UQ Ipswich stage two construction begins

UQ Ipswich stage two construction begins

Barclay Mowlem Construction Limited has won the tender for the construction of the second stage development of the University of Queensland's 25-hectare Ipswich campus, following the opening of the $17 million first stage last month.

The contract value of stage two is $18.88 million with a total project cost estimated at $23 million.

The 48-year-old firm, which has offices throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific, has been involved in many major Australian and international projects.

They include construction of the Sydney Harbour tunnel project, the Indokodecko Cement project, a 24.2km overland conveyor in Indonesia, trackwork for the Kap Shui Mun Bridge in Hong Kong, the Port Office restoration and Central Brunswick development in Brisbane, and the $120 million Pacific motorway.

Barclay Mowlem has completed several major projects at the University's St Lucia campus. They include construction of several major buildings at the St Lucia campus, including the $7.2 million Social Sciences and Humanities Library re-development, $3.3 million Law Library Building, $3.8 million Colin Clark Building, and the $400,000 Anatomy Building fitout.

Construction will begin on Wednesday, March 24 for the second stage development of the 121-year-old campus with completion due in time for first semester, 2000.

Construction Manager Peter Sampson of the University's Property and Facilities Division said stage two would develop buildings in the campus centre.

Stage two is to the south of the stage one works and includes the adaptive reuse of the central building complex of the old Challinor Centre.

Mr Sampson said stage two would provide the University with an additional 5000 square metres of usable floor space, in addition to stage one, which yielded 4000 square metres of floor space.

It requires rehabilitation of eight buildings in a heritage precinct, including the earliest buildings on the campus, and construction of a twin block new general purpose building.

University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Trevor Grigg said the first cohort of students had settled in well in the past few weeks into the stage one buildings.

The University will welcome 520 students this year to its UQ Ipswich campus, including about 400 people on campus and a further 120 UQ students at Bremer TAFE who can access facilities at UQ Ipswich.

Professor Grigg said the University would be accepting a mid-year intake of students this year at UQ Ipswich.

The closing date for mid-year applications will be Friday, May 21, 1999. The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre will make a first offer round date on Wednesday June 16, with second round offers going out on Wednesday, July 7, 1999.

Media contacts: Professor Grigg, telephone 07 3365 7366 or Mr Sampson, telephone 07 3365 1113.