Focus

Goldwind announced today Gradco has completed $10 million of road upgrades to existing roads within the Central Highlands region of Tasmania.

Gradco, a Tasmanian company based in Launceston, was engaged by Goldwind in mid-2018 to undertake works to facilitate the delivery of wind turbine components and associated equipment to the Cattle Hill Wind Farm site.

Senior Project Manager for Gradco, Will Diprose said completion of the works was a collective effort by many employees and subcontractors.

“Gradco had a team of over 65 full time staff throughout the project, whilst being supported by approximately 80 subcontractors at various stages of the works. Local subcontractors engaged ranged from surveyors to plant and equipment hire to traffic management and cleaners.” commented Will.

Goldwind Project Manager for the Cattle Hill Wind Farm, Ronan Creedon said the deliveries of Goldwind turbine components to the project site has now commenced.

“Oversized, slow-moving vehicles will be transporting components on 528 occasions between March and August.

“The loads will travel from the Port of Bell Bay through Launceston, Campbell Town, Melton Mowbray and Bothwell to the project site via Bell Bay Road, the East Tamar Highway, the Midland Highway, Highlands Lakes Road, Waddamana Road and Bashan Road.

“Goldwind places a high importance on road safety for all road users and acknowledges the inconvenience that encountering these deliveries may cause. All loads will travel in accordance with the relevant permit conditions and will be accompanied by pilot vehicles and in some cases police escorts.” commented Ronan.

Construction of Cattle Hill Wind Farm commenced mid-2018, with the project to be fully operational in late 2019. Approximately 120 staff are currently working on site, with up to 150 expected during construction peaks. Six of the permanent maintenance staff for the project have already been engaged, with up to 10 permanent maintenance staff required once the wind farm is complete.

Once operational, Cattle Hill Wind Farm will produce clean energy to power approximately 63,500 Tasmanian homes.