$10m Rapid Creek flood mitigation project completed

CONSTRUCTION work on the $10 million Rapid Creek flood mitigation stormwater detention basin is finished

Work on the $10 miilion flood mitigation project at Marrara is finished. Picture: Keri Megelus

CONSTRUCTION work on the $10 million Rapid Creek flood mitigation stormwater detention basin is finished.

Finishing touches to the project, which is designed to alleviate the impact of localised flooding on downstream properties in the Rapid Creek catchment, were completed this week.

The unusually light Darwin wet season allowed the construction work to progress relatively unhindered.

The detention basin has been designed to temporarily slow stormwater flows from Anula, Moil and parts of Marrara.

Rapid Creek can flood across Rapid Creek Rd and areas in Millner within 1.5 hours of the onset of heavy monsoonal rainfall. McMillans Rd and Trower Rd are also subject to flooding.

Territory company Sitzler was awarded the tender to construct a stormwater detention basin on the corner of McMillans Rd and Henry Wrigley Drive, Marrara.

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The project supported several local subcontractors including: C & V Concreters; RL Build; Paradise Landscaping; HiQA Geotechnical; Fyfe; NTEX; Arafura Traffic Control; AM Cranes; Meales Concrete Pumping; Bob Kerr Transport; HB Concrete; SLR Consulting; McMahon Services; Workpac; and IE Project.

IE Project civil plant operator Joel Perret said he was an all-rounder but that the project had given him extra skills and had helped him achieve a lot.

“This project has given me a lot more skills in the civil industry,” Mr Perret said.

Workpac civil plant operator Harold Allard said that the project had opened doors for him that wouldn’t have been available if he hadn’t opted to work on the project.

“I’ve picked up a fair bit of experience and seeing this project come together, gives me a real sense of achievement,” he said.

Sitzler project manager Vincent Harding says they had to overcome some very significant challenges on the Rapid Creek site to reach completion.

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“We are very proud to have done this job; it really shows how diverse our company is and represents our capability within the industry,” he said.

“We did this with 100 per cent Northern Territory suppliers and subcontractors. This not only meant something for us, it also meant something to everyone involved.”

Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Eva Lawler said the new stormwater detention basin, along with other mitigation measures, will ensure that the impact of flooding on the community is significantly reduced to better protect Territorians and their properties.

Ms Lawler said the project supported more than 280 jobs in the construction industry.

“We will continue to support and guide future development – improving services, creating jobs and attracting people to the Territory,” Ms Lawler said.

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Rapid Creek rises in the Marrara Swamp at the eastern end of the Darwin Airport and flows for almost 10km, discharging into the Beagle Gulf at the southern end of Casuarina Beach.

The catchment itself covers 28sq km and Millner in particular experiences flash flooding with little time to respond.

Flooding can occur in the Rapid Creek catchment when heavy rain, combined with high tides, causes floodwater to back up into the creek and flood low-lying properties.

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Member for Sanderson Kate Worden said that the community needed the stormwater detention basin to ensure properties had more protection.

“The green space improves the amenity and visibility of the area and unlocks the potential future use for the space for the community,” she said.