Navigating the complexities of major projects

As a Detail Design and Construction project, the Tonkin Gap had three key elements to help alleviate the major bottleneck along Tonkin Highway while maintaining traffic flows during construction and meeting sustainability standards.  

Our ‘Australia first’ design, construction innovations and collaborative efforts guided by sustainability principles resulted in a 6 per cent reduction in water usage, 4 per cent lower energy use and a 12 per cent reduction in embodied carbon.  

“Being part of this initiative underscores our commitment to setting new benchmarks for sustainable infrastructure development and creating lasting community benefit for generations to come,” said Alexandra Piper, GHD’s Project Director.

Spearheading the Project and Design Management aspect for GHD as part of the Tonkin Gap Alliance team was Craig Hugo, GHD’s Business Group Leader for WA Transport Infrastructure and Client Relationship Manager for WA Contractors.  

With over 17 years of professional experience in planning, managing and designing large-scale, complex works, Craig knows plenty about what’s it like to pursue, win and deliver major projects with impact. 

First and foremost, building a strong team – both internally and externally – is key. Craig emphasises the importance of selecting collaborative design and contractor partners to work with. 

"Selecting our design and contractor partners is crucial. Building relationships based on trust, integrity and collaboration with our key delivery partners is vital in enabling a team to successfully pursue opportunities and deliver projects," said Craig.

The construction of the Mooro-Beeloo Bridge, a major component of the Tonkin Gap project, involved creative thinking from the team. Instead of using a temporary pier to launch the 330m-long structure, the team extended an existing launching girder to reduce material and energy use, creating the longest launching girder used in the country at that time. This innovative approach minimised the impacts to the Swan River, which plays an important environmental and cultural role in the local community. 

"Throughout my career, I’ve seen the immense value of having the right team members in getting shortlisted and winning projects. It’s been a privilege watching and assisting people grow and evolve into leaders in their fields, and then become key players in the next winning team," said Craig. 

Mazyar Razmavar, Technical Director - Roads & Civil, also worked with Craig on the Tonkin Gap Project, and underscored how much the team mattered to Craig: 

“Craig fostered a collaborative environment where team members felt valued and guided the team with a clear design vision while balancing project goals and user needs.” 

Working on major infrastructure projects is inherently dynamic, with priorities constantly shifting in response to new and evolving challenges, all while adhering to project timelines and budgets.  

The Tonkin Gap Alliance team had to tackle one of the biggest challenges in modern infrastructure projects – delivering on time and within budget during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The project was fast-tracked to quickly stimulate Western Australia’s economy, so the team had to manage with a reduced scope of preliminary development work and the absence of sustainability planning work. They also had to deal with the transition to remote work and the possibility for unplanned absences. 

“You’re always solving problems, and often you have to adjust your focus and priorities on a day-to-day basis. It's critical to think quickly and be decisive when delivering major projects,” said Craig. 

Managing client and stakeholder expectations, while making sure the team understands project priorities, is coordinated, and feels supported is a balance that Craig believes is crucial for success, especially for major projects. 

Behzad Golfa, Technical Director – Bridges, worked with Craig on the Tonkin Gap Project as the Senior Structural Engineer, highlighting Craig’s strength in aligning the needs of stakeholders. 

“Craig had a great ability to balance the perspectives of both the contractor and the engineering team, always staying focused on finding practical, efficient solutions to keep the project moving forward,” said Behzad. “He handled challenges well, maintained clear communication and made sure all stakeholders were aligned, which made a big difference in the project's success.”

Craig sees major projects not only as tasks to be completed but as opportunities for development. He aims to grow his team’s capabilities, so that each project contributes to building a more skilled and adaptable talent pool. 

"Major projects present themselves as a challenge for our team to grow,” said Craig. “I like to go into these projects thinking, ‘How is doing this job going to make the next job easier?’ 

“By planning for experience and development opportunities when assembling a delivery team from a project’s inception, we achieve success with current technical leads and cultivate new ones. This approach develops our team members' skills and potential by a project’s conclusion, positioning them as the next wave of technical leaders.” 

Jason Chan, Senior Civil Engineer, took on the challenge working on the Tonkin Gap as his first major project. He worked closely with Craig across a number of project elements and was responsible for managing service relocations. Due to the project’s long procurement times for assets, designs had to be approved early, and he had to properly coordinate moving services across different locations while interfacing directly with contractors. 

“Craig gave me the chance to play a key role in this project and encouraged me to take on more challenging tasks. He’s always willing to give people opportunities and to see them develop,” said Jason. “The best advice I can give to other young professionals looking to land their first major project is to show a willingness to learn and try different things out.” 

For Craig, the ultimate satisfaction comes from seeing the tangible results of a major project delivered, knowing that it has achieved the clients’ objectives and benefits the communities around it.

"I can drive around Perth and show my children the projects I've been fortunate to be a part of. Being involved in the ongoing development of the city I live in has been incredibly gratifying,” said Craig. “From the start of my career at the Perth to Bunbury Highway, Gateway WA, Tonkin Gap, and now the Tonkin Extension, these projects have all contributed to enhancing the city. They represent significant achievements for me and the teams I've had the privilege to work with.”