Project legacy
Our projects are about more than just roads, they’re also about leaving lasting legacies for the surrounding communities. As part of the Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road Upgrade, we’ve delivered a range of initiatives to support local organisations, contribute to the local flora and fauna, and recognise Indigenous culture.
As part of the project’s legacy, we’ve built a new shared use path stretching a span of 10 km between Livestock Way and Manks Road. This path creates a new connection for people to walk and cycle between Pakenham and Koo Wee Rup.
The new path will soon feature two new seated rest areas surrounded by native flora near Deep Creek and Ballarto Road. Along the path, a rest area near Deep Creek will include informative signage about the Growling Grass Frog and Southern Brown Bandicoot that lives in the Koo Wee Rup area. We’ve also worked the Bunurong Land Council on another sign to provide information about the Indigenous heritage of the land.We aim to not only leave a legacy for the project, but to create better connections to the surrounding area and build a deeper understanding of the land on which the project is constructed.
Protecting wildlife
The project area is home to a threatened population of nationally significant Southern Brown Bandicoots and Growling Grass Frogs, and protecting them is a key part of our project design.
We’ve built over 1km of fauna protection fences, 35 underground fauna crossings, 11 frog ponds and over 20 bandicoot shelters as part of the project.
We’re also keeping an eye on things into the future. For 10 years following construction we’ll be conducting environmental surveys to monitor threatened species, to better understand how our project has contributed to their habitat.
Our CCTV cameras captured the below images of Southern Brown Bandicoots, an echidna and a Lewins Rail bird moving around the project area.
Supporting local
As part of our work with local community groups, we’ve donated more than seven tonnes of repurposed timber and roofing to local Scout groups to help build new timber decks, additional shelters and an expanded obstacle course.
The material has also been used to repair several structures within the park including the chapel pews and toilet block after storm damage, and improve their accommodation chalets.
Giving back
We were delighted to donate a new, fully-stocked commercial fridge and freezer to Sammy’s Community Pantry. The Pakenham based not-for-profit group provides free tinned, packaged and now fresh and frozen food to those in need.
