Client
HiQ
Sector
Waste & Recycling
Location
Bulla
Wurundjeri Kulin Nation
State
VIC
Bulla Spoils Waste Water Treatment Facility
Degnan was engaged by HiQ Group as client-side Project Manager to oversee the delivery of the Bulla Spoils Processing Facility, a purpose-built contaminated waste processing facility supporting Transurban’s West Gate Tunnel Project in Victoria.
The project involved coordinating the design, procurement and construction of a complex environmental facility capable of safely receiving, treating and managing contaminated tunnel spoil while meeting strict environmental and operational requirements.
Creating a Purpose-Built Processing Facility
The approximately $140 million project transformed 95 hectares of land into a purpose-built contaminated waste processing facility. Key infrastructure included 42 hectares of engineered hardstand with environmental protection layers, a purpose-built 12-hectare landfill cell capable of receiving approximately three million cubic metres of contaminated spoil, and a water treatment system servicing 50-megalitre stormwater ponds.
Supporting Safe and Sustainable Operations
Degnan managed the coordinated design and installation of critical operational infrastructure, including integrated weighbridges at both the West Gate Tunnel and Bulla Spoils facilities to accurately verify spoil movements. Truck wash facilities were also delivered to ensure contaminants remained contained within the site, supporting environmental compliance throughout operations.
Coordinating a Complex Delivery
Acting as client-side Project Manager, Degnan managed the project from design through to completion, coordinating designers, contractors, suppliers and HiQ’s self-delivered works. As the client’s representative, Degnan oversaw major delivery partners including GHD, Symal, Enviropacific Services and Grampians Excavations, ensuring seamless collaboration across all phases of the project.
Delivered to Meet Critical Milestones
The project was delivered in two key stages, with the first section operational by March 2022 to receive contaminated material from the tunnel boring machines. The full facility achieved practical completion in September 2022 and now operates continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, supporting one of Victoria’s largest infrastructure projects.
The West Gate Tunnel Project required a purpose-built facility to manage large volumes of spoil excavated by tunnel boring machines. Many of these soils contained PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances), demanding advanced treatment solutions to ensure environmental safety and regulatory compliance. Degnan was engaged to oversee the design, procurement, fabrication, installation, and commissioning of the WWTF at the Bulla Spoils Facility.
