Coulsons Creek Road Claims Top Honors at 2026 NSW EISSI Awards

Daracon Group is celebrating a significant achievement, with Coulsons Creek Road Merriwa (MR358), taking out not one but two major honors at the 2026 NSW Excellence in Surveying & Spatial Information (EISSI) Awards.

The project was named the winner in the AusSearch Project of the Year – Infrastructure & Construction category and consolidated that win by receiving the prestigious Overall Project of the Year title, sponsored by C.R Kennedy. Presented on 19 September at Sydney’s Hyatt Regency, the NSW EISSI Awards recognize excellence across the surveying and spatial information profession, celebrating projects and individuals that demonstrate outstanding technical expertise, innovation and impact on industry and community outcomes.

The award-winning Coulsons Creek Road project involved restoring a critical transport route that had been closed for almost five years following a major landslip. Delivered for Upper Hunter Shire Council, the complex rehabilitation works stabilised the site, repaired extensive damage and re-established a vital regional connection between the Upper Hunter and Liverpool Plains Shires.

Working in steep, geologically challenging terrain, Daracon adopted a collaborative delivery model with Transport for NSW, NSW Public Works and Upper Hunter Shire Council.

A major factor in the project’s success was the technical excellence demonstrated by Daracon’s Survey team throughout delivery. Working across a remote, three-kilometer mountain corridor with steep grades, tight curves and highly variable geological conditions, the team provided far more than traditional survey services. Surveyors established and maintained a complex control network, supported real-time design verification and collaborated closely with Transport for NSW and project partners to redesign critical elements as site conditions evolved. Their work helped optimise road alignments, reduce the need for deep embankments, minimise environmental impacts and deliver significant cost and time savings. The team also overcame challenges associated with limited communications and GPS coverage by developing innovative survey and machine-guidance solutions, ensuring construction could continue accurately and efficiently in one of the most challenging operating environments in regional NSW. These efforts were instrumental in delivering a safer, more resilient road and were a key reason the project was recognized as both Infrastructure & Construction Project of the Year and Overall Project of the Year.

The EISSI recognition further strengthens the project’s growing list of accolades, following its success earlier this year at the CCF NSW Earth Awards, where it was named winner in the $30 million to $75 million project category. The project has been widely recognized as a benchmark for regional infrastructure recovery and delivery.

Jon Mingay, Managing Director at Daracon Group, said the awards reflected the outstanding contribution of the Survey Team and the collaborative efforts of everyone involved in delivering the project.

“To receive both the Infrastructure & Construction Project of the Year award and the Overall Project of the Year award is an exceptional achievement and a testament to the capability, innovation and dedication of our people,” he said.

“Coulsons Creek Road showcased the value survey can bring to a project beyond traditional boundaries. The team’s expertise helped shape key decisions, reduce rework and support the successful delivery of a highly complex regional infrastructure project,” said Jon.

Reflecting on the regional nature of this road project, Jon said, “These awards are recognition of the positive impact the project continues to have on the communities that rely on this important road connection.”

While the project took home the evening’s highest honours, it was also a proud night for Daracon’s Survey team, with finalist recognition also awarded to Joshua Grima in the Vocational Student of the Year category. Together, these achievements highlight the depth of talent, technical excellence and industry leadership within the surveying function across Daracon Group’s vertically integrated service offerings.

source https://zweiglist.com/coulsons-creek-road-claims-top-honors-at-2026-nsw-eissi-awards/