Scenic Rim wins two top honours at state engineering awards
Published on 20 October 2025
The IPWEA is the peak professional body representing public works and infrastructure professionals across Australia and New Zealand.
Mayor Tom Sharp said the double win proves regional councils can compete with - and outperform - city-led initiatives with much larger budgets and teams.
“These awards pit every council in Queensland and the Northern Territory against each other, from small shires to major cities like Brisbane, Gold Coast and Darwin,” Cr Sharp said.
“For a regional council like ours to take out the top titles is a huge achievement and a testament to the innovation, skill and pride of our staff and community.”
The Beaudesert Town Centre Revitalisation Project transformed the heart of Beaudesert into a safer, more inclusive and vibrant civic space, addressing long-standing issues such as flooding, ageing infrastructure, and limited public amenities.
Delivered through close collaboration between Council, designers, contractors and the community, the project was recognised for its technical excellence, road safety outcomes, sustainability, and cultural inclusion.
Indigenous input shaped design features such as yarning circles, while careful planning ensured tree preservation, flood mitigation and heritage protection.
The revitalised precinct now boasts improved drainage, lighting, accessibility, parking, public spaces and an outdoor amphitheatre.
Council's Director of Infrastructure Services James Ruprai said the project sets a new benchmark for regional infrastructure.
“It shows that through smart, community-driven design, regional councils can deliver infrastructure equal to or better than Australia’s biggest cities,” Mr Ruprai said.
Council acknowledged the support of the Australian and Queensland Governments for partnering with Council and co-funding the bold vision for Beaudesert town centre.
It also acknowledged construction partners Complete Urban, Redfrost, John Mongard Landscape Architect, ACS Engineers, Alder Construction, Rod Anderson Construction and Naturform.
The awards were presented at the IPWEA QNT Annual Conference in Brisbane on 9 October 2025.