Early works have begun on the Bendigo GovHub, which is expected to house up to 1,000 state and local government employees.
Regional development minister Mary-Anne Thomas on Thursday announced that local builder Fairbrother and Australian construction provider Icon have been appointed to deliver the project — which is the third of its kind in the state.
The Icon Fairbrother joint venture will work with Lyons Architects and Arup Engineering to design and build the multi-use development, which has a construction value of more than $90 million. The main construction of the hub will begin in the coming months.
The state government expects the project to inject more than $130 million into the local economy, and create more than 200 local jobs during construction — double the number of jobs initially estimated.
Read more: Designs released for ‘GovHub’ that will house 200 new public sector jobs
The building will accommodate up to 1,000 Victorian Public Service and City of Greater Bendigo workers. Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan said the hub would strengthen Bendigo’s position as one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regional cities, “delivering hundreds of public sector jobs and vital government services”.
The project team will work with the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation to incorporate Indigenous design elements and language into the architecture, landscaping and spaces.
Bendigo’s heritage will also be referenced in the building.
According to Thomas, the project will feature environmentally sustainable design elements, including Victoria’s largest timber frame, efficient indoor air quality systems, solar panels, and water and energy monitoring systems.
The Bendigo GovHub is one of three facilities to be built in the state, with the Ballarat and Latrobe Valley GovHubs set to open this year.
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