MELBOURNE DOCKLANDS PRECINCT DEVELOPMENT & THE FORMER WEST MELBOURNE GASWORKS REMEDIATION PROJECT

Andrew Labbett – Associate Remediation Engineer

Presentation Outline

• Melbourne Docklands - proximity/size• History of the Melbourne Docklands Area• The Docklands Authority• The Former West Melbourne Gasworks Remediation Project

– What it was– What we found– What we did

• The visions being realised…

Melbourne Docklands Precinct

• Central Business District

• Melbourne Docklands

Melbourne’s West – 1864

Melbourne’s West – 1858

West Melbourne Gasworks – 1928

West Melbourne Gasworks – 1937

Contaminant Sources

• Wharf/ Coal Loading Area• Coal Stores• Retorts• Purifiers• Sulphate & Ammonia Plant• Gasholders• Tar Pits & Tanks• Plant Upgrades

Dereliction of The Wharfs, Railyards & Gasworks

• Ship freight became more containerised – hence bigger, open yards and deeper docks required (Appleton, Webb and Swanston Docks).

• Charles Grimes Bridge pushed larger ship docking sites westwards.• Modern day transport methods (air & truck) made large shunting

yards redundant.• Discovery & use of natural gas from Bass Strait saw gasworks

closed in 1970.• Derelict waterfront area now ripe for “reconnection” with the city.

West Melbourne Gasworks & Docklands – 1989

West Melbourne Gasworks & Docklands – 1989

Docklands Authority

Melbourne Docklands Development Precincts

Wooden Piles…

Coal Tar…

Soil Treatment Processes

Waste Minimisation – Soil Screening

Waste Minimisation – Concrete Recycling

Waste Minimisation – Soil Treatment

Remediation Works

Remediation Project Statistics

• 7.6 hectare site• 273,000 m3 material excavated (1.0 – 8.3 m below original grade) • 4100 Wooden Piles & 460 Steel Encased Concrete Piles• 1700 stockpiles• 50,000 truck movements• 35% of excavated material recycled• 69,000 m3 of intra-precinct material imported and used as fill• Over 300,000 tonnes of ‘Contaminated Soil’ to landfill• 40,000,000 litres water treated and disposed (some for dust)• 500 site inductees• $45 M plus for level site.

Victoria Harbour Precinct - 2009

Victoria Harbour Precinct – 2009 (N – S)

Victoria Harbour Precinct – 2009 (W – NE)

Victoria Harbour Precinct – 2009 (S – NW)

Victoria Harbour Precinct – 2009 (S – N)

Victoria Harbour Precinct – 2009 (Mid – S)

Summary of Whole-Precinct Development Benefits

• Ability to optimise best sites for purpose (i.e. ensure correct mix of open space, residential, commercial) based on levels of contamination.

• “Over-kill” remediation – i.e. sustainability considerations can be made.

• Odours, dust & other construction emissions have less impact. • Materials and treatment-space sharing (when appropriate).• Services sharing/ staged development.

Thank You!