Divers working with minimal visibility, 7-tonne concrete panels and a 350-tonne lift capacity crane are all part of the monumental project currently happening on Renmark’s riverfront.

The Renmark Riverfront Wharf Upgrade is one of, if not, the biggest projects in Renmark Paringa Council’s history.

The upgrade will deliver a state-of-the-art wharf, which will serve the community for many generations to come.

Contractors for the project, Ecospec, are no strangers to groundbreaking projects, but the Renmark wharf has been a unique undertaking even for them.

Due to the visibility of the Murray River, divers have been required to work underwater vastly by touch and feel alone, to fix and adjust the bolted connections to secure 7-tonne panels in place along the river’s edge.

To prepare for the challenging process, the divers even practised working at the expected low visibility before the project kicked off.

The length of the riverbank will be made up of 66 concrete panels with a fender system installed along the stretch, which will protect the panels should a boat interact with the wharf.

The contractors poured the concrete panels at a local casting yard to build up a stockpile of panels while the crane is lifting them into place.

Whilst panel installation continues along the 280-metre project site, crew members will start preparing the paving for the new concrete path and begin building the retaining wall along the stretch of the wharf.

Local business Brett Hammerstein Concrete will be utilised, through Santos, for their concrete boom pump to assist in reaching the challenging positions to pour the paving slabs in situ.

The finished wharf will be rebuilt to withstand future flooding events to ensure sustainable asset management.

The new infrastructure will be built with 3-metre-wide walkways, accessible ramps and sufficient lighting making it inclusive, user friendly and make the most of Renmark’s prime riverfront.

The significant project will ensure the Renmark Riverfront Wharf will not require any major renewals for 50 years and will be designed to withstand future flood events.