Blogs
What does fast tracking mean for regional projects?
Read NowAfter the announcement of the NSW State Budget last year, the $3 billion Jobs and Infrastructure Acceleration Fund will fast track projects across the state. By fast tracking environmental legislation, the Federal and State Governments hope to aid the economic recovery of the State.
The creation of jobs and the guaranteed movement within the construction industry are the motivating factors for the fund, but what does this mean for regional projects?
Delivering jobs today and benefits tomorrow - that’s the promise of the fund and one that will have a positive impact on
. To be eligible for fast tracking, projects must demonstrate an ability to create jobs during and after the completion of construction. Boosting employment was, and remains, critical during the pandemic. Injecting substantial figures into health, education, and transport right across regional NSW, is critical to the economic recovery of the regions in which we live and work.Fast tracking has more than halved approval times for projects, ensuring the same stringent checks, balances and community consultation occurs. With approval for projects like the Inland Rail, the fund has provided regional businesses with consistent work throughout both the drought and the pandemic, with benefits having an on flow effect into accommodation providers and hospitality services in the areas work is being undertaken.
The
is another shovel ready project being addressed in NSW as a result of the fund. Improving safety and network reliability, the program will see pavement rehabilitation, seal extensions, resurfacing and routine maintenance for NSW roads. This work will provide the regional road network with some much needed urgent attention.Fast tracking environmental legislation is a major benefit for regional projects. More often than not, projects of all scales are delayed by the approval process, dragging out the positive impact they are set to make to the economy and local communities. Fast tracking will see regional areas reap the economical benefits of these projects sooner than initially planned for.
The Country Experience
Read NowThe experience of working in the country is often taken for granted by those who live it. Working life in the country consists of open spaces, friendly and supportive teams, and a help out attitude.
Due to the plethora of work opportunities and variety of working environments, you can find yourself dancing between mountain tops, open plains or bushland to name a few.
The office environment in a country town also has its perks. The small team becomes a type of family where they work together to complete projects as one. The community forms a large part of a country organisation, as mutual friends and colleagues are common, and connections to certain sites or businesses play a crucial role in project success.
Working in a rural setting broadens communication skill sets and provides an opportunity to develop experience on highly unique projects that differ greatly from an urban setting. With such a variety of work and the unique community experience it is understandable why a “tree change” is becoming so popular. So when in the country, look away from your desk and take in the wide spaces and fresh air because we love it.
Protecting biodiversity in the rail corridor
Read NowOne of the many struggles when starting a new project, particularly those that spread across a vast area, is measuring the biodiversity of the area. Protecting biodiversity hotspots is an important consideration in new developments, and new technologies are lending a helping hand.
Large scale projects like the Inland Rail have an ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability. Looking to go beyond impact minimisation, Inland Rail seeks to create opportunities for habitat restoration, and where impacts to biodiversity cannot be avoided, offset such impacts. With the help of vegetation mapping, based on a field survey and analysis of aerial photographs, planning for restoration and the reestablishment of native vegetation can be conducted effectively.
Across the seas in Britain, the Network Rail project has taken up satellite imagery as a significant tool for the execution of their sustainable vegetation management plan. In partnership with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the Network Rail follows a detailed habitat map that covers all areas of the rail project. With this information, it is possible to predict what animals and plants may be present in the area.
New technology is increasingly important in ensuring the sustainability of the rail industry, helping with the management of habitat, and ongoing monitoring of ecological trends. Breakthroughs like habitat mapping from satellite imagery are helping to minimise the impact on the natural environment.
As work continues in the surveying industry, and technology continues its rapid evolution, there will be huge growth opportunities for the industry to better its practices and improve overall accuracy. In terms of rail projects, the ability to protect biodiversity through the use of technologies creates an opportunity for greener travel and freight.
When do you need a land surveyor?
Read NowThe importance of design and construction in the building process is widely understood. Surveying is however, just as important but so often overlooked in residential builds. So when do you need a land surveyor?
Erecting a fence on your property isn’t as simple as you may think. Boundary disputes with neighbours are one thing to avoid at all costs, and with fences frequently placed in the wrong spot, awareness of the need for a surveyor is important. The only way to ensure boundaries are where you think they are is to engage a licensed surveyor to conduct a title re establishment. The surveyor will use a combination of the latest technologies and thorough knowledge of regulations to ensure your investment in a new fence all goes to plan.
The sentimental value of a family home stops many from buying or building a bigger residence that suits their family’s needs. The alternative - extending the existing structure. Home extension requires a residential identification survey for the analysis of boundaries, existing structures, and terrain. The survey is important for the designer and builder to ensure the extension can be made both safely and legally.
A surveyor should be your first contact when considering a subdivision. If they don’t already know the opportunities and restraints to subdividing your land, they are sure to know how to determine them. There are many considerations when subdividing including; topography, size, traffic flow etc. Survey results can be compiled into the submission for the application to your local council providing you with assurance that the application is accurate and hassle free.
Surveyors do more than just measure space - we navigate all aspects of land ownership. Surveying is vital to the success of your residential projects that involve significant land decisions.
A Renewable Future
Read NowIn the modern day of 2020, it is becoming clear that the public perception of the environment is becoming increasingly positive and stronger. The environment and its protection is generating a major commitment to ensuring a greener future.
Hanlons Environmental Compliance
Read NowEnvironmental compliance is a major player in project success. Compliance to State and Federal law is becoming the defining factor of the planning, construction and operational phases for projects.
The Drone Revolution
Read NowDrone technology has exploded within the last 5-10 years. With this has come industry changing technology that is revolutionising specific sectors. These primary target sectors have been identified as surveying, agriculture, mining, construction and emergency services.
As the technology becomes more robust, powerful and accurate, the uses for this flying unmanned technology grows exponentially. Aerial mapping is the primary function of today’s drones, using an array of different sensors. Industries are now using LiDAR, Infra-red, thermal and multispectral sensors for mission specific objectives to collect relevant data to ensure project success.
With data comes accuracy, and if a drone is able to relay and record its precise position, the uses for search and rescue, survey and reconnaissance, become increasingly relevant. The precise art of survey has challenged drone positioning to gain accuracy that is acceptable within the profession. The emerging survey drones are capable of 20mm positioning accuracy. This is the beginning of a lengthy service in the surveying industry. As drone technology matures, accuracy, power and cost will be shaped to industry needs and become a major player in the modern industrial revolution.
Contaminated Land
Read NowContaminated land can occur when a site has been involved with potentially hazardous substances and these materials and chemicals have not been managed effectively. Almost any site has the potential to become a contaminated site based on its historic use.
The Future is Plannable - Recap of NSW State Budget 2020-21
Read NowThere are very few industries worldwide that have a pipeline of government sponsored work coming out of a global pandemic. Our Engineering and Surveying industry is one of the lucky ones, but with luck comes a lot of hard work.
The Future of 3D Printing in Engineering
Read NowOver the last five years, 3D printing technology has produced numerous incredible structures all over the world, including 3D printed houses, cabins, offices, bridges, pavilions, large-scale structures and shelters.
The importance of accurate measurements
Read NowWhen designing a construction site, surveying is one of the more important parts of the whole process.
Engineers often develop a conceptual plan that’s practical for the site based on the survey results. One important factor is to balance “the cut and fill”, or determine the amount of dirt that needs to be added or removed. This information minimises the need to bring dirt in or take it off the site. If dirt has to be hauled away from or onto the site it can become costly to developers, public, private or individual clients.
Surveyors usually provide our engineers with the survey and in most cases a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) file. This shows the contours of the land and other features that might affect the long term design. By telling how steep the slopes are and where the dips or drainage areas are our engineers can correctly design solutions and properly complete the work.
When it comes to surveying and measuring vertical and horizontal distances the technology has advanced. Laser scanning and Drones are some of the latest technology used and are less laborious than some of the older methods. Hanlons surveyors are equipped with GPS which isn’t quite as accurate as traditional surveying methods, and in some cases it can’t be used. Hanlons can combine both traditional and contemporary methods by using both the GPS and surveying instrument depending on the location of the project and the accuracy required for that project.
The importance of accuracy needed on different projects depends on what type of survey you’re doing. For some projects the state has standards our surveyors must meet.
If it’s in a rural setting where you’re out surveying someone’s farm for instance, the standards are not as important as if you were doing a survey in downtown Tamworth for a new subdivision.
The role of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) at Hanlons
Read NowWe are always upskilling or keeping abreast of the latest technology in the industry, or keeping up with advancements of the existing tech too. We know that GPS technology isn't new and has been around since 1973, but what we need to know is how it is changing the landscape of surveying.
Initially developed for military use, GPS is now part of everyday life. Let us mention the usual car navigation systems or mobile technology, but also the search and rescue equipment and since the 1990s, surveying.
We have been rapidly adapting GPS for a number of different applications. GPS can give longitude, latitude and height without the need for conventional surveying tools and instruments. It can make our surveyors cars less cluttered and our muscles less bulky from carrying equipment (but that doesn't stop us from going to the gym). We believe that the speed and accuracy of GPS surveying has gone beyond any other invention of previous tools or measuring systems.
There are three methods of GPS measurement that are utilised by our surveyors.
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Static GPS Baseline: determines accurate coordinates for survey points
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Real Time Kinematic (RTK) Observations: One stationary receiver and one roving receiver allowing radio links for coordinate corrections.
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Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS): survey quality GPS receiver is permanently installed in a location as a starting point for any GPS measurements
Most of the surveying methods produce more than the minimum number of observations needed to calculate positions or heights for most projects. So it is possible for a position or height to be calculated by several paths through the network of observations and get slightly different results because of the uncertainties in surveying.
We only use the best, and part of that is Leica Geosystems, distributed by C.R.Kennedy, Survey Solutions. Thousands of engineers rely on their diverse visualising, positioning and guiding solutions every day delivering unmatched precision and performance. Hanlons is no different. Reliable systems designed to stand up to the harsh environments that our surveyors and engineers endure.
Celebrating 15 years at Hanlons Consulting.
Read NowCelebrating Tim’s 15th anniversary at Hanlons this month, there is no better opportunity then to “level up”.  cropped.jpg)
We googled the best way to celebrate a 15th anniversary, with the finest suggestion being “give them the day off”, well sorry Tim, we are too busy for that! So we chose the second suggestion, a Thank You (and maybe a cake, but that is yet to be decided).
Tim has been a vital part of our business for the past 15 years, starting as an engineering surveyor and now our Operations Manager, Tim motivates and encourages our staff, he supports our clients, and has a thorough understanding of our industry.
Not only is Tim an essential part of our team, he is an upstanding member of our Tamworth community. Never doing anything by halves, Tim is the past president of Collegians Junior Rugby League Club, Tamworth District Minor League Club, and past Jnr Vice President, Group 4 Jnr Rugby League. Over the years he still found time to play for the Kootingal Rugby League Club, from which he has now retired a hero. When he is not working or doing his bit for the community, he is chasing after his three active boys.
It's our birthday, and we will blog if we want to!
Read NowWe thought if we kept quiet, no one would know, but now we have hit our 17th birthday it's time to shout out from the rooftops.
Seventeen years is not a short amount of time in our industry. With technology advancements and changes to regulations, restrictions and practices, Hanlons are proud to have made it this far.
Over the past
we have learnt a lot about business, people and our practice within the engineering and surveying industries.
Lets get sappy and reflect on what we have learnt.
Investing in your own business is crucial. Running your own business is a learning curve, and we have learnt investing, not only in the technology, programs and software, but in the right people, is critical. The success of Hanlons is due to the hard work of our people. We are the ones that stand up, stand out and get things done. We invest in trainee and mentoring programs, and support our staff to further their skills in the industry. This investment has allowed us to move into the future of surveying and engineering in Australia.
Being Genuine, Being Valuable. Everybody hates a fake smile. In regional Australia, genuine transparency is the only way forward. There is nothing worse than bad advice in our industry. It can be both costly and deadly. If our team doesn't know the answer, they will tell you straight up, then they will go and find it. Hanlons take pride in our values and being genuine, that's what makes us priceless.
Almost everything is simple, but almost nothing is easy. The surveying and engineering industry is full of processes, giving a clear road map on how things “should” be. However there are many ways to complete one job, and there are always multiple jobs in each project. There are times where we all want to do it the simpler way, but we now know to ask “is it the best” because it probably won't be the easiest.
Our goal for the next 17 years is to remain an industry leader in all areas. The changing landscape (literally) of our industry allows us to better ourselves every year as a team.
The Subtle Art of Successful Subdivision
Read NowA vast expanse of potential. That’s what the team at Hanlons see when a client takes them on a site inspection for a subdivision. The decision to subdivide land can be made for a number of reasons, but doing it well to maximise returns and be sympathetic to the existing environment requires skill and local knowledge, areas where Hanlons excels.
Many would-be developers often fall over because they haven’t got the right advice from the start of the project. Finance, approvals and engaging builders and contractors all rely on having a solid foundation to work from to ensure the project’s viability. Any corner cut by Surveyors and Engineers will come back to haunt the team later in the project - a bad outcome for all involved. Setting a realistic budget, consulting with all stakeholders for project timelines and strong communication are essential to a successful subdivision.
So what are you actually paying a consulting firm to do?
When planning a subdivision, Hanlons have an exhaustive list of tasks to ensure a successful outcome for our clients, including: assess the site; review market demand for the preferred lot type; develop and cost lot layout concepts; review Council policies and guidelines; obtain planning consent; prepare construction documents; issue invitations to tender to build the roads, drainage, water supply and sewer mains; supervise construction; obtain Council approval to the finished works; and finally, prepare, lodge and obtain registration of the subdivision plan at Land Registry Services so new titles can be issued.
As you can see - this is where a multi-disciplinary firm such as Hanlons is an advantage, able to handle all aspects of the planning process under one roof.
Planning a subdivision is a complex process, but having the right people in your team will make the process less stressful.
So why is railway surveying so important?
Read NowAustralia’s national freight volume is increasing and the outdated rail network just can't cope.
For the trains to become longer and bigger to deal with this increased volume, existing track alignment needs to be rebuilt or new tracks need to be opened. In addition to this, the fourth industrial revolution that is upon us, which is that of big data, automation, and new materials, are bringing new trains into use that will stretch our existing rail network.
The impact of this outdated rail network is stagnant productivity. The National Freight and Supply Chains strategy has shown that freight costs have not reduced since the reforms of the 1990s. The strategy identified that Australia needs improved efficiency and international competitiveness; safe, secure and sustainable operations; a fit for purpose regulatory environment; innovative solutions to meet freight demand; a skilled and adaptable workforce; and an informed understanding and acceptance of freight operations. Once the Inland Rail is completed, the percentage of freight by rail will more than double from 26% to 62% by 2049-2050. Which is lucky, as there is not enough road capacity to move the expected freight growth, making rail the only solution.
Nationally, there is a new standard called AS 7364 Railway Infrastructure - Survey. It is an attempt to standardise the approach to developing the survey infrastructure and approach to providing rail surveying support during construction and operation. The aim is to provide an element of assurance that a railway network can operate in a safe manner. It provides mandatory and recommended guidance so the developed rail survey system is aligned with the safe operation of the railway network, in accordance with the requirements of Rail Safety National Law.
One of the key recommendations is the use of a geospatial reference grid system. With the available technology, there is no reason why a rail project should not be on a national or state grid system. Whilst engineers do not like scale factors, assets with coordinates can be better managed in a spatial management system under the life cycle plan. Moreover, train automation is coming (if not here) and the alignment and signal system must sit within a digital database and management system if the automated train is to properly function.
Survey is part of the asset life cycle of a railway. Surveyors collect the raw data, ensure the spatial model of the design is correct, provides oversight in the construction phase, checks build compliance and provides a final spatial model. Ongoing track monitoring may also be required. Due to the intimate nature of the process, many surveyors go onto become track designers. Here at Hanlons, we train our surveying graduates to be track designers and work in conjunction with the other allied engineering disciplines to provide a final design product, one we've often had to provide surveying oversight during construction.
However, railway surveying is a small part of the surveying profession. Many of the government trained surveyors are close to retirement and no training program exists like the government cadet systems. The surveying profession has to develop its own training and mentoring program otherwise there will be projects that are delayed or poorly delivered.
Fortunately, Consulting Surveyors National and Hanlons have come together and developed a training program that covers all aspects of track design: terminology, track geometry, speed calculations, structure gauge, transit space and kinematic envelopes, level crossing assessment, turnouts and catch-points, control surveys, boundaries, transom bridge design, safety in design, and environmental assessment. It is early days yet but it is hoped that this body of knowledge can be passed onto the next generation so Australia has the opportunity to reach its full potential.
Your Project, Our Passion
Read NowA one-stop shop for your next infrastructure project may seem like you are getting a jack-of-all-trades, master of none type business. But Hanlons is different - our staff are experts in their fields, and working together under one office means we can ensure our clients get high quality results with no stone left unturned.
One of the things our clients love about us is that we work hard, and get dirty. Let’s take a look at why our approach has given us such a strong reputation in the industry, and why Hanlons should be your next project manager.
1. On Budget, and On Time
We know the importance of having a project delivered on budget and on-time. At the end of the day, we have our own projects too and know the frustrations that come with project delays and the financial ramifications. From building a house or implementing a new software system, to complex, multi-million dollar infrastructure projects - the same core principles should apply. Get it done, and get it done right the first time.
2. Get the right people
If we don’t know, find someone who does. If something does fall outside our area of expertise, we won’t just “fake it ‘til we make it”. We have a list of preferred subcontractors which are constantly being audited and assessed to ensure we get the right information to avoid delays in your project.
3. We know this land
We are country folks with big city qualifications, and we embed ourselves in the areas where we work. Our offices may be in Tamworth, NSW but our vehicles and staff are recognisable across rail networks and properties all over NSW and southern QLD. By working with locals we can find out the best solution for your infrastructure or development project, and build on these relationships for the future of your project.
Want to know more? Contact our office to learn more about why Hanlons continues to be the preferred choice for rail and infrastructure projects across the state.
The Importance of Training & Continual Development
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Our cadet programs see employees complete their degree from distance education while gaining on the job experience, Graduate Surveyors need to complete post-graduate competency exams, and our fully qualified staff are regularly undertaking specialised study in a field of their interest.
This thirst for knowledge and continual improvement lay the cornerstone of our professional training program which we incorporated into our HR system. But we felt it was important that people weren’t just learning because they had to, but because they were engaged and interested in the topics.
We have seen a number of benefits from our training program, and in particular a knowledge transfer between generations within our staff. Our older employees are able to impart their experience and lessons learned to younger staff, while tech-savvy younger staff are able to help keep the team up-to-date with technology and compliance. As more and more systems move online we have found it extremely valuable to have already opened up these channels of communication.
Another foundation of our continual development at “lessons learned” sessions, where the team openly discusses the successes and failings of recent projects, and what we can learn from them for the future. This honest and constructive feedback and exchange of ideas is facilitated either in-house or by an external provider, and is proving to be beneficial to our commitment to excellence as a business .
It's all about the "one percenters", those who are conscious that it’s the little things we do everyday which lead to big actions. If we at Hanlons can turn that one percent into five or even more, we are helping create a workforce that benefits clients. Even more importantly - we are empowering our staff with the knowledge they are gaining new skills and helping deliver high quality outcomes to their community, and that’s something worth investing time in.
Why Surveying and Construction are Essential Services
Read NowThe Covid-19 crisis has seen countries around the world implement tough lockdown measures, with only essential services running for many communities. As the restrictions in Australia strengthen, there have been many questions about what is essential, and why are some industries able to continue operating as usual, albeit at 1.5m apart. So why should surveyors and engineers be able to visit job sites still? And why is the construction industry considered essential at this time?
Site visits allow works to progress at all stages of a project, from the initial planning to the final handovers. Whether it’s a major infrastructure project or a property subdivision, having a pipeline of projects ready to go is essential to improving morale and providing important economic uplift.
Surveyors and engineers are crucial in ensuring transport infrastructure is maintained (how else are we going to keep getting toilet paper delivered to our supermarkets if our roads fail?). Rail lines and roads need to be looked after to ensure country-to-city grain and coal deliveries can occur and food supply lines remain open. Working on site with maintenance operational crews ensures the right maintenance option is being selected, to avoid further damage down the track as the result of a quick fix which doesn’t last.
While it doesn’t feel like it now - this isn’t going to last forever, and the economy is going to need a restart once we get through the pandemic. The construction sector and infrastructure projects are a great way to distribute wealth through communities, particularly in regional Australia. In remote areas, workers stay in hotels, buy supplies and food locally and often contractors take on local employees. In larger centres, firms are generally available to do the project work, but a good firm knows that nothing beats a local business doing local projects. Larger, national firms normally employ a local surveyor who would know the site and have an emotional commitment to seeing the works done well.
It’s inevitable that Federal and State Governments will roll out a number of infrastructure projects to help the recovery efforts, but it’s essential that private projects also tick along during this time. While the country looks at lockdown, there are many private projects with funding already allocated to planning and design, and surveyors and engineers can get these projects to the next stage of an approvals process while things are quiet so construction can commence at the earliest opportunity. Sometimes the change from the ordinary can lead to new ideas or concepts, and the idea for a project or new development may strike when looking at a tree in the garden. Talk to a surveyor to bounce ideas to see if the project has legs, you’d be surprised at their depth of knowledge regarding the whole process!
In conclusion, allowing access to sites (while adhering to social distancing measures and government guidelines) ensures economic activity can restart quickly when the pandemic passes, while also keeping vital transport infrastructure networks operational. Our team may not be in the office but we are still working, talk to the team today if you have any questions regarding your project and our new arrangements.
Planning ahead - Where to start again after Natural Disaster
Read NowAustralia wasn’t even two months into 2020 when many regions had experienced not just bushfires, but flood and storm damage too and now we have moved onto self distancing and isolation because if COVID 19.
When people consider natural disasters, they often consider the physical damage and clean-up relief efforts, or the emotional toll the loss of a home can have on people. But many don’t consider that once the clean-up is finished the land can often be permanently altered, for example a new gully or a change in physical property boundaries with a landslide. This is where surveyors and environmental engineers provide assistance in rebuilding communities.
Land surveyors can assess, confirm, or if needed remap property boundaries to ensure fair distribution of land in conjunction with existing land records. Because of the change in landscape this requires careful and sophisticated measuring techniques, including angle measurement, position determination, reference networks and datums. The introduction of drone technology into this process, especially for coastal surveying after storms, has delivered a huge advancement in this area.
Environmental engineers can prepare and undertake a wide variety of assessments including contaminated site, bushfire, hydrology and planning studies to help regulatory bodies, builders and/or landowners determine the most appropriate steps that need to be taken to ensure the new development meets planning and environmental regulations.
Natural disasters are unavoidable, but careful planning and seeking the right advice in the design stages of your project (from large infrastructure to residential developments) can hopefully minimise the damage caused to your assets. It’s in this planning that the value of a multi-disciplined consultancy such as Hanlons is best demonstrated, with one-team able to handle all facets of a project to ensure all bases are covered.
Surveying the Team
Read NowAt Hanlons we talk at length about the range professional services we provide and the talented team we have delivering them. From surveyors, engineers and rail designers to environmental engineers and drafting officers – our staff have extensive regional experience to ensure our customers get the most from us.
Engineering Surveyor-
Now that you know what they do, learn more about our team here.
Thoughts on zoning
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If our homes are our castles, we should be able to do pretty much anything we want there, right? Well, not exactly. There are these things zoning codes and regulations that can influence our rights by restricting them.
Mitchel Hanlon announced as speaker at ARA Light Rail 2020
Read NowWe are thrilled to announce our Managing Director Mitchel Hanlon has been invited to speak at the Informa Australia and ARA Light Rail 2020 Conference, to be held in March.
Mitchel will be presenting with Michelle Blicavs, CEO of Consulting Surveyors National about Asset Life Cycle Management, with a focus on the Newcastle Light Rail.
Mitchel and Michelle will be the first surveyors to speak at the conference, which brings together operators, manufacturers, contractors and industry and government stakeholders across the Light Rail sector in Australasia.
Light rail investment is currently at record levels, with networks recently opening in Newcastle, Sydney and Canberra. We look forward to being part of the future shaping of these networks as Light Rail continues to grow in popularity.
Hanlons Surveyor wins Augustus Alt Prize
Read NowCongratulations to Hanlons Graduate Surveyor Lachlan Smith who last Friday was awarded the Augustus Alt Prize by the NSW Board of Surveying and Spatial Information.
The prize was presented by NSW Surveyor General Narelle Underwood in a ceremony at Parliament House Sydney, alongside the Association of Consulting Surveyors NSW President Michael Lamont.
"Lachlan is a Dungowan local who has shown the value of fostering regional talent. Coming through Hanlons’ cadet program and obtaining his degree by distance education, he has shown that with hard work and the right attitude you can achieve anything," said Managing Director Mitchel Hanlon.
he Augustus Alt Prize is awarded for the best result in an Engineering project for the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information's assessments. The project involved the engineering design of a housing estate, including roads, sewerage, drainage, water mains, and construction management.
"People often think of surveying as just relating to property boundaries, but really surveyors are integral to the town planning and civil engineering functions of a community. Working in a regional area Lachlan has had exposure to a variety of projects which has been extremely beneficial to his professional development, as proven by this prize," said Mr Hanlon.
The Hanlons cadetship programmes are now open! If you are interested in a career in surveying or are currently studying a Surveying/Engineering degree you can learn more on our Careers page.
Demand for Surveyors Continues to Grow
Read NowWhenever we’re at a BBQ or social gathering, one of the first questions we’re asked is “How is work going?”, and the answer for us always seems to be “Flat out!”.
What is and how to be a trainee surveyor!
Read NowThere are a number of routes you can take to become a trainee Surveyor in this day and age. But essentially you can start your career path right out of school! Ideally you will have an interest in Maths, English, and Geography, but within a traineeship it is all on the job learning.
Click here to see what careers Hanlons has to offer!
Level Crossings
Read NowRegional NSW Level Crossing Upgrades
We were recently engaged by both John Holland CRN and ARTC to undertake survey and engineering design for the upgrade of 12 level crossings across regional NSW.
For 6 weeks, our surveyors criss-crossed the countryside performing detail and property boundary surveys at each level crossing site. This information was important. The surveys allow our rail designers (who are also surveyors) to know what railway and road infrastructure is on the ground.
Most of the crossings were in a poor state. The level crossing building program is important for public safety, operational efficiency and return on investment.
Our surveyors also provided construction support. After all, the road and the rail levels have to match and with the heavier truck loads and greater vehicle traffic, its important level crossings are done right.
Concrete re-sleepering on the Main West
Read NowSurvey and Design
John Holland Rail CRN have an ongoing program of concrete re-sleepering of steel sleepers on their tight radius curves. The new sleepers will keep provide longer track stability and ride.
This means the track alignment needs to be determined or designed and analysis undertaken to make sure the available transit is sufficient for trains to pass through. Bridges such as the one on the left were assessed to determine if passing trains have sufficient space to pass safely.
This requires high-order control and track pick-up surveys followed by detailed track design.
Upon design approval, re-sleepering construction can commence, often in conjunction with the removal and replacement of fouled ballast. Survey constuction support ensures the design is achieved thereby maximising the asset life.
This project was over 1800 metres long at Newbridge near Bathurst. This is one of four similar projects on the Main West line.
Regional roads - how important? Very!
Read NowWe were recently engaged by Liverpool Plains Shire Council to undertake engineering design for the upgrade of the Merriwa to Willow Tree Road. Now this road traversed the Liverpool Range and meeting Austroads' design standards was difficult. A Safety in Design report was as important as the the construction drawings. After all, whilst reducing travel times is important, getting to one's destination safely is the overarching goal. The site is mountaineous and often single-laned. The new design had to allow for rural 2-way traffic. This meant rigid trucks as well as light passenger traffic.
The before and after photos says it all. A great final result for an important road link.
Being a regional graduate surveyor - accepting the challenge
Read NowWe've recently taken on a graduate surveyor to help out with our rail services team.
Jacky had previously worked on medium density and hospital projects in Sydney so he wasn't too sure what it was like working in a regional environment. I'm very close to his boss and had rang seeking recommendations on recruitment specialists. We traditionally recruit from the the regions we work in. Kids from the country already know of the challenges they and their families face. Coping with these challenges is in their DNA. Yet the work still poured in so we had to try a new strategy....hiring city surveyors!!
A city born surveyor was new to us. Moreover, what we do is new to Jacky. He is still wrapping his head around the wide range of skill sets we have. I know he's a bit trepidations about our expectations of all our staff. We've found over the years that some step-up and accept the challenge and others don't or can't. Either way is OK as we don't want people to hate coming to work. At the end of the day, you've got to love what we do and there is nothing worse than seeing someone hate their job.
In this line of work, you've got to love the job challenges and the work environment.
When you're on a job site doing the setting out of a railway you designed last week and you're suddenly asked about the region's socio-economic status as a result of improved freight movements, you need to think fast and not be a narrow technician. The fact that the surveyor has established the first survey control network, detailed the site, re-established the corridor boundaries, assessed the roads at the rail crossings, considered the environment and designed the track alignment and drainage is a considerable skill set. Many years of post-graduate on the job training is required followed by competency assessments by the client to gain engineering authority and the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information. All this can only be achieved through personalised mentoring and a structured training program.
I keep telling our people that we're problem solvers and that we use our surveying education, training and experience to solve problems. The client doesn't care about your qualifications, all he cares about is you being able to solve his problem and without causing any headaches. Make the client's problem disappear and you'll continue to get work. Anticipate future problems and he'll give you more. That's how a good surveyor becomes invaluable to a client.
That's what we do and a lot of people struggle with that responsibility. Hence the need for mentoring and a structured training program. But this isn't enough without innate curiosity to learn new skills, to like being challenged and to discover purpose.
We've taught Jacky how to drive a 4WD, he's met his first wombat and snake, and been taught the language of regional Australia. What's he's found is that country people are accepting and willing to give anyone a go.
made the mistake of trying to drive one of the survey vehicles in front of 20 railway workers. At the time, he wasn't familiar with the manual gears of the ute. The resulting kangaroo hops automatically endeared him to the team. In a world where no one is called by their actual name, Jacky's is now "Skip". If Jacky isn't on a job site, we're asked "Where's Skip"? You gotta love Aussie humour.
Track reconstruction at Gemalla - how a railway gets built
Read NowEver wanted to know what Hanlons are up to when we are out of the office and "on site''?
If any of our measurements are off, the trains can't reach the design speed, timetables aren't met and the life of the hardware (i.e. rail and sleepers) is reduced. The exactness of the measurements and calculations comes into play from beginning to end, ensuring the maximum return on public investment in infrastructure is achieved.
We are lucky that we can travel this great land and see what it has to offer, while doing the job we love.
Temora Grain Terminal - Why efficient grain handling is important
Read NowGrain Corp's rail loadout facility at Temora Sub Terminal require full pavement depth reconstruction, skim reconstruction for ballast renewal and realignment. The Hanlons team provided work plans, design report and survey support during construction works. It's important these facilities are maintained particularly during the current drought, any grain produced this season needs to be transported in the most efficient manner possible.
Australian grain farmers annually grow 45 million tonnes of wheat, barley, oats, sorghum, canola and pulses such as chickpeas and faba bean, which at the farm gate alone is worth $13.5 billion. This production generates more than 170,000 jobs in rural and regional areas across Australia. Over 70% of Australia’s grain production is exported, earning some $11.4bn in export earnings annually, and accounting for more than a quarter of all agricultural export earnings.
With these figures in mind, the Temora Sub Terminal required higher axle loadings on our regional rail network and efficient "first mile" and "last mile" loading and receival facilities in other locations.
Without them, farmers and the local economy could not be sustained.
WR Connect - the MIA's newest freight intermodal
Read NowWR Connect is the freight terminal at between Leeton and Griffith at Wumbulgal The masterplan, launched on 30th June 2018, showcased the master plan and road linkages study for the WRConnect.
WR Connect is an operational freight terminal built on a budget to aggregate grains, cotton and hay for export via rail. The masterplan project is a joint venture of five Councils (Leeton, Griffith, Carrathol, Narrandera and Murrumbidgee), NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet and Transport for NSW.
The site sits in Leeton Shire on the boundary with Griffith City Council. It's located within NSW’s most productive agricultural region, the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. The establishment of an expanded, efficient, state-of-the-art and common access intermodal freight terminal at WRConnect will support the modal shift of containerised agricultural and manufacturing freight in the Region onto rail and allow the economic benefits to be realised.
The project aligns with the NSW government’s 20 Year Economic Vision for Regional NSW and the Western Riverina Regional Economic Development Strategy. It also reflects Leeton Shire Council’s Community Strategic Plan which recognises the importance of good road and rail connectivity and, as the demand for freight doubles by 2031, highlights that the facility at WRConnect will need to be expanded to accommodate this. Government funding will enable the vision is achieved.
We were tasked with the privilege of project managing the technical matters with the masterplan and with authoring the road linkages study. We worked closely with all parties to ensure that the project will be a success. This is another opportunity for our firm to bolster the economy of a great part of regional NSW.
Why good regional policy matters and why we care
Read NowFor over 30 years, the people at Hanlons Consulting have been involved with a number of projects that are transformative to their local economy. With projects ranging from poultry farms, bridges, housing estates, main roads, railways, bio-digesters, air training academies and freight terminals the Hanlons team are proud of their input. The ever changing landscape nationally has allowed us to drill into the socio-economic data and regional economic development strategies for many projects and communities.
As a firm of country people with a regional focus, the numbers and prose in the many policy and strategy documents resonate in both a good and bad way. They always have good intent but their implementation leaves much to be desired. Good policy can have immediate impact in creating stable jobs and building sustainable communities. As for bad policies, well let’s just say the organisations who develop bad policies get to hear quickly from us that their “grand plan” isn’t as good as first thought.
Our team has been far and wide and when we really start thinking about it, there are few inland country towns where we don’t know someone. Many of their stories are the same but each has their own country twist, from the black soil in the west to the sand in the east.
Hanlons work is complete when we see our projects contribute a positive effect across our own communities. We have a vested interest in seeing Hanlons projects succeed, as we are part of the end result. Our projects successes affects us personally just as they affect our friends and our families.
Hanlon re-brand
Read NowThe Hanlon re-brand is featured on page 27 of this month’s edition of The Surveyor. Thanks to the team at KEO for helping us on the journey.
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Bringing like minds together with the Railway Surveying Working Group
Read NowOur very own Mitch Hanlon, Managing Director of Hanlons, has written a very thought provoking article in The Surveyor on page 20 of the December Edition.
Mitch brings to light the importance of building networks based on knowledge, guidance and government for the future of Railway Surveying and Track Design. Hanlons have joined forces with like-minded surveyors across Australia to form the Railway Surveying Working Group to focus on what lies ahead for the rail industry.
Have a read, have a think, make a comment. We want to know your thoughts.