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Construcciones Yamaro: Nina Zundel: Founded on a love of buildings

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Nina Zundel, associate of building structures at Aurecon. (Image: Aurecon) An early pull toward buildings set Nina Zundel on a career path that has since expanded across states, sectors and structural disciplines. When Zundel left home in North Queensland for Sydney to study civil engineering, she wasn’t sure where it would lead. What she did know was that she loved buildings. More than two decades on, that early instinct continues to sit behind her work as associate of building structures at Aurecon. Structural engineering was the area that made the most sense to her. Architecture had surfaced as a possibility, sparked by work experience at a firm during high school, but engineering aligned closely with her strengths in maths, science and analytical thinking. “I didn’t always know exactly what I wanted to do, but I’ve always loved buildings,” she says. “My father suggested engineering because his friend was an engineer, and that nudged me in the right direction.” After graduat...
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Construcciones Yamaro: Fourth tunnel boring machine commissioned for Snowy 2.0 project

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TBM Monica is among the world’s most advanced tunnel boring machines. (Image: The Future Generation Joint Venture) Webuild, as part of the Future Generation Joint Venture delivering Snowy Hydro’s Snowy 2.0 project, has commissioned its fourth tunnel boring machine (TBM). The renewable energy mega-project is now more than 70 per cent complete. Named in honour of Monica Brimmer, a talented Tumut High School student and winner of a First Nations art and storytelling competition, the machine was powered up during a ceremony on site. Joined by Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen, Brimmer radioed in instructions for the first rotation of the TBM’s 12-metre cutterhead, drawing applause from local community members and workers on site. Launching from the project’s Marica worksite, just outside Kiandra, TBM Monica will begin tunnelling in the coming weeks and will excavate the portion of the 17-kilometre headrace tunnel that passes through the Long Plain Fault Zone. The c...
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Construcciones Yamaro: A record year for Green Star certification

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Stockland’s Melbourne Business Park Stage 1 facility received a 5 Star Green Star Buildings v1.0 rating. (Image: Mark Farrelly, Stockland) Green Star certification is stepping into new territory across the built environment. What began as a voluntary commitment to healthier and more efficient buildings has evolved into a marker of quality relied upon by government, investors, developers and occupiers. The Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA) Green Star: A Year in Focus FY2024–25 report shows the scale of progress, with almost 2,000 certifications achieved across Green Star’s core areas of application, including buildings, communities, fit-outs and operational performance. The breadth of that activity reflects a sector that recognises the value of independent verification and is acting accordingly. The momentum has carried through a period of global uncertainty and cost pressures. Instead of slowing, uptake has continued to grow across all building types, from commercial ...
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Construcciones Yamaro: Work continues on Singleton Bypass with 2026 opening in sight

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The project will take 15,000 vehicles a day off Singleton’s main street. (Images: NSW Government) The Singleton Bypass is on track to open to traffic in late 2026, with construction teams now back on site and advancing works. The project is being delivered with a $560 million investment from the Australian Government and a $140 million investment from the NSW Government, and will take 15,000 vehicles a day off Singleton’s main street, improving travel times, freight efficiency and safety for motorists, with five sets of traffic lights avoided. Federal member for Hunter Dan Repacholi said the town is already seeing the benefits of the bypass, with project haulage trucks using two new bridges to avoid CBD streets. “The completion of this project will absolutely transform the town centre, improving amenity and safety for Singleton while delivering enhanced journey reliability and travel time for vehicles using the New England Highway,” he said. The eight-kilometre bypass starts n...
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Construcciones Yamaro: Stria Cladding Fine Texture built for efficient on-site installation

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Stria Cladding Fine Texture was used on the exterior of House 4 on The Block 2025. (Image: Julian Brenchley/James Hardie) For many builders, keeping a project moving often comes down to speed on site. When every trade is booked weeks out and schedules are tight, choosing materials that crews can install efficiently becomes more important. Stria Cladding Fine Texture is designed for this environment, allowing external walls to be completed quickly and consistently without relying on specialist trades. Stria Cladding Fine Texture is a 14mm-thick Hardie fibre cement board with a sharp V-groove and an embedded fine render texture across the surface. This texture is engineered into the board, which delivers a consistent, tactile finish without the need for hand-applied coatings. The design keeps installation familiar for carpenters and helps crews maintain a steady workflow from the first board to the last. An advantage for builders is the ability to keep the work with the team alr...
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Construcciones Yamaro: How TAFE NSW helped turn drone skills into a surveying career

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James Vassallo, TAFE NSW graduate. (Image: TAFE NSW) Former drone photographer James Vassallo has turned a technical hobby into professional practice after enrolling in the Certificate IV in Surveying and Spatial Information at TAFE NSW. After building a small drone-photography business alongside his work in photogrammetry, the 24-year-old from Newcastle sought a qualification to elevate his capabilities and unlock new career opportunities. “I started the course just wanting to upskill for my job in drone mapping,” said Vassallo. “But once I got into it, I realised how broad surveying really is; boundary work, construction, rail, mining, you name it.” He now works as a survey assistant at DeWitt Consulting in Charlestown on projects including high-rise developments, residential sites and rail infrastructure, while also returning to aerial mapping, the field that first drew him to surveying. “The TAFE NSW course absolutely paved the way for me to get my current job,” he said. “I...
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Construcciones Yamaro: Head contractor appointed to deliver Bradfield City’s Central Park

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Artist’s impression: Aerial view of Bradfield City’s Central Park. (Images: Bradfield Development Authority) FDC Construction & Fitout will deliver Bradfield City’s Central Park, a two-hectare public space set to anchor Australia’s first new city in 100 years. Bradfield Development Authority CEO Ken Morrison said FDC’s appointment brings the project, described as a “world-class public space”, one step closer to fruition. “Central Park will become the heart of Bradfield City, a place for families, workers and visitors to meet, play and enjoy the outdoors,” said Morrison. “We are proud to be working with outstanding partners to deliver a park that will serve the community for generations to come.” FDC will lead the delivery of the park infrastructure, including the signature Sky Ring, Woven Play and Interwoven Heart play areas, and the multi-use Gathering Green with space for up to 5,000 people. Related stories: Preferred proponent named for Sydney’s Blackwattle Bay projec...
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