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A construction company has been selected to commence redevelopment of the West Australian Army base.
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West Australian construction company Doric Contractors has been tapped to manage the redevelopment of Irwin Barracks in Karrakatta.
The $360.5 million redevelopment is expected to involve the delivery of a refurbished and consolidated cadet, recreation, headquarters and training facilities; living and office accommodation; and workshops.
The redevelopment, which remains subject to government and parliamentary approval, is scheduled to commence in mid-2023, with construction completion in mid-2026.
“The significant investment in new, upgraded and consolidated facilities and infrastructure is designed to maintain the evolving needs of the Australian Defence Force, and support defence capability,” Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said.
Minister Price said the Irwin Barracks upgrade would also support jobs growth in the region, with 90 per cent of the planned work to be sourced locally.
“[The] project will maximise opportunities for local business to supply goods and services for the Commonwealth works,” Minister Price added.
Federal member for Curtin Celia Hammond welcomed Doric Contractors’ selection, noting the benefits for the local economy.
“I am pleased to see local company, Doric Contractors, secure this project, supporting local jobs here in Curtin and providing a boost for our local economy,” Hammond said.
“These projects highlight the ongoing work the Morrison government is doing to ensure the economy continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Defence’s investment in the Army base forms part of the Commonwealth government’s Defence Policy for Industry Participation, which involves a $2.5 billion investment over the coming decade in critical defence infrastructure across the country.
This latest announcement comes just a week after Defence confirmed $150 million would be invested in the development of vehicle workshops, hardstands and shelters at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane, Queensland ($101.1 million), Campbell Barracks in Swanbourne, WA ($34 million), and Derwent Barracks in Hobart, Tasmania (almost $16 million).
The facilities are to be built to support the modernisation of the Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force vehicle fleet as part of the LAND 121 Stage 5B project. Infrastructure development firm Lendlease has been tasked with delivering fit-for-purpose facilities designed to sustain the new fleet of trucks and trailers.
Lendlease has committed to meeting a target of 90 per cent local workforce participation for the Derwent Barracks upgrades, and 85 per cent for the Gallipoli and Campbell Barracks upgrades.
The Derwent Barracks upgrades are expected to be completed by late 2022, while work on Gallipoli and Campbell Barracks are scheduled to conclude in mid-2024.
[Related: Defence invests $150m in infrastructure upgrades]
Charbel Kadib
News Editor – Defence and Security, Momentum Media
Prior to joining the defence and aerospace team in 2020, Charbel was news editor of The Adviser and Mortgage Business, where he covered developments in the banking and financial services sector for three years. Charbel has a keen interest in geopolitics and international relations, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in politics and journalism. Charbel has also completed internships with The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts and public relations agency Fifty Acres.
