Construcciones Yamaro: Community shapes Aura and Harmony infrastructure program
Creative construction is McConnell Dowell’s signature – but so too is its commitment to community, a focus clearly seen on the Aura and Harmony Water and Wastewater Program.
At McConnell Dowell, building infrastructure is about more than meeting deadlines and budgets. It is about creating something better – for clients, for communities and for the future. Innovation and care for people sit alongside technical milestones, shaping every project from planning to delivery.
Few projects demonstrate this more clearly than Unitywater’s Aura and Harmony Water and Wastewater Program on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. McConnell Dowell is Unitywater’s delivery partner on the program, providing essential water and wastewater infrastructure for two of the region’s fastest-growing communities: Aura and Harmony, near Caloundra.
The program comprises three major projects: Aura Water, Aura Wastewater and Harmony Water. It involves installing two 12-kilometre pipelines – one for water, one for wastewater – alongside a dedicated 2.6-kilometre pipeline for Harmony. Two 12-megalitre reservoirs and a new wastewater pump station complete the works, laying foundations for long‑term growth.
By 2050, Aura is expected to house around 50,000 residents, while Harmony will welcome about 21,000 by 2036. Every aspect of the infrastructure has been planned with this future community in mind, ensuring the network can meet demand for decades to come.
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Values built in from the start
Joshua Zugajev, executive manager of strategic engagement at Unitywater, says the organisation has taken a more community-focused approach from the outset of the program’s planning and delivery.
“One of the key values was listening to the community and engaging with them early about construction impacts,” says Zugajev.
This value became an active reference point when challenges arose, ensuring the community remained a priority throughout delivery.
Connection before construction
For McConnell Dowell, community connection started long before the first excavator arrived on site.
“From the very start, we focused on speaking to as many people face to face as possible,” says Purdey Wikman, stakeholder and communications manager at McConnell Dowell. “We shared information across different platforms, helping people understand both the purpose and benefits of each of the projects, as well as the potential impacts.”
This early, transparent communication set the tone for everything that followed. The team worked hard to maintain a ‘no surprises’ approach, encouraging open dialogue and being available whenever needed.
Community feedback actively shaped the program. During early planning, construction plans were reviewed through a community lens, paying close attention to areas used heavily by families, children and cyclists. Even when designs were largely fixed, community concerns were taken seriously – and often led to tangible and practical revisions.
“Having a client like Unitywater, who genuinely embraces that approach, has made a real difference,” says Wikman. “It has allowed us to adjust aspects of construction to minimise disruption and achieve better outcomes for local residents.”
Local connection woven throughout
The program has involved more than just construction. It has created meaningful local connections across schools, businesses and First Nations groups.
Working with traditional custodians, the Kabi Kabi peoples, Unitywater developed a tailored Cultural Heritage Management Plan – the first of its kind for the organisation – with cultural heritage team members working alongside the engineers and construction site supervisors. Partnership with First Nations businesses also formed a key part of the program, with more than $5 million spent on partnerships ranging from personal protective equipment supply to cultural training.
Schools, some of the project’s closest neighbours, were brought into the fold through education sessions and creative initiatives. One local school even designed an artwork installed on a horizontal directional drill (HDD) pipe before it was placed underground.
“We also donated materials like woodchips to local school gardens,” says Wikman. “Above all, it was about maintaining open and genuine communication and managing impacts thoughtfully.”
Initially aiming to return more than $80 million to the local economy, McConnell Dowell has now invested more than $120 million back into South East Queensland, achieving more than 85 per cent local employment and a strong record of local procurement.
Complex work handled with care
Delivering infrastructure through high-density residential areas was no small feat. With a $190 million contract value – plus additional funding for variations and ongoing works – the stakes were high.
Trenching across driveways and through front yards tested the project team’s ability to manage disruption. Again, it was the relationships built with residents that made the difference.
Crews listened, adapted and responded quickly. When a retirement village resident flagged issues accessing pathways with a mobility scooter, the team immediately adjusted fencing to improve access. Such small gestures earned big trust.
Rather than complaints, the construction crews were, for the majority of the time, met with cups of tea, fruitcake and buckets of ice blocks on hot days. Residents became partners in the project’s success, hosting education sessions and regular morning teas.
“If complex construction projects were easy, everyone would do it,” says Wikman. “It’s truly the relationships that make the difference. Responding quickly, finding solutions – it builds trust. The community saw that, and it has been critical to the project’s success.”
McConnell Dowell’s commitment to community is not a one-off. It is a consistent standard across every project, every team.
“We take great pride in it,” says Wikman. “Putting the community at the heart of decisions is critical. Giving back is just as important.”
On every project, from Victoria to Queensland and beyond, communities can expect the same respect, care and communication. It’s the McConnell Dowell way to build a better life.
Real stories real impact
Some of the most lasting legacies of the project cannot be measured in concrete or pipelines.
During early engagement, the team met a mother whose four-year-old son, Harry, was non-verbal at the time and had started noticing the construction next door. To everyone’s amazement, his first words were “digger” and “truck.”
Crews often drove close to the fence, waving from their excavators (using the excavator arm to wave as well), and Harry would wave back. His mother shared how this connection had sparked something in him. Today, Harry’s fascination with trucks and diggers continues, and the construction team remains part of that special milestone.
“We’ve built a wonderful relationship with Harry’s family,” says Wikman. “Harry even builds little stone towers by the site entrance, and to make sure they’re not knocked over, the team moved the fence so they wouldn’t disrupt ‘Harry’s tower.’”
Another example of connection came through a partnership with The Compass Institute, a Sunshine Coast social enterprise supporting people with disabilities. When the project team learned Compass operated a farm and other training enterprises, they had an idea: why not bring some of that environment to the site office?
With support from subcontractors, staff and even Wikman (who bought the chickens herself), they created a thriving garden complete with a chicken coop. Compass trainees helped maintain the garden and site vehicles, contributing around 620 hours to the project. Proceeds from egg sales and vegetable donations went directly back into Compass programs.
The partnership grew into something even bigger. McConnell Dowell arranged access and inclusion training for staff, fostering a deeper understanding of Compass’s work and ensuring the site was welcoming.
Last year, Compass honoured McConnell Dowell with its annual Compass Heritage Spirit Award – a recognition reserved for just one business on the Sunshine Coast each year.
“It has been wonderful to witness the positive impacts – on the ground and through our collaborations with construction partners and local community groups,” says Zugajev.
“It has also delivered positive outcomes for Unitywater and McConnell Dowell, the most significant being inclusivity in action. Team members formed friendships with the trainees, and there was a genuine sense of belonging. It improved understanding, broke down barriers, changed mindsets, and left a lasting mark on the culture of the project team.”
A lasting legacy
Working in water and wastewater is among the most interesting, challenging and rewarding jobs in construction, says Wikman.
“The variety that a project like this offers people in construction is incredible,” she says. “I have enjoyed every part of it – the hard times, the good times – and I think a big part of that is the relationship we have built with Unitywater. Despite the many challenges faced, it really has felt like we have been in it together.”
Construction is set to wrap up by October this year, with commissioning expected in early 2026. While the physical works may soon be complete, the legacy of connection, care and collaboration will continue to shape the community for years to come.
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