Council Projects Update

RV dump points

The RV dump at Coleraine has been installed at the Visitor Information Centre. The Hamilton RV dump point is currently being installed adjacent to the Hamilton Lakeside Caravan Park. Anticipated completion for these works is early July. This installation of RV dumps points in Coleraine and Hamilton, a resolution of Council in December 2019, has been a long-awaited project among the Greater Hamilton community, particularly the tourism sector. Council are pleased to see it in the final stages of works and look forward to completion.

Ballarat Road Landscaping – Town Entrance project

Tree planting and landscaping continue on Ballarat Road with completion scheduled in the winter of 2020. Further design work is now being undertaken around the Ansett Museum and Coleraine Road to further improve Hamilton’s major town entrances. This design work will provide a practical pipeline of landscaping projects that can take advantage of the Working for Victoria workforce due to commence at Council in the coming weeks. This project is delivering on initiatives identified 2012 Hamilton Structure Plan.

Dunkeld Visitor Hub & Grampians Peak Trailhead – Stage One Funding

Council has received $500,000 funding from Victorian Government towards the Dunkeld Visitor Hub & Grampians Peak Trailhead – Stage One.

The project means creation of a Trail Head for visitors undertaking the southern end of the Grampians Peak Trail from Dunkeld. This includes detailed design, welcome and departure platform (decking and shelter) and associated landscaping, connections through the Dunkeld Memorial Park, pedestrian crossing, wayfinding and interpretive signage, trails and parking.

The project outcomes include:

– Improved visitor experience for users of the Grampians Peaks Trail;

– Increase in the number of people (50,000) visiting the region;

– Increase in the length of time spent per visit;

– Facilitate economic growth and development in the local region by increased activity in accommodation retail, food and beverage sectors;

– Increase in annual regional income of $6.4 million;

– The commencement date for this project is 1 July 2020.

HRLX – Cattle Roof

The cattleyard roof project is progressing well and is on track to be completed by the end of this month.

Hamilton Industrial Estate

Works on the Industrial Estate are ongoing. While COVID-19 has meant some delays in connection of utilities, all of the internal utilities works are expected to be completed by the end of this financial year. Most of the internal road construction is expected to be completed by the end of July 2020.

Detailed design of the VicRoads intersection (at the entrance to the estate) has been submitted for approval. We are awaiting feedback and this approval is critical for the project to be fully complete by the end of August 2020.

Hamilton King St Roundabout and Car park

We have been able to complete all necessary Kerb and Channel works to widen the intersection and relocate underground services.

Unfortunately the coordination and installation of NBN/Telstra services was impacted by COVID-19. While the installation is now complete, this delay meant the contractors had to demobilise the site to complete another project they were already booked in for elsewhere. Works are currently on hold and the intersection has reopened.

Contractors will be back onsite in August to construct the roundabout and all going well (and given potential weather impacts) we anticipate completion of the project in September.

HILAC Floor Refurbishment

The installation of new floors for courts two and three, at HILAC is now complete. Line-markings have also been finalised. The floors are constructed of sprung American Maple flooring which has been constructed to a FIBA level 1 certified standard and will provide the best possible surface for our basketball players to enjoy. The Hamilton Basketball Association have also supplied new backboards and rings which will be installed soon.

Hamilton Botanic Gardens – Aviary

We are pleased to advise that the birds are on their way! When the Aviary was completed in late 2019, the decision was made to wait til the weather was cooler and the internal plantings more established to introduce birds into the aviary.

Unfortunately COVID-19 caused us further delays due to being unable to travel to source the birds. With travel restrictions now lifted, the birds have been located and are expected to be on site within the next few weeks.

We will have Budgerigars, Cockatiels, Zebra Finches, Quails and Bourke Parrots.

Council are in the planning stages of an official opening event for the Aviary after the original event was postponed due to COVID-19.

Hamilton Botanic Gardens – Fountain

The restoration of the Thomson Fountain is very close to completion.

Works completed to date include:

– Cleaning and paint preparation to the surface

– Consolidation of all fragile surfaces with lithium silicate

– Removal of old repairs and reconstruction in compatible material

– Crack repair, levelling and lining of both upper bowls

– Re-joining of previously removed bowl ready for re-installation

– Crack repair to outer bowl ready for relining membrane

Works were on track for completion at the end of March, however COVID-19 restrictions mean the specialist contractor was unable to travel here from Melbourne to finish the project. Now that restrictions have lifted on travel, we anticipate the contractor will be on site again soon and the project will be finished in the coming weeks.

Pedrina Park Irrigation Project

The installation of an automatic irrigation system to Ovals 1 and 2 at Pedrina Park will commence next week. Council are currently working through a program of works with contractor Finchetts Plumbing. Additional sprinkler banks will be installed on Oval 3 as part of this project, and we will take the opportunity to re-seed Oval 2 while we are on site. The project will be completed over the next two financial years.

/Public Release. View in full here.