BUILDING work is expected to start within weeks on a $57.6 million military warehouse project at Bandiana.
Federal Parliament’s public works committee gave the project the nod late last year when it endorsed a $752.7 million program involving Bandiana, Moorebank in Sydney and four other sites.
However, defence cuts ordered by the federal government have forced a reduction in the total defence logistics transformation program and individual projects.
The Bandiana project at Wadworth Barracks has been trimmed to $57.6 million from the original $80 million envisaged but it will still give the Border building industry a massive boost.
Joss Construction is the managing contractor for the Bandiana work in a joint venture with national company John Holland.
John Holland’s main role is to manage the complementary $210 million project at Moorebank in Sydney.
The two firms are responsible for managing the design and construction of the projects, while all design and construction activities are undertaken by subcontractors.
At Bandiana, most subcontractors are likely to be based in Albury-Wodonga.
Bandiana will become one of only seven logistics site in Australia.
It is the nation’s second largest site after Moorebank.
The new warehouse of pre-cast concrete slabs and steel will provide about a hectare of undercover area on a paddock next to Whytes Road, opposite the saleyards.
This will be the logistics unit’s third modern mega-warehouse at Wadsworth but will be smaller than the $27 million second warehouse Joss completed next door in 2010.
Some components, such as a new staff car park, have been modified in the trimming process.
Several timber-frame warehouses at Gaza Ridge Barracks will be demolished when the new one opens.
Joss won a $1.85 million contract to demolish several warehouses in the area in 2011-12.
The Bandiana base stores a vast array of military clothing and equipment as well as armoured and other vehicles.