Aurecon has been working closely with ACT Parks Conservation and Lands (PCL) / ACT Procurement Solutions since 2008 providing design, documentation, planning approval and construction management for fire management related requirements. Included in this project is the following:

• Designing an inner asset protection zone for the interface between the northern Canberra suburb of Aranda and the neighbouring bushland nature reserve
• Site and design for a fire fighting water supply dam in the Naas Valley (2ML) south of Canberra
• Site and design of two permanent above ground water storage tanks for early fire suppression in the Rob Roy Nature Reserve in the Tuggeranong Valley. The tender has been awarded and construction commenced in June 2010.
• Identifying and designing upgrades to specified sections of the Mount Franklin road and Cotter Hut Road in the Namadgi National Park which did not meet the required standard for wither float or tanker truck size vehicles. The revised Environment Impact Study has been submitted to ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA) for assessment - outcome pending.

These multidisciplinary projects involve skills and expertise across several disciplines including environmental scientists, planning, heritage specialists, ecologists, engineers, designers, and drafters and surveyors.

One of the challenges was to find two suitable locations for the construction of two above ground water tanks in the Rob Roy Nature Reserve, southeast of Canberra.

The team assessed the access routes within the nature reserve to identify a number of potentially suitable sites .The assessment focused on the constraints of meeting the operational requirements, environmental constraints, any heritage values and engineering feasibility.

A constraint matrix was developed using a specifically tailored methodology which incorporated the results of each discipline assessment type to consider what the potential impacts could be on ecological features and heritage values. The design was required to meet the engineering specifications as well as operational requirements for ongoing bush fire management. The matrix was used to guide the engineer’s designs while incorporating techniques for mitigating any environmental or heritage impact.

Aurecon will manage the construction of the tanks, with works expected to be complete early August 2010.