25 Years of Geovert: Rockfall Protection above Lawrence Hargrave Drive

As part of Geovert's 25th anniversary, we're looking back at some of the projects that shaped the business along the way, and next up is the rockfall protection works above Seacliff Bridge in NSW, Geovert's first major civil project in Australia.

In 2004, Geovert delivered its first major civil project in Australia - rockfall protection works on the Lawrence Hargrave Drive Geotechnical Sub-Alliance, on the cliffs above what would become the Seacliff Bridge north of Wollongong.  

Geovert's scope was rockfall protection on cliff faces exceeding 70 metres in height, adjacent to the site of the new bridge. Over 18 months, the team drilled and installed 3,000 linear metres of rock bolts and 5,000 square metres of mesh, applied 1,000 square metres of shotcrete, and used drill and blast methods to remove unstable rock from the cliff face. 

The work required rock bolting with wagon drills directly on the exposed cliff face above the road at the northern abutment, in the zone where the bridge deck would later be launched into position. WorkCover challenged the techniques at the time, as nothing quite like it had been done before in Australia. Geovert worked through the challenge and completed the works, earning a substantial safety bonus from the LHD Link Alliance. 

Working from the top of the cliff down, using rope access and wagon drills, removed the need for a crane on the road below. That allowed the bridge deck's progressive launch to go ahead earlier than planned, saving three months on the alliance's critical path, a saving worth more to the alliance than Geovert's entire cost of works on the project. 

The project was competitively bid and awarded on methodology and cost. After award, Geovert and the LHD Link Alliance's senior leadership agreed to convert the arrangement into what became the first geotechnical sub-alliance in New South Wales.