48m piling barge arrives for Coomera Connector project in Queensland

Coomera Connector

Coomera Connector, queensland, Queensland Government,

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The 48m piling barge called ‘Maeve Anne’ will assist with building the 1km Coomera River Bridge as part of the Coomera Connector (Stage 1 North) project.

The Coomera Connector project is full steam ahead with the arrival of a unique piece of construction equipment onsite on the Coomera River – a 48-metre-long piling barge named the Maeve Anne.

The Maeve Anne has made the journey from the docks at Murrarie in Brisbane to her new home on the Coomera River, where she will assist with building the nearly one-kilometre-long Coomera River bridge as part of Stage 1 North.

The Maeve Anne will be used to build a temporary jetty on the northern banks of the Coomera River, which will be used to store material and equipment, and to move supplies and people out onto the river.

Once the jetty is installed, works will start on building 20 bridge marine piles, which will take about six months to complete. 

“Every milestone in the Coomera Connector’s construction puts us a step forward in getting tourists and Gold Coast locals home sooner and safer,” says Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

“The Coomera Connector ties in with the M1, the new Hope Island train station and the broader active transport network – catering for the rapid growth this region is seeing,” says Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

“Queensland’s Big Transport Build is underpinned by transformational infrastructure like the Coomera Connector, which will change the way people travel to and from the Gold Coast,” says Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The Maeve Anne will later be joined by her sister barge, the Suzanne, which will be used in the construction of the Coomera River bridge substructure, and to install bridge girders.

“The Coomera Connector is a game-changer for South-East Queenslanders – it means less time stuck in traffic and more time spent with loved ones enjoying Queensland’s great lifestyle,” says Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King.

“Works have ramped up over the past couple of months since construction started and it is wonderful to see the new motorway construction well underway,” says Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King.

“The delivery of this vital piece of infrastructure is estimated to support an average of 1,000 direct jobs over the life of the project,” says Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King.

The Maeve Anne is equipped with a 250-tonne crane and piling rigs that include vibratory (vibro) hammers and a fly drill, and will utilise a crew of around eight specialist marine construction workers on board and the barge.

The Suzanne will also have its own specialist crew and is equipped with a 500-tonne crawler crane.

Local mariners will notice some changed conditions on the Coomera River around the marine construction area, including a temporary navigation channel and reduced speed limits.

“The $2.16 billion dollar Coomera Connector is the single largest road project in our State’s history and it is fantastic to see works coming along,” says Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey.

“We know that the population across the city has exploded, in fact the Northern suburbs is one of the fastest growing region in the country,” says Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey.

The area will be clearly marked with buoys to ensure the safety of the project team and river users.

“From major investments in light rail and M1 upgrades to on-demand transport trials and delivery of the Coomera Connector, it’s the Palaszczuk Government building the infrastructure our city needs,” says Queensland Government Minister and Gold Coast MP Meaghan Scanlon.

“With our city’s population expected to reach close to 800,000 in the next 10 years, we’re investing more than $5 billion in road and rail projects across our city,” says Queensland Government Minister and Gold Coast MP Meaghan Scanlon.

The Australian and Queensland governments have committed $2.16 billion to plan and build Coomera Connector Stage 1 between Coomera and Nerang, with each investing $1.07 billion.

Major construction on the Coomera Connector started in March.

The new motorway is expected to open progressively to traffic from late 2025, with planning continuing for future stages.

Click here to read more about the project.

Source: © The State of Queensland 1997–2023

Image source: © The State of Queensland 1997–2023

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