2025 Excellence Award Winners

Asset Management Award

Whitehorse City Council

From Spreadsheets to System: Transforming Asset Valuations Through Collaboration and System Integration

The former asset valuation process had complex spreadsheets and inconsistent data that left teams spending excessive time on manual tasks. The process also lacked clarity, making it difficult to track calculations and ensure compliance. A project was introduced to modernise the process and implement a valuation module tool within our asset system. This was achieved via collaboration between the Finance, Engineering and Asset teams. Together, an integrated solution was developed, providing a faster and accurate valuation. The outcomes were a resounding success; freeing up resources, strengthening data confidence and providing a foundation for better whole-of-life asset management.

Environmental Sustainability Award

Porous Lane/City of Glen Eira

Permeable car park pavement

Porous Lane is revolutionizing sustainable infrastructure with Australia’s first semi-flexible permeable pavement, made from over 50% recycled waste tyres. Designed to reduce urban flooding, enhance stormwater management and combat the urban heat island effect, Porous Lane integrates circular economy principles into construction. By diverting thousands of tyres from landfill and providing a durable, fully-recyclable alternative to traditional pavements, this innovative solution is transforming public works. Recognized by Tyre Stewardship Australia, Infrastructure Sustainability Council and Sustainability Victoria, Porous Lane is setting new standards for environmentally sustainable design in urban development.

Innovation Award

Wyndham City Council

Optimising Street Sweeping

The concept of ‘doing more with less’ is often discussed in local government and increasingly important as rate-capping pressures mount. In response, Wyndham has implemented a strategic initiative to optimize the deployment of street sweepers. This project leveraged tree inventory data, artificial intelligence and predictive modelling to optimize street sweeping schedules by forecasting leaf fall patterns in various locations throughout Wyndham. By analysing factors such as tree species, canopy size and location, the model could identify priority areas and allocate maintenance assets more intelligently to targeted areas for impactful outcomes. This data-driven approach allows for improved resource allocation, reduced unnecessary deployments and enhanced urban maintenance efficiency.

Public Works Project Award (< $2M)

City of Port Phillip

Lagoon Reserve Sports Field Redevelopment

Lagoon Reserve is a popular spot and beloved hub for sports clubs and local residents who use the area recreationally. Previously hampered by poor soil, an uneven surface and inadequate drainage, the sports field was in poor condition and negatively impacting the ability of local sports clubs and community members to use the grounds. The City of Port Phillip is committed to providing the local community with greater access to sport and recreation opportunities and have delivered this via the Lagoon Reserve upgrades that included a full reconstruction of the sports field oval, drainage, installation of cricket nets and new lighting. The improvements have ensured the reserve can be enjoyed year-round by a range of user groups!

Public Works Project Award ($2M - $5M)

City of Stonnington

Prahran Skate Park and Basketball Court Redevelopment

Prahran Skate Park and Basketball Court is an urban renewal project that successfully transformed an iconic but aged skate park with rich cultural heritage into a modern, multi-functional and world class facility. A key driver for success for this transformation was meaningful engagement with the local community and passionate stakeholder groups. Throughout the design process Council engaged closely with a community-led skate group headed by former Skate World Champion Renton Millar, as well as Prahran Summer Jam basketball event organisers, park users and local residents to ensure the redevelopment balanced cultural heritage preservation with modern design.

Public Works Project Award (> $5M)

Winner: Moorabool Shire Council

Aqualink Cycling and Walking Path

Aqualink is a 4.5km active transport project spanning the suburbs of Maddingley, Bacchus Marsh and Darley to connect the Werribee and Lerderderg river corridors. The project involved activating an old irrigation reserve by re-purposing it into a linear park that provides improved cycling and walking connections and incorporates multiple activity nodes. It offers the community non-car based transport opportunities and provides safe access to connect with key services including the Bacchus Marsh railway station. The pathway offers faster travel times to the railway station during peak periods compared with vehicle transport.

Public Works Project Award (> $5M)

Commendation: Merri-bek City Council

Balam Balam Place

Balam Balam Place in Brunswick is a new state-of-the-art cultural, creative and accessible hub, with welcoming and affordable spaces for creatives, artists and the Brunswick community. This $30 million transformation of the former Education site includes a multi-storey building that houses Blak Dot Gallery and provides creative spaces, restoration of the Heritage House building and retention of the frame of an old school building. The redevelopment created 3,500sqm of floorspace with accessible and functional buildings..

Public Works Project Award (> $5M)

Commendation: Whittlesea City Council

Olivine Recreation Reserve

Through a partnership between the City of Whittlesea and Mirvac, the Olivine Recreation Reserve project successfully introduced vital community and social infrastructure to the rapidly growing greenfield suburb of Donnybrook. Designed to address a lack of structured and informal sport and recreation opportunities within the new and emerging community, the project delivered a community and sports pavilion, two AFL/cricket ovals, two netball courts, cricket nets, an off-leash dog park, fitness station and ample carparking.

Emerging Public Works Leadership Award

Winner: Shaun Lucas

Shaun Lucas is a Senior Project Manager at Warrnambool City Council and a high-performing leader in the public works sector. Shaun has completed a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and a Graduate Certificate in Pavement Technology. At just 29, he has an extensive portfolio of project achievements, including;

The $2.6m Brierly Reserve Eastern Oval Redevelopment
The $850k Japan Street Flood Mitigation Project, and
Oversight and delivery of Council’s Civil Capital Works Program for Roads and Footpaths.

Public Works Leadership Award

Winner: Cohen Van der Velde

Cohen has held an impressive range of engineering, management and leadership roles with Bass Coast and Baw Baw Shire Councils since 2007. He is currently Director Strategy and Organisational Performance at Baw Baw Shire and has recently been Council’s Interim CEO. Cohen has been a long-time supporter of IPWEA Victoria and chaired our Gippsland Regional Group for several years. He also led our strategic planning session in December 2023 and facilitated the closing session of our Conference this afternoon.