Behind the scenes of Rockhampton Leichhardt Hotel demolition

Negative pressure enclosures like a thriller movie set and air monitors have been set up around the Leichhardt Hotel as a crew of 25-plus asbestos removal workers begin to prepare the building for demolition.

An extensive construction site has been set up around Rockhampton’s Leichhardt Hotel as a team of 25-plus trades prepare the sprawling seven-storey building for demolition.

The hotel on Bolsover Street in the city’s CBD closed in April 2022, and the manager, national company Australian Venue Co, have since revealed plans for a development.

The construction site set up around the Leichhardt Hotel in Rockhampton.

The new hotel will be single-storey and feature a sports bar, beer garden, indoor entertainment and dining room and gaming room.

Previously boasting 60 four-star accommodation rooms, the new venue will have no on-site accommodation.

Principal contractor Demex were awarded the contract for the demolition work, after months of on and off action at the site.

A Sydney company began work at the site earlier this year however a cease work order was handed down by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland to stop all work in February.

Inside the stripped out former motel rooms at the back of the Leichhardt. These rooms hadn't been used in decades.

The south-east Queensland based company Demex took over works and began to set up in September.

The team of 25 asbestos removal workers are in the process of stripping asbestos materials internally before the structural demolition will begin in early 2024.

Built in the 1970s, by JM Kelly, like many of the buildings of that era, it has high levels of asbestos.

Now known to have serious detrimental effects, the removal of asbestos is bound by very strict WHS requirements and must be undertaken in negative pressure enclosures which are created with 200 µm poly plastic and tape.

Machinery on site at the rear units at the back of the Leichhardt Hotel.

The work zones, which could also pass for a thriller movie studio set, are kept safe with highly sensitive air monitors and continuous monitoring and full-time third party hygienists to ensure contaminants are identified and isolated.

Workers must also wear hazmat suits and fit masks when in the contaminated areas.

Floors two to seven of the front building on Bolsover Street are being demolished, and levels two to four of the rear units towards the laneway that have been closed for decades.

Each floor is expected to take three weeks to complete, taking into account comprehensive pre-demolition clean up.

There will be a huge volume of resource recovery and recycling.

Demex anticipates salvaging several hundred tonnes of steel, such as the 18-metre long cross beams used through the building.

Workers have stripped out the rear units, getting them ready for mechanical demolition.

“As a demolition contractor we’re committed to making a meaningful contribution to Queensland’s circular economy by recovering as much as possible on projects like the Leichhardt Hotel redevelopment,” said Demex site manager Ben Frerker.

Once the internal strip out and asbestos removal work has been completed, the Demex crew will begin work on the external structure.

“There are a few challenges simply because the building is located on one of Rockhampton’s main streets,” said Mr Frerker.

“Worker safety is our priority, so a scaffold will be erected to fully ‘wrap’ the building.

“This allows the team to work at heights safely, while protecting pedestrians and vehicles.”

Demex staff Ben Frerker, Toby Schwennesen and Matt McCrystal at the front of the Leichhardt Hotel.

Demex will also use a 62-tonne high-reach excavator to demolish the building, which is planned to be in action early next year.

Local businesses have also been engaged by Demex from waste removal, traffic control, scaffolding, electrical and plumbing services, alongside accommodation and food for the Demex crew.

The demolition is anticipated to be completed early 2024.