Investment in rail infrastructure continues to grow as governments prioritise sustainable transport, freight efficiency, and regional connectivity. 

However, delivering these outcomes relies on more than funding, it requires coordinated execution across large, multi-package programs. 

High speed rail programs represent some of the most complex infrastructure initiatives undertaken by governments. Spanning multiple years, stakeholders, and delivery packages, these programs require more than engineering capability, they demand structured governance that enables coordinated delivery at scale. 

The Bluff Bridge upgrade in the Clarence Valley represents more than a new structure across the Orara River, it strengthens a critical regional connection relied upon by local communities, freight operators and emergency services.

Thanks to Borger Cranes, we’re pleased to share behind-the-scenes footage of the complex girder lifts that brought the new bridge structure into place.

How great is it to be back out on the road!

Last week, Principal Craig Stoddart and Project Manager Patrick Deed went on a site visit to the Newell Highway located in the North West Region of New South Wales.

CJC is currently working on the Newell Highway Pilliga Widening project with Arup, providing constructability advice for the detailed design.

The NSW Government has committed $8.8 million to develop design concepts for the widening of the Newell Highway between Coonabarabran and Narrabri through the Pilliga – known as the Pilliga Widening project. 

It has been a busy first half of 2022 for the CJC Air & Ports team!

Starting of the year, the team worked on Dubbo Regional Airport providing expert advice associated with airfield works integration and aviation requirements.

The scope of the project includes an extension of the existing apron adjacent to Bay 1 to create a new aircraft parking position and includes additional infrastructure changes to accommodate stormwater drainage, aeronautical ground lighting and floodlighting.

CJC is currently providing expert advice associated with airfield works integration and aviation requirements. This also includes supporting the design management, transaction management and general project management.

Next up is the pavement inspection for Cambridge Airport. Tasmania’s Cambridge Airport has been the primary site of aeronautics in Hobart since its opening in the 1920s, facilitating General Aviation and Charter flights.

Over the past few years, TAS Fire Services have used the aerodrome as a base for operating fire fighting aircrafts (rotor and fixed-wing) which has resulted in moderate damage to some of the pavements.

As a result, the CJC Air & Ports team was engaged to undertake a site condition assessment of the aerodrome pavements. CJC provided a report which identifies the extent and severity of damage to airfield pavements and advises on the likely cause of the damage.

Most recently, our team has been engaged with the Sydney Airports team. We are engaged to develop a Civil Assets Manual, which would act as the reference document detailing the best practice and procedures for managing the maintenance of their civil assets.

As the CJC’s first major airport project, this is indeed a milestone. On top of this project, our Air & Ports team was also engaged to provide independent advice on the current 5-year Airfield CAPEX Plan. We provided Subject Matter Expert advice on their airfield pavements.

What makes a great Project Manager? As someone with extensive major design and construction experience under his belt, Graham Nuss certainly agrees that there’s no single skill that outweighs the importance of the others.

Why? Because fundamentally, being a project manager means wearing many hats including communication, decision-making, and critical thinking. These skills are intertwined and directly impact how someone manages projects. 

The Epping Metro Station project played an important role in how Graham leads his current and future projects to successful completion. 

Tell us about your involvement in this project. 

The Epping to Chatswood Rail Line project began in 2003, and I commenced as the Senior Project Engineer on the surface works responsible for the building. It was a very complex site as it involved constructing service buildings and an underground station cavern in and around a fully operating railway station on the Sydney network. I then took on the role of Site Manager.

What was the biggest challenge? 

The biggest challenge for me was the ever-changing nature and variety of works being undertaken at each site. At any one time, we would be managing utilities, hard rock shaft excavation, ground anchoring, blasting, rail possessions, piling, all whilst coordinating and staging this work with the operating station.

“The project taught me that working on site is one of the most rewarding experiences.” 

At 1,177 metres long, Ting Kau Bridge is one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world. The bridge plays an important part of infrastructure as it connects traffic from the North Western part of the New Territories to the rest of Hong Kong.

Group Manager, Colin Calder had the privilege to be involved in this project for his first overseas posting experience.  

Tell us about your involvement in this project. 

In March 1995, I left the UK after working in London for a year. It was my first overseas posting, employed by a company called Sandberg. At the time, they were seconding personnel into Ting Kau Bridge in Hong Kong. It was a very exciting time for me to be there both personally and historically as this was just before the handover of Hong Kong back to China.

What was the biggest challenge? 

During my secondment, I switched from being a Materials Technician to a Site Engineer on one of the main towers on the bridge. I was working with several very experienced Engineers from Flint & Neil (which is now part of COWI). Managing the transition to be a part of the Engineering team on site was the biggest challenge for me at the time. Particularly the language barrier with the locals and the other 32 different nationalities on site. 

In addition, it was also my first time being such a long way from my home in Scotland. I had to grow up a fair bit in life admin skills which were very new to me at the time! 

How did you overcome this challenge? 

I learned a valuable lesson that helped me manage the transition, which was to be present on-site as much as I could and to be proactive in asking questions. It also taught me that working on site is one of the most rewarding experiences when you follow the rules: be the first onsite, be the last to leave and give the project all the respect it deserves. When you work hard and value all the people involved, your experience could be truly remarkable. 

How was your experience in being an expat? 

The language barrier was overcome by speaking slower! My accent used to be more Scottish than it is now – which a good friend of mine called “mid-Atlantic.” I learned to minimise phone calls too if I want to be understood, which meant meeting people face to face wherever possible. 

On adapting to life as an expat, I think those in a similar position would agree that you must make a lot of hard decisions. Eventually, you will realise that you will miss family, friends, and a lot of occasions from back home. In dealing with this I find that when I meet up with any of my friends from the past, the conversation starts where it finished last time we met. You never really say “goodbye” when you leave, only “see you later.” 

Any significant memories? 

In all honesty, the part that impressed me most was the work ethic of people on the project. Especially the Australian contingent there who had just come up from the Glebe Island Bridge (now the ANZAC Bridge). They worked incredibly hard and played hard, and I have tried to do the same my whole career. It successfully convinced me to move to Melbourne to start on the Western Link Project, following several Australian colleagues I worked with. 

What skills have you gained from this project?  

It was the ability to engage with people. I was told from early on that respect goes a long way. Everyone in the team is valuable, from the concrete placer, steel fixer to the Alimak Driver. A tip that always worked for me is to prepare some talking points that may be relevant to them. It is important to be aware that the labourer/tradesman is working a lot harder physically than me on site. They work in extreme conditions, so they deserve the utmost respect.

Jonathan Davies:

Supporting Australian Naval Infrastructure Pty Ltd (ANI) in the Osborne South Development Project (OSDP) has been a really rewarding experience for both myself and the other members of the CJC team. With sections of the project now complete and handed over I have written a summary of our involvement on this successful project.

When I was asked in early 2018 if the concept of strand jacking the walls of the ‘ship erection hall’, the largest building on the project at 50m high, from horizontal to vertical was possible I thought back over my years of strand jacking and temporary works experience. I very quickly replied: “of course it is possible but you are going to need a good team as it is definitely out of the norm.”

ANI was established by the Federal Government in March 2017 to acquire, develop and manage the development and construction of new infrastructure, and the modernization of existing infrastructure, at the Osborne Naval Shipyard (ONS) in Adelaide, South Australia.

Lendlease was engaged as Managing Contractor by ANI in October 2017 for the first expansion project, the Osborne South Development Project. The OSDP comprises new infrastructure constructed on a greenfield site and will be used to produce nine Hunter-class Frigates as part of the Commonwealth’s $89B Naval Shipbuilding Plan.

ANI engaged the team of myself, Rachael Oertel, Craig Stoddart and Quoc Phuong at various stages through the project to provide construction management support services, heavy lift specialist advice, temporary works advice, design management and QA management for various engineering aspects of the project.

CJC Management are proud to be playing our part in one of Australia’s largest infrastructure projects, WestConnex. The M4 Tunnels between Homebush and Haberfield will be 3 lanes each way and a vital addition to Sydney’s road network.