Bendigo GovHub providing a jobs boom

The Victorian Government is creating hundreds more jobs in the Bendigo region with a head contractor chosen to construct the city’s GovHub project.

The Icon Fairbrother joint venture had been appointed to deliver the project, which has a construction value of more than $90 million.

The joint venture between Bendigo-based builder Fairbrother and one of Australia and New Zealand’s largest construction providers, Icon, marries local project experience and trade relationships with large-scale commercial design and construction expertise.

Icon Fairbrother will work closely with Lyons Architects and Arup Engineering to design and build the multi-use development set to transform the heart of Bendigo.

The project is forecast to inject more than $130 million into the local economy and generate more than 200 new local jobs during construction. Up to 1,000 Victorian Government and City of Greater Bendigo workers will be accommodated in the building.

Early estimates suggested 100 new jobs would be created during the project’s construction, however the head contractor has indicated this number would be closer to 200 due to the project’s scale.

Reference to the region’s Traditional Owners will feature as part of the building, with the project team working alongside the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation to include Indigenous design elements and language in the architecture, landscaping and spaces. The building will also give a nod to Bendigo’s heritage.

A major environmentally sustainable design feature is Victoria’s largest timber frame, along with efficient indoor air quality systems, solar panels, water and energy monitoring systems. A civic forecourt on Lyttleton Terrace and a pocket park on Mundy Street will connect the GovHub to its surrounds and act as a community meeting point.