Technical Tours
Friday 16th May
Technical Tours can be added during your registration or by logging in into your profile.
DEPART: Rydges Melbourne at 9:00am
RETURN: 12:00pm
Cost: $120
TOUR GUIDE: Les Stokes
Technical Tour #1: Integrated Water Management
Stop #1:
Fishermans Bend Water Sensitive City Strategy (NTRO, Port Melbourne)
The Fishermans Bend Water Sensitive City Strategy will be the largest water sensitive urban design project in Australia. It builds on sustainability goals for the precinct and will support the development of Fishermans Bend into a thriving place that is a leading example for environmental sustainability, liveability and innovation.
Stop #2:
Remix Raingardens (Port Melbourne)
Remix Raingardens seeks to enable climate resilience through implementing a sustainable and cost-effective drainage design. Using layers of locally generated waste materials, such as concrete, organic matter, wood, glass and more, the gardens will close the loop on local waste while contributing to the unique character of Fishermans Bend.
Stop #3:
Permeable Shared Path (Port Melbourne)
The waste from 1200 tyres has been used to create a permeable pavement that effectively prevents pooling on this shared path, improving safety and removing a disincentive to use the path after rain.
Technical Tour #2: Roads, Traffic & Transport
DEPART: Rydges Melbourne at 9:00am
RETURN: 1:00pm
Cost: $80
TOUR GUIDE: Maurice Serruto
PPE Gear Required to participate
Maximum 20 Participants
North East Link Project (Greensborough/Bulleen)
North East Link (NEL) is the largest investment in a road project in Victoria’s history. It will complete the missing link in Melbourne’s orbital freeway between an upgraded Eastern Freeway and the M80 Ring Road. NEL will improve traffic flow, reduce travel times, remove non-local traffic from local roads and increase reliability for road users with up to 135,000 vehicles using the freeway daily. NEL will take up to 15,000 trucks off local roads resulting in reduced travel times for freight and associated industries. NEL is expected to reduce travel times by up to 35 minutes across the project corridor.
Technical Tour #3: Waste & Resource Recovery
DEPART: Rydges Melbourne at 9:00am
RETURN: 3:00pm
Cost: $140
TOUR GUIDE: James Edmond
PPE Gear Required to participate
Lunch included
Stop #1:
Tyrecycle Processing Plant (Somerton)
A leader in tyre recycling, Tyrecycle has delivered strong environmental and economic outcomes by repurposing materials otherwise destined for landfill.
Stop #2:
Veolia Organics Facility (Bulla)
The Veolia organic waste facility uses state-of-the-art Australian-made technology to turn thousands of tonnes of organic waste into high-grade composts and mulches.
Sponsorship of the technical tours is available.
For more information, please contact Atit Shah.
DEPART: Rydges Melbourne at 9:00am
RETURN: 11:00am
Cost: $50
TOUR GUIDE: David Hallett
PPE Gear Required to participate
Technical Tour #4: Public Works Project Showcase (Walking Tour)
Princes Bridge, Yarra River (Melbourne)
Built in 1888 as a gateway into Melbourne’s central city, Princes Bridge remains one of the Yarra River - Birrarung’s most iconic crossings. City of Melbourne is restoring the bridge to ensure it can continue to support residents, workers and visitors into the future.
The restoration is being completed in sections along the bridge. Works on the first section (at the southeastern end of the bridge near Boathouse Drive) began in late 2023 and were completed in late 2024. Works on the second section (at the southwestern end of the bridge near Hamer Hall) began in late 2024 and are expected to be completed in late 2025. The full restoration project will take three years to complete and will conclude in 2026.