East Port Development

GKL Group has successfully completed Project Management services for Port of Townsville Limited on the East Port Development, encompassing the Benwell Road Intersection, East Port Connection Road and Windfarm Laydown Area projects.

​The engagement spanned 2.5 years and covered the full project lifecycle, from early-stage design development and cost estimation through to construction supervision and final delivery. It is the kind of end-to-end project management work that GKL Group is well positioned to deliver, bringing both technical capability and practical experience to a project that presented its share of genuine challenges.

Design development was undertaken in close consultation with the Port, key stakeholders and future potential Port customers. The goal was straightforward: ensure the road and laydown infrastructure was fit for purpose and capable of handling the real-world demands of the end users, including long-load transport and heavy point load machinery associated with cargo handling at the Port. That consultative approach set the tone for how the project was managed throughout. Open communication between the GKL Group team and the Port of Townsville meant that when challenges arose, they were worked through constructively rather than allowed to compound.

The construction works included lightly bound and unbound granular pavements, asphalt and seal works, earthworks, services installation and relocation, drainage works and fencing. One of the more significant technical challenges involved the ground conditions across the site, with existing dredge ponds and silty soils presenting real complexity for pavement design and construction. Close collaboration between the project team and designers was required to develop a pavement solution capable of meeting the heavy point load requirements of the end users.

The East Port Development was delivered on time and under budget. For GKL Group Managing Director Glen Langfeldt, that outcome is a reflection of what is possible when the right working relationship is in place.

"Projects like this one don't deliver well by accident," said Glen.
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"The Port of Townsville team were genuinely collaborative throughout,” he commented.

“When issues came up, and they always do on a project of this scale and complexity, we worked through them together. That kind of open communication makes a real difference to the end result," said Glen.

Glen also pointed to the broader significance of the project for the region.

"The Port of Townsville is critical infrastructure for North Queensland. Being part of a project that supports its ongoing growth, and operational capability is something the whole GKL Group team can feel good about," he added.

The sentiment was echoed by Port of Townsville Limited's Manager Project Management Office, Michael O'Reilly, who acknowledged the GKL Group team directly on project completion.

“After a challenging few years as the Project Manager, I’m proud to see this project delivered on time and under budget.  None of this would have been possible without the dedication and support of the team at GKL Group and the wider Port of Townsville Project Delivery Team,” said Michael.
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GKL Group thanks Port of Townsville Limited for the opportunity to be part of the East Port Development and looks forward to continuing the collaboration on future projects.