Login
iscover
Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price has announced that the head contract for the construction of a state-of-the-art health and wellbeing centre at Victoria’s Puckapunyal Military Area has been awarded.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
ADCO Constructions Vic has been awarded the head contract for the $38.9 million Puckapunyal Health and Wellbeing Centre Project, which will further support Australian Defence Force capabilities.
The works will replace existing gymnasium and pool facilities with a purpose-built health and wellbeing centre featuring a 50-metre indoor pool and a multifunctional weights and cardio area. When completed the Health and Wellbeing Centre will also complement the new Puckapunyal Joint Health Facility currently under construction.
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the project would provide high-quality fitness and training facilities to support land force capability.
"Physical training facilities were identified as a high priority for Puckapunyal due to Army’s increased initial employment trainee numbers and increased training and rehabilitation demands. The works at Puckapunyal will not only assist the ADF, but provide benefits to the regional Victorian economy by maximising the opportunities for local businesses to be involved in the project," Minister Price said.
ADCO is currently finishing a detailed design and will start site activities in mid-2021, with construction anticipated to be finished by late 2022.
Minister Price added, "The government continues to back Aussie businesses and support local jobs as the economy continues its strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic."
Federal Member for Nicholls, the federal electorate Puckapunyal is located in, Damian Drum said he was excited by the opportunities for businesses in the region.
"Local businesses are going to benefit significantly from this construction. About 97 per cent of the subcontract packages are planned to be awarded to local businesses under the Local Industry Capability Plan," Drum said.
The construction workforce is predicted to peak at about 80 personnel per day.
The Puckapunyal area was first used as a mobilisation and training area during World War I. By 1939, the area was formally established as Puckapunyal Camp, and military activity in the area began in the early 1940s.
Puckapunyal is now a major base located on an area of over 37,000 hectares, approximately 100 kilometres north of Melbourne, the base supports a large number of military personnel and a permanent resident population.
