Location: Blackwattle Bay, Sydney
Client: Tier 1 Contractor
Timeline: 2022 – Ongoing
Geotrace Australia was engaged during multiple phases of the Sydney Fish Market redevelopment to deliver targeted subsurface investigation and verification services. Working within a live, high-traffic urban precinct, our team supported excavation and construction activities with timely, accurate fieldwork and reporting.
Utility Locating – Site Establishment and Early Works
Geotrace was contracted to undertake underground utility locating across key sections of the redevelopment footprint. Using a combination of electromagnetic detection and ground penetrating radar (GPR), our technicians marked out known and unknown utilities prior to demolition and bulk excavation.
This work was critical in high-risk areas such as Bridge Road, where existing services—some undocumented—ran beneath planned excavation zones. Our findings were used to inform temporary service adjustments and guide safe work procedures for early-stage construction crews.
Non-Destructive Excavation – Critical Service Verification
During the piling and foundation stage, Geotrace provided vacuum excavation (potholing) services to verify the exact location and depth of critical utilities. Focus areas included stormwater mains and sewer connections near the foreshore, where inaccurate records posed a risk to piling operations.
All verified service locations were georeferenced and incorporated into the contractor’s site plans to avoid delays and eliminate potential service conflicts during structural works.
CCTV Pipe Inspections – Pre-Construction Stormwater Assessment
Geotrace was engaged to inspect legacy stormwater lines surrounding the redevelopment site using high-definition CCTV pipe cameras. The condition assessment reports and visual data helped the client determine whether existing infrastructure could be retained or required upgrade prior to the installation of new drainage systems.
Access was often limited and required coordination with ongoing civil works, which our team managed in close consultation with site supervisors to avoid downtime.
