Heavy vehicles and tonnes of equipment of all descriptions have moved onto the previously vacant block of land at Lot 1 Spring Creek Road, raising the eyebrows of locals. 

The yard is being utilised by a company called Spiecapag Lucas - a contractor of the Australian Pipeline Authority Group (APA) - who are about to begin a three-stage reinforcement project along sections of the Sydney to Melbourne pipeline.

Staff are currently mobilising and inspecting the equipment at the location before it’s moved on-site to begin what is predicted to be a nine-month project. This involves around 50 to 60 pieces of large equipment such as graders, excavators, pipelayers, trenching machines, and drilling, welding and coating equipment. 

Stage 1 of the upgrade begins at Bethungra (south west of Young) before making a 70 kilometre journey to the APA Control Centre on Burrangong Road. 

It will involve installation of a second pipeline parallel to the existing one to increase gas flow to the area.

Project director John Walsh said the project also brings short term benefits to Young including employment opportunities and temporary accommodation. 

“We have recruited a number of people from Young,” he said.

“In total there’s going to be about 400 people work on the project at the peak, and we’ll be employing as many as possible from the local area.

“But it depends on the calibre and experience of the people we need - it’d be coincidental if we found locals with that expertise, but there’s a number of labouring roles, truck driver roles and subcontractors from the area as well as locally.”

Mayor Brian Ingram agreed the upgrade works will have a substantial economic benefit to the town.

Work is predicted to commence over the next four weeks and is expected to progress quickly - between 2.5 to 3km per day.

The first activity involves placing pegs in the ground to indicate the width of the construction working area. Fencing crews will then move in to erect and dismantle fences to allow access to pipeline works and to ensure livestock doesn’t stray.

Once this is complete the clear and grade crew prepares the site for the pipeline works.

The next process is known as ‘stringing’, where pipe is spread along the trail for the subsequent activities.

Once the pipe is strung it is welded, the joints are then coated and 100 per cent of welds are Xrayed to ensure any defects are found and repaired.

And finally, a trench is excavated, the pipe is loaded in and back filled. 

“We then reinstate the land to the level it was at before we arrived,” John said.

“The only permanent reminder of our works are a series of pipeline markers to indicate the position of the pipeline along the route.” 

On completing Stage 1 the crew will move on to Wangaratta, followed by Seymour, where they hope to complete Stage 3 by November 2016, weather permitting.

“It’s a big job but for us it’s a normal day's work, it’s what we do, and we like to think we’re quite good at it,” John said.