Waurn Ponds Stabling Yards

Delivery of major civil, rail and supporting infrastructure works to expand stabling capacity on Victoria's Geelong rail line.

Scope

Keystone Civil was engaged by Downer Engineering to deliver extensive civil construction, earthworks, utility services and shared user pathway infrastructure for the Waurn Ponds Stabling Yards project. Delivered as part of the Regional Rail Revival program, the project supports improvements to the Geelong line, one of Victoria's busiest regional rail corridors.

The initial stage involved bulk earthworks and subgrade preparation, including the placement of approximately 120,000 tonnes of imported fill over three months. Works also included construction of a retention basin, installation of two SPEL oil-water separation units, stormwater drainage infrastructure and road and rail drainage crossings to manage surface water and protect the surrounding environment.

Subsequent works included service trenching, communications infrastructure, rail ballast installation, pavement construction and concrete works. Keystone also delivered fuel spill containment and refuelling pads, asphalt pavements, road line marking, signage and hydroseeding. Additional works included approximately 500 metres of shared user pathway, incorporating kerb construction, solar lighting, drainage and swales to connect Waurn Ponds Station with the Armstrong Creek network.

Keystone also completed two additional rail occupations involving the removal and replacement of approximately 300 metres of existing rail ballast and formation, improving the supporting infrastructure for rail operations.

Project Delivery

Delivered over approximately 18 months, the project required careful staging and coordination with Downer Engineering and multiple specialist contractors working across an active rail construction environment. Keystone implemented environmental controls to manage runoff, sediment and potential fuel contamination while prioritising resource recovery and sustainable material management.

Approximately 4,000 tonnes of recycled concrete and crushed rock and 3,000 tonnes of recycled glass were incorporated into construction activities, reducing reliance on virgin materials. In addition, a significant volume of excavated rock was transported to Boral for crushing and processing into engineered fill for beneficial reuse, diverting material from disposal and supporting circular construction practices.

Coordinated programming and resource management also enabled completion of the shared user pathway within a four-week timeframe to meet the station opening milestone.

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