CLIENT & FUNDING
Client: Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS), in collaboration with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)
Program: Abandoned Mines Program, funded by the State Government’s Mining Rehabilitation Fund (MRF)
LOCATION & SCOPE
Location: Boyanup State Forest, approximately 2 km south of Donnybrook, WA
Project: Rehabilitation of eleven historic gold mine shafts within 10 metres of a well-used access track. The shafts posed significant safety risks for the public, forestry workers, and firefighting personnel.
CHALLENGES
Environmental Sensitivity: The forest area is highly susceptible to Phytophthora dieback, requiring stringent hygiene measures.
Geotechnical Complexities: Shafts must be stabilised and backfilled according to specific engineering standards.
Stakeholder Coordination: Multiple agencies (DMIRS, DBCA) and community stakeholders required thorough consultation, risk assessment, and ongoing collaboration.
UMCC’S APPROACH
Local Aboriginal Leadership: As a 100% Aboriginal-owned business, UMCC collaborated closely with geotechnical engineers Douglas Partners, ensuring each shaft was backfilled safely and efficiently.
Environment-First Methodology: Conducted detailed surveys to protect flora and minimise dieback spread, meeting DBCA entry requirements.
Technical Excellence: Supplied and hauled compliant backfill material, mounded shafts, and installed additional warning signage.
OUTCOME
Successful Rehabilitation: All eleven shafts were safely filled in November 2022, reducing hazards for visitors and workers.
Positive Community Impact: Ongoing geotechnical monitoring shows “no unexpected behaviour,” reflecting the quality of UMCC’s work.
A Model of Collaboration: This project demonstrates how Aboriginal-led construction and civil expertise can drive effective environmental management and public safety outcomes.
TESTIMONIAL
“The project also attracted significant community interest which dictated that it required a contractor that would invest sufficient time and energy into delivering a high standard of work that wouldn’t attract unnecessary criticism from the public. As the project was located within a highly sensitive area, it also required a contractor who could think outside the box and be innovative with their methodology. At all stages of the project, I found UMCC to effectively deliver on the above attributes and found the team to be a pleasure to work with. Both Eugene and Ian were very communicative, provided daily updates and adapted their processes as the job went along to ensure compliance with DMIR’s, DBCA and engineering requirements. As a result, UMCC delivered a high quality final product to DBCA while achieving minimal impacts to the surrounding environment and community and without any record of safety incidents occurring during the project.”
Simon Martin Regional Leader for Forest Management
Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions South West Region
