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Bridgewater Solar Power Plant

2008

Bridgewater Victoria

Town Planning Drawings, VicRoads Application Drawings, Integrated Water Management Plan, Site Masterplan, Direct Seeding and Planting Specifications, Construction Support

2008 -2009

The Client contacted us for assistance to develop a whole site approach and associated Masterplan for their Solar Power Test facility in rural Victoria which covered a large area. The site was to include extensive surface water harvesting and treatment, offices, staff accommodation and associated facilities, caretakers area, tourism opportunities and water treatment. The Client gave us a loose and open brief and by going beyond what they outlined, we were able to provide an Award Winning landscape design which created an aesthetic landscape for both visitors and staff, provide valuable habitat and conserve indigenous vegetation all in a sustainable manner, while been in keeping with the locality of the project. Our approach allowed the different and multiple uses on the site catered for within the landscape and site design. We did this all while managing within the normal budget allowance. The lack of water within this region, as well as the compounding problems associated with the project been constructed within the drought period, as well as long term concerns, required us to utilise swales, greywater treatment systems, and raingardens; to treat, capture, and recycle/reuse as much water as possible. There was a quick turnaround of only 5 months to Design, Tender, Construct and sign off with a lot of the design work been done at the same time as Construction. We worked closely with the onsite Project Manager who liaised with their in-house employees, local suppliers and Contractors who undertook the construction of the project. We utilised seed sourced from the local areas and tube stock grown in local conditions to help revegetate planted areas. The project included 14kms of direct seeding using locally collected, indigenous seed and we assisted the Client with the identification of local growers who Contract grew the tubestock for the site.