Wulanda Recreation & Convention Centre rises to COVID challenge to break Australian record
A controversial multi-million-dollar Mount Gambier project is set to break a national record – and it’s not another budget blow out.
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The largest timber beams ever to be imported into Australia are destined for a controversial Mount Gambier infrastructure project as developers adapt to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
It’s been three decades in the making but the $57 million Wulanda Recreation & Convention Centre remains on track for completion in Autumn 2022 after design tweaks to combat COVID delays according to BADGE senior construction manager Mark Wyatt.
“We have had some issues with the timber supply for the first stage coming from overseas,” Mr Wyatt said.
“We’ve actually now changed design to have the pool roof independent of the rest of the structure to enable us to build the rest of the structure and knowing that the timbers from Germany will be late.”
Originally the timber beams were to arrive in 12m pieces to be built on-site by the German manufacturer.
Instead, they will be imported fully constructed creating a new challenge with the 45m long, 7 tonne beams too large for Adelaide’s port to handle.
Mr Wyatt said the task will involve specialist ships, cranes and trucks with three separate trips from Melbourne needed to transport the 15 beams which are expected to leave Europe in early June and arrive in Mount Gambier in mid-August.
“They are the longest timber beams to be shipped to Australia,” he said.
“It’ll be 105 tonne of timber coming down the road.
“Getting them into Margaret St will be the interesting bit.”
What began as a $39.1 million project blew out to $57.3 million with confidential documents revealed to The Advertiser last year showing it could cost as much as $64 million.
But with a third of the 12,000sq m construction now taking shape, Mr Wyatt said there had been a shift in the community attitudes.
“It wasn’t a pleasant mood in the community when we got here,” he said.
“All the angst is generally a lot of money is going to be spent and nothing is happening.
“My feeling is that a lot of the locals have suddenly become involved and then even the builders are suddenly in the community and the hoteliers are getting money.”
Mr Wyatt said he understood the contention but believed the facility would be a positive for the region.
“It is a regeneration project, there’s a lot of government funding in there that they wouldn’t ha
ve got if they didn’t spend it,” he said.
“If you want to be a sporting Mecca, you need a facility like this.”
The project is jointly funded with $31.95 million from Mount Gambier Council, $15 million from the federal government, $10 million from the state government and $350,000 from Grant Council.
A council spokesperson said rates would not be impacted by the project costs.
“Council remains in a very strong financial position with access to funding at very low interest rates,” the spokesperson said.
“The project has attracted an unprecedented $25m in federal and state government funding and rates at 4.5 per cent, as forecast in council’s long term financial plan, will cover interest payments and projected operating costs.
“Mount Gambier deserves a facility of this calibre and it will generate social and economic benefit to current and future generations of the community and surrounding region for decades to come.”
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