Construcciones Yamaro, by Armando Iachini

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...

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...

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...

BMD founder and chairman Mick Power AM. (Image: BMD) BMD founder and chairman Mick Power has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the Queensland University of Technology in recognition of his leadership in business and long-term contribution to communities across Australia. Since founding BMD in 1979, Power has grown the business into Australia’s largest privately owned civil construction contractor, delivering infrastructure projects nationally and internationally. Today, the company generates more than $2.4 billion in annual turnover and employs more than 2,400 people. He has built his career on a values-led approach to leadership, with a focus on projects that connect and strengthen communities. “Success is not only measured by what we build, but by the opportunities we create for others,” he said. “This philosophy has guided me throughout my career and continues to shape BMD today.” Related stories: Joint venture awarded Gateway to Bruce Upgrade Contract awarded for Per...

Brian Uy FIStructE CEng, Scientia Professor of structural engineering at the University of New South Wales and the 105th president of IStructE. (Image: IStructE) The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the representative body for the profession worldwide, has appointed Brian Uy as its 105th president. Uy, currently Scientia Professor at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), brings decades of experience to the role. His career has spanned roles at consultancies … The post Brian Uy appointed IStructE president for 2026 appeared first on Inside Construction . View Source

A charity auction saw a colourful suit sell for $10,000. (Images: Icon) Australian building company Icon has raised more than $45,000 for the StandbyU Foundation, which supports families affected by domestic and family violence. Icon handed over the funds, raised through monthly on-site BBQs with staff and tradies, at a special event with StandbyU on the Gold Coast on 17 December 2025. The fundraising effort was capped off at Icon’s recent Christmas celebration, where a charity auction saw a colourful suit sell for $10,000, lifting the total raised to more than $45,000. The contribution will support StandbyU’s work providing safety, connection and practical assistance for families facing domestic and family violence, including the expansion of safe accommodation initiatives. Domestic and family violence continues to rise across Queensland, affecting thousands of families each year. Many families have nowhere to turn, making safe accommodation and practical support more critical...

Workers and employers are being reminded that White Card certification is required before stepping onto any construction site. (Image: theevening/stock.adobe.com) As construction sites reopen across Australia for the 2026 work year, checking White Card certification is vital for both workers and employers. The start of the year is a key time for the industry to ensure compliance, refresh licences and maintain workforce readiness. “January is when many employers conduct annual safety audits and onboarding for new workers,” said National White Card Courses director Samuel Bohr. “It’s also when we see expired licences and outdated certifications, but starting the year compliant isn’t just good practice; it’s essential for safety, productivity and legal compliance.” The White Card is a mandatory credential for anyone entering a construction site in Australia. It demonstrates that a worker has completed the nationally recognised Work Health and Safety (WHS) training required by law. ...

Engineers Australia’s Bernadette Foley believes underground infrastructure will play an increasingly important role in building more sustainable cities. (Image: sornchai/stock.adobe.com) Engineers Australia is urging governments and planners to recognise underground infrastructure as a powerful asset for climate adaptation. Addressing international delegates at the Joined International Conferences on Tunnelling and Tunnel Boring Machines in Melbourne, Engineers Australia group executive for professional standards and engineering practice Bernadette Foley said tunnels and underground infrastructure will play an increasingly important … The post Engineers Australia calls for underground infrastructure investment appeared first on Inside Construction . View Source

Professor Yongliang Li with a prototype of the energy storage system. (Image: University of Birmingham) University of Birmingham researchers have designed a compact energy storage system that could pave the way for decarbonisation of commercial buildings. Developed by Professor Yongliang Li, chair in Thermal Energy Engineering at the School of Chemical Engineering, the system charges from surplus renewable power that would otherwise be wasted and delivers heat or cooling when … The post Energy storage breakthrough for commercial buildings appeared first on Inside Construction . View Source

Artist’s impression: Perth Film Studios. (Images: Western Australian Government) The Western Australian Government has announced a milestone in the state’s ambition to become a leading destination for screen production, with the practical completion of Perth Film Studios. Almost $300 million has been invested in the facility, including $233.5 million in construction and a further $57 million to support management and operations over the first 10 years under an agreement with Perth-based company Home Fire. WA Premier Roger Cook said the project would support economic diversification, create local jobs and open up new opportunities for talent and innovation. “This studio complex is absolutely world-class, and I look forward to seeing it welcome the first of many national and international productions as we begin a new era for the WA screen industry,” said Cook. The facility includes four sound stages totalling 90,000 square feet, with 40-metre clear spans providing more than 8,20...

Artist’s impression: The former Northern Power Station site will be transformed for the manufacture of low-carbon materials. (Image: Hallett Group) The South Australian Government is backing a new project poised to turn Port Augusta into a national hub for the growing green cement industry, an environmentally friendly alternative to carbon-intensive cement. The state will provide a $12 million loan to Hallett Group as it progresses the $200 million Green Cement Transformation Project, which will repurpose the site of the former Northern Power Station for the manufacture of low-carbon materials. “ Hallett has worked diligently for 10 years to develop solutions to challenging problems, and we are delighted to now implement world-leading technology that provides a great product for our customers and great outcomes for our community and the environment,” said Hallett CEO Kane Salisbury. “As a proud, independent South Australian owned and operated business, we are incredibly excited ...

Viaduct over the New England Highway, looking towards Hexham Bridge. (Images: Transport for NSW) The M1 Pacific Motorway extension in New South Wales has reached a construction milestone, with crews driving the final pile to complete foundation works for 11 new bridges between Black Hill and Raymond Terrace. Since February 2024, project teams have installed 278 bridge piles across the 15-kilometre corridor, including 173 piles for the 2.6-kilometre viaduct that will span the Hunter River and surrounding floodplain. Sixteen piles were installed into the riverbed using heavy-lift barges, a complex operation requiring detailed planning. Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said the installation of the piles was a major step forward for the project. “This is one of the busiest sections of the Pacific Highway, and I’m pleased the Albanese and Minns governments are working together to deliver this major improvement,” ...

James Rushby secured an apprenticeship with Decon Building after completing TAFE NSW’s Start Your Future program. (Images: TAFE NSW) While weighing up his career options, 18-year-old Bukkulla student James Rushby found direction through the Start Your Future program at TAFE NSW Inverell. After completing the carpentry-focused program while at school, the former Macintyre High School student enrolled at TAFE NSW Inverell to study a Certificate III in Carpentry and secured an apprenticeship with local company Decon Building. Jobs and Skills Australia’s latest Jobs and Skills Report estimates that more than 90 per cent of jobs over the next 10 years will require post-secondary qualifications, underscoring the importance of pathways into vocational training. Rushby said the Start Your Future program gave him the confidence and clarity to pursue a trade career. “While at school, I was so confused about my future and didn’t know what job I wanted to do. That’s why I decided to take ...

The CCAA believes the current Australian Cement Standard AS 3972-2010 needs updating to accommodate modern materials and emissions reduction while maintaining safety. (Image: MaxSafaniuk/stock.adobe.com) Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has welcomed the Productivity Commission’s final report into  Australia’s circular economy: unlocking the opportunities . The association believes it reinforces industry calls to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers and modernise standards to enable greater use of recycled and low-carbon materials in construction. The report highlights the need to move away from overly prescriptive standards and inconsistent state-based specifications that restrict the use of recycled and alternative materials in infrastructure and building projects. This is an issue consistently raised by CCAA in its  submission  to the inquiry and its interim report  submission. The association backed the Productivity Commission’s call for a...

Artist’s impression: Blackwattle Bay (subject to approvals). (Image: Infrastructure NSW) Mirvac has been named the preferred developer to work with the NSW Government on the redevelopment of the old Sydney Fish Market site at Blackwattle Bay, in a project delivery agreement with Infrastructure NSW. The 3.6-hectare site is part of the wider Blackwattle Bay urban renewal and will be transformed into a mixed-use precinct, comprising over 1,400 homes (including purpose-built student accommodation), as well as commercial and retail. Mirvac will also deliver a 26,000-square-metre public domain, with an ambition to create an ‘outdoor living room’ for the community, along with a new public foreshore promenade and a boardwalk that will complete the 15-kilometre walk connecting Rozelle Bay to Woolloomooloo. Mirvac’s group CEO and managing director, Campbell Hanan, described Blackwattle Bay as one of the few remaining undeveloped parcels on the Sydney Harbour foreshore. “We are thrilled to...

Artist’s impression: Hunter Street West Tower. (Image: Sydney Metro) Sydney Metro has appointed Lendlease, Mirvac and Coombes Property Group as development and delivery partners for the new Hunter Street Station precinct, marking a step forward for Sydney Metro West. The project includes a metro station and two over-station developments in the commercial heart of Sydney’s CBD. Lendlease, in partnership with Sydney Metro, will deliver the new Hunter Street Station, connecting Barangaroo, Wynyard, Hunter Street and Martin Place on the Metro West network. The station is expected to see more than 15,000 people every hour in the morning peak, increasing to more than 30,000 by 2061. Tom Mackellar, CEO of development at Lendlease, said the company has delivered integrated station developments such as Metro Martin Place and Victoria Cross and will apply that experience to the Hunter Street project. “We’re looking forward to working with Sydney Metro to deliver a seamlessly connected de...

Artist’s impression: Crowne Plaza Maroochydore. (Image: Felix Capital) Construction of Crowne Plaza Maroochydore will commence in April this year following Sunshine Coast Council’s approval of the development application late last year. Michael Maroun, director at Felix Capital, praised the council for its support during the application to ensure there were no delays in the approval process. “This is an incredible announcement for Maroochydore and the Sunshine Coast,” said Maroun. “Crowne Plaza will provide much-needed leisure and business tourism accommodation as well as community entertainment facilities for the region when it opens in 2028.” Crowne Plaza Maroochydore will feature 180 guest rooms alongside more than 900 square metres of meeting and event space, including a 600-square-metre ballroom. The hotel will also offer a 30-metre pool and spa, gym, sauna and secure basement parking across two levels. The food and beverage offering will include an all-day restaurant and a...

Artist’s impression: An aerial view of the new Macquarie Point Stadium. (Images: MPDC) Expression of Interest (EOI) is now open for the finalisation of the design and construction of Hobart’s Macquarie Point Stadium. The EOI is intended to shortlist no more than two contractors to progress to the Request for Tender stage. Tasmanian Minister for Macquarie Point Urban Renewal Eric Abetz said the step marked a milestone in advancing project delivery and ensuring a robust and competitive procurement process. “The EOI seeks to attract contractors with demonstrated experience in the delivery of large-scale, complex infrastructure projects, strong financial capacity, proven governance and risk management frameworks, and a track record of delivering major construction projects safely, on time and within budget,” said Abetz. “Not only this, but it also marks a significant day for all Tasmanians – this signifies to the business community, to hoteliers, to builders, to tourism operators an...

The building’s façade colours have been inspired by the nearby bushland. (Images: NSW Government) The façade of the new acute services building at the John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct has been revealed. The $835 million John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct will increase the overall capacity of the redeveloped hospital to continue providing healthcare services to Newcastle, the greater Hunter region and northern New South Wales communities. The acute services building will deliver a new emergency department to meet projected future demand of more than 95,000 presentations each year, alongside 22 operating theatres and nine interventional suites to respond to increasing demand for surgical services. It will also feature birthing suites, a neonatal intensive care unit, inpatient maternity and special care units, a rooftop helipad and more than 900 additional car parking spaces across the precinct for patients, staff and visitors. NSW Minister for Regional Health Rya...

Bluebeam introduces Task Link, a new integration between Revu and GoCanvas. (Image: Bluebeam) Bluebeam, a developer of solutions and services for architecture, engineering and construction professionals and part of the Nemetschek Group, has announced updates designed to unify office and field teams. The launch of Task Link, a native integration between Bluebeam Revu and GoCanvas, along with enhancements to Bluebeam’s iOS and Android apps, delivers streamlined task management, real-time visibility and organised documentation across every phase of a project. Task Link represents the first major milestone in bringing Bluebeam and GoCanvas together into a unified field–office workflow. When the companies joined forces in 2024 , the shared vision was to combine Bluebeam’s markup and collaboration capabilities with GoCanvas’ real-time field data collection, giving construction teams a seamless, end-to-end workflow with fewer communication gaps, fewer errors and more visibility. With Ta...

Carmody’s Hill will be developed east of Georgetown, South Australia. (Image: DT Infrastructure) DT Infrastructure has been awarded the full Balance of Plant scope for the Carmody’s Hill Wind Farm project in the Mid North region of South Australia. The 256-megawatt utility-scale wind farm, developed by Aula Energy and Renewable Project Services, is located 180 kilometres north of Adelaide and is scheduled to commence construction in early 2026, with operations expected to begin in late 2028. DT Infrastructure chief executive officer John Anderson said the company is proud to contribute to such an important project and to once again be partnering with Aula Energy. “We are proud to be delivering critical renewables infrastructure that will support a clean energy future, create local jobs and provide long-term benefits to surrounding communities,” said Anderson. “This milestone also cements an important partnership for the business, once again collaborating with Aula Energy to del...

Artist’s impression: The Bays Metro Station. (Image: Gamuda Engineering) The NSW Government has appointed Gamuda Engineering to deliver the Sydney Metro Stations Package West, the company’s second major Sydney Metro contract after securing the Western Tunnelling Package in 2022. The project includes the design and construction of five new metro stations along the Sydney Metro West alignment: Westmead, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock and The Bays. Delivered as part of the 24-kilometre Sydney Metro West line connecting Greater Parramatta to Sydney’s CBD, the package scope will include the construction of station boxes, entrances and access points, station fit-out works and integration with surrounding precincts. Gamuda CEO Ewan Yee said the appointment reflected the performance of teams on the ground and the relationship built with Sydney Metro and the NSW Government. Related stories: Sydney Airport launches tender for $6 billion capital works program Sydn...