has taken out one of the top honours at the 2017 Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) Australasia Excellence Awards, held in Perth last night.

Following on from its win in the 2016 NSW State Awards, the Wyong CBD Drainage Upgrade won Best Public Works Project ($2.0M – $5.0M), beating leading contenders from across Australia and New Zealand.

Council Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said this award is a major achievement and recognises council’s exceptionally high standards of service delivery.

“This prestigious award offers global recognition and acknowledges council’s outstanding work in delivering essential services to our community” said Mr Reynolds.

“Being recognised for delivery of a premier public works project in Australasia is a testament to the ability of our staff to deliver world-class infrastructure at a local level.

“This extensive upgrade has been a crucial element in supporting the transformation of the Wyong CBD into a thriving commercial centre, and sets a firm foundation for urban renewal for our region.”

Council Chief Executive Officer, Mr Rob Noble, said this achievement is particularly exceptional, as the project was completed entirely by council staff.

“This award realises the hard work, skills and commitment of council staff, particularly as all of the works, including planning, design and construction, were completed in-house,” said Mr Noble.

“This is an exceptional achievement and showcases the depth of talent that exists within Central Coast Council.”

The multi-million dollar project was split into five stages and saw drainage systems with three times the capacity of previous infrastructure installed throughout the Wyong Central Business District (CBD). Its objective was to reduce the impact of flooding in the area and support future growth and development.

Held as part of the International Public Works Conference, the IPWEA Awards celebrate the best of the best in engineering excellence across Australia and New Zealand. With delegates from around the world, the conference aims to share unique local projects and knowledge with the international public works community.

Council’s Senior Manager Roads, Transport and Drainage, Mr Boris Bolgoff, accepted the award on behalf of his team.