Stromlo Leisure Centre | Civil Engineering & Hydraulic Design

Direct Client Belgravia Leisure
Builder Kane Constructions
Sectors
- Sports
Services
- Civil
- Hydraulic & Fire
Value $28M
Year 2020
Location Stromlo, ACT

Last Project
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Stromlo Aquatic facility exterior civil design

Partnership

The Stromlo Aquatic Centre in Canberra’s Molonglo Valley provides an essential recreational hub for the region’s rapidly growing community. Delivered by Kane Constructions for the ACT Government, the $28 million facility includes a gymnasium, public swimming pools, café and 280-space car park.

Northrop partnered with Kane Constructions from the tender stage through to completion, providing civil, hydraulic and traffic engineering services. Our involvement helped shape the successful bid and ensured that technical design, cost efficiency and constructability were aligned from the outset.

Hydraulic design Stromlo Aquatic Facility Interior Northrop

Project

The project site presented multiple complexities. The existing ground was variable and included uncontrolled fill, which posed risks for long-term stability and required close coordination between civil and geotechnical disciplines. The project also had to fit within a constrained footprint that incorporated access roads, car parking and landscaped recreation areas, all while meeting strict hydraulic and stormwater management criteria.
Another challenge was ensuring that civil, hydraulic and traffic designs could be delivered on an accelerated program without compromising quality. With multiple stakeholders, including the client, design team and subcontractors, the need for clarity and progressive documentation was critical to maintaining project momentum.

Northrop’s early engagement during the tender process allowed our engineers to refine the design for efficiency and value. We worked collaboratively with Kane’s estimating and construction teams to identify opportunities to simplify construction sequencing and reduce costs without affecting performance.

During construction, Northrop continued to work closely with Kane, producing sub-contractor packages in staged releases that matched construction timelines. We provided on-site support and value-engineered several design components, such as optimising pavement structures through the reuse of suitable site-won materials. Our civil team also re-engineered the bulk earthworks methodology in consultation with the project’s geotechnical engineer, introducing an improved approach to managing the site’s uncontrolled fill and reducing the need for imported materials.

Hydraulic designs focused on delivering reliable and maintainable systems within tight spatial and hydraulic constraints. Stormwater solutions were carefully coordinated to ensure safety, accessibility and environmental compliance.

Stromlo Aquatic facility under construction, civil enginnering design Northrop

Impact

The Stromlo Aquatic Centre now serves as a landmark facility for the Molonglo Valley. The project demonstrates how collaborative partnerships between engineers, builders and clients can unlock site potential and deliver tangible community benefits.

For Northrop, Stromlo exemplifies our commitment to practical design, early involvement and value-driven collaboration. The project’s success highlights how proactive civil and hydraulic design can balance technical performance, cost efficiency and sustainability in community infrastructure.