Bathurst Correctional Centre

Client
Hansen Yuncken

Location
Bathurst, New South Wales

Completed
2020

Value
$120 million

Role
Hydraulic Engineer

Bathurst Correctional Centre is part of the NSW Government’s $3.8 billion investment into increasing capacity in the state’s prisons to meet demand.

This project involved the addition of a further 220 beds, expansion of bulk store and grounds maintenance buildings, a new master control room, health services, education and administration buildings, (including the gatehouse and reception areas), staff and visitor parking and new perimeter road, fencing and entry road modifications.

Project Challenges

Principal Hydraulics Engineer Ian Stalker, started the hydraulics engineering for the Bathurst project and also carried out a number of site inspections as the construction continued.

“Designing a system that met the demand for water was the challenge of the job,” said Ian. “During peak water usage times, in the morning and at night, the facility would draw over 30L/s out of the council water main and largely starve the surrounding areas of water.

To alleviate this we designed a 630,000L underground storage tank that automatically fills during the night, when the council water main demand is at its lowest. Built into this hydraulic system is four days of water and sewerage storage so that in the case of an emergency, the prison can be function autonomously.”