Stage one work was completed in October, with initial site clearing and the removal of material contaminated with heavy metal from the abandoned rifle target facility.

All contaminated material was carefully sorted and tested before being transported to disposal facilities approved by the Environment Protection Authority. An environmental team supervised the process to ensure all compliance requirements were met.

Specialist Melbourne-based contractor CCB Envico was awarded the stage two construction contract in December. Vegetation within the project site area was cleared and mulched in preparation for the earthworks.

Since January, 70,000 cubic metres of material has been excavated and placed to create a large sand dune around the east and north of the site. Once revegetated at the end of the project, this will help minimise visual impacts for the general community.

We’ll be constructing two concrete tanks of nearly eight million litres each. These will provide 50 per cent more capacity at the plant and allow us to cater for the region’s forecast growth and development for the next 25-plus years.

The tanks will be made from pre-cast concrete panels which will be delivered to site from Colac where they will be stood up with small gaps between them. Concrete stitch pours will then join all the pre-cast sections together to complete each tank.

We want to ensure we return the surrounding area to a state better than it was when we started the project.

The area outside the treatment plant security fence, including the large dune, will be revegetated and handed back to the community.

We’ve already started engaging with key stakeholders to help develop landscaping plan concepts.

We recognise this area is accessed by a variety of users and groups and we want to ensure all ideas are considered. Therefore, we’ll be looking at opportunities for recreational pursuits such as walking trails and mountain bike tracks. We’ll also be considering layout options and the types of plant species for revegetation.

The final reinstatement plan will be submitted to Warrnambool City Council and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.