A Queensland mass timber project has received international recognition, with The Hyne Group announcing that the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Region Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station has won the Built by Nature ‘Public Infrastructure’ award.
The Hyne Group said the accolade highlights advanced manufacturing capabilities in delivering the nation’s first mass engineered timber fire and emergency services complex.
In a news release, the company said the award, selected from almost 400 entries, provides significant international exposure for the locally delivered project.
“This is a remarkable achievement which now gives this building international exposure as a leader in design and construction,” The Hyne Group’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Katie Fowden, said.
“Congratulations to Kim and the project team as well as the Queensland Government and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service following this well-deserved recognition.”
Principal Architect Kim Baber of Baber Studio accepted the award in London, with Built by Nature recognising the project’s sustainability credentials and use of mass timber.
According to The Hyne Group, the project stemmed from a Queensland Government market-led proposal to demonstrate how locally grown and manufactured mass timber can be used in practical, budget-aligned public infrastructure. “Being locally grown and manufactured mass timber from certified plantation pine, it delivered sustainability credentials, carbon sequestration, excellent fire performance qualities and aesthetic appeal,” Fowden said.
She added that early contractor involvement and a design-for-manufacture approach contributed to efficiency, with the timber structure erected in just two weeks.
“It was substantially cleaner, quieter and less disruptive in the heart of Maryborough when compared to a traditional construction project,” she said.
The Hyne Group said the project involved several partners, including XLAM, Hutchinson Builders, the University of Queensland’s Centre for Future Timber Structures and Bligh Tanner.
The design also incorporated the restoration of the original brick façade considered significant to the Fraser Coast community.
The company noted that independent analysis by Nezo confirmed the project saved 1,742 tonnes of CO2 compared with conventional materials.
The award-winning building will be further showcased at COP30 in Brazil, including the screening of a short documentary.
