10/03/2026

March 10, 2026

The Daily Dirt Aus

By G’day Construction………….…… 

THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES

🚨 Safety Updates

New research by Monash University examines pathways to secondary psychological injury during workers’ compensation claims. The study finds injured workers are more likely to develop new or worsening mental health symptoms when their ability to cope with stress is reduced after a workplace injury or illness, highlighting the need for better support and claim management.

The National Building Products Coalition (NBPC) has released the Good Practice Building Product Information Guide with the aim to restore confidence in Australia’s built environment.  This industry-led initiative marks a significant step in lifting transparency, accountability, and safety standards.

In partnership with WorkSafe Victoria, McConnell Dowell has launched a series of 14 short, practical training videos designed to tackle the real behaviours that too often lead to incidents on site, like mobile phone use, plant exclusion zones, safe scaffolding, fatigue management and taking shortcuts.

 

✒ Headlines & Industry

Australia’s civil construction industry is warning of a major skills shortage as infrastructure projects surge. Industry groups say stronger funding for apprenticeships and training pathways is needed. With up to 21,000 workers potentially lacking by 2027 in South Australia, the sector is urging investment to attract, train, and retain skilled workers.

A $9 billion hyperscale data centre campus is proposed at 706–752 Mamre Road, Kemps Creek, spanning 52 hectares with 26 data halls across six buildings. The project, supporting 1.2 GW power demand, includes extensive mechanical, electrical, and battery infrastructure, is staged over a decade, and could create 10,500 construction and 800 operational jobs.

🏗️ Projects

NSW

The Road Safety Program will fund 33 construction and road upgrade projects across regional New South Wales. Backed by $19.7 million from federal and state governments, works include road widening, safety barriers, roundabouts, shared paths and crossings to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers across 20 local government areas.

Phase Two of Inland Rail’s Narrabri to North Star section in New South Wales has been awarded to Laing O’Rourke and FKG Group. The $155 million project upgrades 11.8 km of track, builds 1.6 km of new track, reconstructs eight bridges, installs 1,100 culverts, and upgrades nine level crossings, enhancing freight rail capacity.

UNSW Sydney has received SSD approval for a new 12-storey Education Building (G25), delivering 20,000 m² of teaching, research, and clinical space. Construction includes flexible classrooms, large teaching venues, landscaped terraces, and sustainability features, enhancing campus accessibility and learning environments. Completion is expected in 2028.

Mirvac has lodged a $900 million proposal for Green Square, Sydney, NSW, delivering over 1,300 homes across six towers, including 800 apartments and 514 student accommodation units. The mixed-use development features ground-floor retail, shared amenities, and new public streets, completing one of the final major urban renewal sites in Green Square Town Centre.

QLD

Sunshine Coast transport upgrades advance, with The Wave Stage 2, Caloundra Transport Corridor, and Mooloolah River Interchange underway. Projects include new roadways, intersection upgrades, and enhanced public transport. Civil works, geotechnical investigations, and tendering progress, aiming to reduce congestion, improve safety, and boost regional connectivity ahead of the 2032 Games.

DD Resort Living has lodged a $1.5 billion development application for three residential towers at 58A–60A Marine Parade and 11 Nerang Street, Southport. The over-55 vertical resort will feature 634 apartments, 13,145 sqm of integrated wellness, leisure and lifestyle amenities, plus 9,000 sqm of commercial space, setting a new benchmark for active seniors’ living.

SA

HAMR Energy will build Australia’s first sustainable aviation fuel facility in South Australia, backed by the State Government. Using Honeywell technology, the $494–564 million plant will convert 300,000 tons of low-carbon methanol and hydrogen into 140 million liters of SAF, supporting low-carbon aviation and major industrial development in the region.

VIC

The Victorian Labor Party has fast-tracked 402 new homes at 636 St Kilda Road through its Development Facilitation Program. The project will deliver one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments near transport, jobs, and services in Melbourne, reducing planning approvals to four months and aiming to increase housing supply in a well-connected location.

Multiplex has topped out Journal Student Living’s $194 million purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) Market Way project at 100 Franklin Street in Melbourne’s CBD, marking a milestone for the 40-level development.

WA

A $19.7 million construction program in regional New South Wales will deliver 33 road safety upgrades. Projects include road widening, roundabouts, safety barriers, shared paths, and pedestrian crossings, targeting high-risk locations. These infrastructure works enhance traffic flow, improve cyclist and pedestrian safety, and reduce serious crashes across 20 regional councils.

The Western Australian Government will invest $606 million to double the capacity of the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant (DSDP), a move aimed at strengthening long-term water security for communities across the West Pilbara.

Perth-based Devlyn Construction has secured two Western Australia tenders at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, upgrading neurological services and adding a third CT scanner. The projects aim to expand diagnostic and treatment capacity, improve patient access to imaging, and complement broader A$4.9 billion state health infrastructure investments across WA.

🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology

Digital Construction Asia 2026 and the wider Geo Connect Asia 2026 event, themed ‘ Geospatial driven impacts: underground, land and sea to sky’, will focus on bringing the geospatial and location intelligence industries together for two days of face-to-face discussions.

Researchers have developed a sustainable concrete mix using 10% waste marble dust and 0.6–0.8% recycled polypropylene fibers, improving compressive, tensile, and flexural strength while reducing water absorption and permeability. Machine learning models optimized the proportions, demonstrating a durable, eco-friendly solution that supports reduced cement use and longer-lasting construction materials.

Oracle’s new Construction and Engineering Advisor for Safety uses predictive AI trained on 10,000+ project-years of data to forecast construction incidents. Early adopters report up to a 50% reduction in incidents and 75% lower workers’ compensation costs. The system identifies high-risk projects, enabling targeted prevention and safer worksites.

🌱 Sustainability ​& Environment

BENTU DESIGN’s Inorganic Growth project transforms urban village demolition waste into 3D-printed street furniture. Using up to 85% recycled concrete, brick, and mortar, the process integrates on-site crushing, material activation, and additive fabrication. The furniture preserves site memory, reduces transport emissions by 70%, and achieves sustainable, structurally robust urban infrastructure.

📖 Miscellaneous

Australian surf brand Bolero Surf has partnered with Spanish energy giant Acciona to make surfboard fins from recycled wind turbine blades in the hope of creating a new Australian manufacturing industry. The Bolero Surf fins are the first commercially available product to come out of Acciona’s ‘Turbine Made’ initiative which it launched in February 2025. 

👷‍♀️ Tradies and Resource

Australia’s construction industry faces a major labour shortage and needs about 500,000 workers by 2029. Migrants already make up 20% of the workforce and play a vital role. Entry requires safety training like a White Card, with opportunities across trades such as carpentry, plumbing, and bricklaying through experience, training, and regional work.

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Alex

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