Key takeaways
3.6km
of overhead track removed
95%
recycling target exceeded
153
columns and pedestals taken down
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Enabled the development of Sydney's light rail network and Convention Centre, paving the way for modern, efficient public transport and revitalised urban spaces.
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Achieved 95% recycling of materials, promoting sustainability and innovation by reusing resources and reducing waste, setting a benchmark for future infrastructure projects.
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Successfully coordinated complex road closures and worked around heritage-listed structures, ensuring minimal disruption to the city and preserving Sydney's historical integrity.
Sydney’s 3.6 km monorail, opened in 1988, linked the city’s central business district with Chinatown and Darling Harbour. Built during the harbour’s redevelopment, it served major attractions but was not integrated with the city's transport infrastructure. By 2012, it had reached the end of its economic life. Removing the monorail enabled the development of Sydney's light rail network and the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.
We managed the decommissioning and removal of the monorail, requiring expert planning, design, and meticulous execution. Our scope included decommissioning the operational monorail and maintenance facility, removing 3.6 km of elevated track, and more than 150 columns and pedestals, all within a year.
Our work involved coordinating numerous road closures, meeting stringent recycling targets, and contributing to the restoration of the heritage-listed Pyrmont Bridge. Ninety-six per cent of the materials removed were recycled. Sixty steel beams were reused for a temporary bridge as part of the Sydney Metro project, and the concrete pedestals were processed and reused for road base material. Google purchased two carriages for meeting rooms, and another two were preserved at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum.
To safely remove the overhead tracks and undertake the demolition, we developed detailed project implementation plans and traffic management plans to manage the closures of some of Sydney's busiest streets. We oversaw the demolition contractors from tender award to completion, including demolishing three stations and numerous substations and maintenance facilities.
Our project director coordinated with the City of Sydney, Roads and Maritime Service, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, and property owners, managing multiple third-party agreements and leading the stakeholder coordination working group.
