Contract awarded for management works at former Black Hill Landfill site

Trenching and drainage construction management works at the former Black Hill Landfill site will begin in January after Ballarat City Council awarded the contract.  

The tendered works at the site, also known as Chisholm Street Reserve, is required to ensure compliance with the Environment Protection Act 2017, and has been awarded to experienced landfill contractor Goldsmith Civil and Environmental.  

The works are in response to monitoring results and will help manage stormwater runoff more effectively and manage gas migration risks.

The total budget for the project is $1,760,000 (ex GST).

The City of Ballarat is responsible for managing the former Black Hill Landfill site, which was operational from the mid-1960s to 1982, and is now used for community recreation.

Monitoring is carried out by a contractor engaged by City of Ballarat biannually and the results are sent to the independent EPA appointed Auditor to review. The last audit concluded that rectifications works are required in the area.  

The rectification works include installation of a landfill gas trench, placed immediately south of the residential properties on Leerama Court, to intercept, naturally treat and passively vent any potential landfill gas in waste to the atmosphere.

The works also include improvements to stormwater engineering controls to direct stormwater, ensuring it drains away from the landfill surface, which will reduce infiltration and leachate generation.

The City of Ballarat has informed residents in the area and will hold an information session at the Black Hill Reserve car park off Chisholm Street on Saturday 7 December, from 8am to 12pm, to provide additional information and answer any questions from the community.

Goldsmith Civil and Environmental has started preliminary planning with site construction works expected to commence in January 2025 and, weather permitting, be completed by June 2025.  

The works site will be fenced off to the public until early 2026 during the construction period and to allow for vegetation establishment after works are completed.  

The site works will be conducted on weekdays between 7am to 6pm and, if needed, works will be conducted on Saturdays between 9am to 5pm.

The City of Ballarat will work with contractor Goldsmith Civil and Environmental to minimise the impact of works to residents and the nearby area.

City of Ballarat Director Infrastructure and Environment Bridget Wetherall said the designs for the rectification works show unobtrusive revegetated mounding (biofilter) that will complement the Chisholm Street Reserve.

“These works are necessary to comply with Environment Protection Authority guidelines while ensuring that the community and our environment is protected,” she said.  

“The end result will be an environmentally friendly solution that blends almost seamlessly with the natural environment of the reserve.”

The City of Ballarat will provide further information about traffic management and site restrictions closer to works commencing.