There’s been plenty happening on site since our last update. The reservoir walls are beginning to take shape, and the wastewater detention tank is moving towards its roof construction. Both are important steps in getting the infrastructure ready to support the first homes.
Getting the work done has taken careful planning. The site’s steep terrain and large concrete components mean access routes need to be prepared for heavy transport, cranes and the crews working around them.
Preparing the way for heavy lifts
The crawler crane needed for the reservoir arrived in sections on 10 flat-deck trucks. Before it could reach the work area, the steep access route had to be checked and prepared. In one section, the Goodmans team lowered the road by about 10 metres over two to three weeks.
That excavation created steep cut faces beside the future Road 1 alignment and above the wastewater detention tank. Anchors are now being installed to stabilise the slopes and help protect the road below.
A crane built for the job
Once the crane components reached the reservoir area, a mobile crane helped assemble the crawler crane. Its sections included the tracks, base weight and a counterweight assembly of about 103 tonnes, lifted into place using hydraulic rams.
Timber mats provide a firm surface for the crane to travel across the reservoir pad. With its long boom in place, the crew can begin lifting the heavy precast panels. Wind speeds are monitored closely, and lifts only proceed when conditions are within the crane’s operating limits.
The reservoir walls begin to rise
The first reservoir panels are now in place. Most weigh about nine tonnes, while the larger pilaster panels weigh around 35 tonnes. These heavier panels will help support the post-tensioning of the reservoir walls.
Each panel is lowered into a channel in the foundation. Concrete will then be poured on either side to secure the base, while temporary braces hold the panels in position. The crew uses guide ropes and large pry bars to line them up, with the crane carrying most of the weight.
Conduits along the panel edges will carry the tendons that strengthen the finished structure. Before the precast T-beam roof can be installed, the wall joints and supporting columns must be completed.
Wastewater tank heads towards roof construction
All the precast wall panels are now standing at the wastewater detention tank. Its floor slab, which requires about 250 cubic metres of concrete, will tie the bottom of the panels into the structure.
Next, the team will complete the concrete joints between the panels, form the central columns and install reinforcing steel for the roof. The joints need a carefully managed pour: concrete is pumped into the wall forms through valves lower down, helping the mix stay consistent as it fills the space between panels.
The roof will be poured in place over temporary staging and formwork. It will be a solid concrete slab with a slight fall to shed rainwater.
Before the tank is backfilled, it will be filled and leak-tested while it is still exposed. That makes it easier to find and repair any issues before the structure is covered.
Connecting the infrastructure to the first homes
The reservoir will need to be filled before residents can move into the first homes. That means laying the bulk water main from James Street, along the new road and up to the reservoir.
Parts of the future Road 11 corridor still need to be formed, with earthworks planned around the bird nesting season. Slope stabilisation above Road 1 and the wastewater tank will continue alongside earthmoving in the first housing areas.
Together, these projects are building the roads, water and wastewater connections needed for the first stage of Plimmerton Farm. We look forward to sharing more as the reservoir walls rise and the wastewater tank moves towards completion.
Thank you for following the journey. We look forward to sharing more progress with you in next month's update.
Subscribe for future Plimmerton Farm progress updates and information about upcoming housing, subscribe to our newsletter.