CleanCo’s Kuranda Weir Recovery Project has been named an Outstanding Nomination in the Engineers Australia QLD’s Project of the Year Award.

The award highlights Australia’s top endeavours in engineering and the teams behind them. The Project of the Year Award recognises a project that is resourceful and innovative and contributes to sustainable and ethical practices.

CleanCo submitted a joint entry with GHD for the award – a category that was highly competitive, with 10 other nominations. We congratulate WSP Australia and BESIX Watpac on their winning nomination for the Kangaroo Point Bridge.

Project background

When Tropical Cyclone Jasper hit far north Queensland in December 2023, it wasn’t just a weather event that significantly damaged our infrastructure – it became a test of resilience, engineering judgement, and regional leadership.

The Kuranda Weir, which controls water flowing into our Barron Gorge Power Station, suffered significant damage. About 50 metres of embankment was washed away, disconnecting the power station’s water intake and suspending operations.

The Barron River and power station are vital to local tourism. White-water rafting and other river operators rely on stable water levels and flows. Kuranda Scenic Railway, adjacent to the weir, suspended services due to infrastructure damage. Reinstatement of the weir was crucial to resuming these economic activities.

In just six months, our team designed and implemented a rockwall cofferdam to regain control and storage of the Barron River and restore 66MW of renewable generation at the Barron Gorge Power Station. Within 12 months, we had designed and delivered a new concrete embankment wall — just in time for the next wet season.

This project wasn’t just a rebuild – it has set a new benchmark for climate-adaptive infrastructure and sustainable engineering. Lessons learned from this project will inform future climate resilient efforts.

This project is a credit to the people behind it – the engineers, operators and specialists from across a range of CleanCo business areas, as well as contractors, Traditional Owners, and the Kuranda community, who worked shoulder to shoulder through a disaster recovery with precision, urgency, and care. Read more about the project.