THE second Community Consultation Liaison Group meeting was held at Copeton Dam on Thursday last week to update key stakeholders on the project’s progress.

The group heard that 15 local people and 22 local businesses are currently engaged in the construction phase of the $60 million Copeton Dam upgrade.

The project involves the construction of a 250-metre-wide spillway to bring the dam into line with modern standards for extreme floods and one group member, Larry Cameron, said the group was taken on a tour of the work.

“When the machinery stopped operating for lunch they took us around to show us what work is being done and that was interesting,” Mr Cameron said.

Copeton Waters State Park will remain open throughout construction and work on the upgrade is progressing to schedule, with more than 250,000 cubic metres of earth and rock moved to date.

Site co-ordinator Duncan Wilson said project contractor Macmahon had been able to source workers from Inverell, Bingara, Bundarra and Guyra.

“Of the 42 workers on site, 15 are from the local area and 17 are from other parts of regional NSW,” Mr Wilson said.

“Almost half of the subcontractors and suppliers for the project are from Inverell, providing equipment, fuel, freight and other items.

“Macmahon has also engaged subcontractors and suppliers from Armidale, Moree and Tamworth,” Mr Wilson said.

Five people have also been employed under the contractor’s Indigenous employment program.

An additional 120 tonne excavator and two additional 100 tonne dump trucks have been moved to the site as well to shift material from the Diamond Bay area to make way for the new spillway.

“The area for the temporary bypass road which will divert traffic around the works has been cleared; the road should be operational by mid December,” he said.

The water level of the dam and normal water releases will not be affected by the works.

© 2011 Inverell Times

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