From pioneering engineering feats to transformative digital solutions and ground-breaking sustainability initiatives, the winners of this year’s Consult Australia Awards exemplify the power of innovation and collaboration.

Held at the ICC Sydney on Thursday 27 March 2025, the awards recognised excellence across 14 categories, showcasing the ingenuity and dedication of firms delivering Australia’s most complex infrastructure and design projects.

“Every day, Australia’s engineers, designers and consultants tackle immense challenges, from urban congestion to climate resilience,” says Consult Australia Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Cartledge.

“These awards celebrate people pushing boundaries by introducing leading-edge solutions, strengthening partnerships and delivering projects with lasting impact.”

Arup worked alongside Lendlease, Macquarie Group, Sydney Metro, Grimshaw, Johnson Pilton Walker and Tzannes Associates to deliver two new towers above a new station, integrating commercial, retail, transport and public spaces. As lead engineering consultant, Arup provided expertise across 20 disciplines. Arup facilitated collaboration between three architectural firms, solving complex technical engineering challenges, balancing historical sensitivity with sustainability principles. 

The IDP team – HKA, AtkinsRéalis and The APP Group – strengthened project-wide coordination, enhanced tools and systems, and drove efficiencies across various functions. Strong relationship management, clear communication and robust collaborative protocols underpinned the partnership with Sydney Metro, enhancing safety, design outcomes and budget management. The IDP’s integrated approach ensured seamless alignment across all project stages, reinforcing the value of effective teamwork to deliver complex infrastructure.

Sydney Metro City & Southwest 30-kilomere extension introduced seven new stations, including Central Station’s 27-metre-deep ‘Metro Box’. The Aurecon GHD Joint Venture (AGJV) and Laing O’Rourke pioneered an innovative top-down construction method, overcoming constraints of a live operational railway site. Advanced raking columns provided structural stability and safety, allowing the Metro Box to be built while tunnelling progressed beneath. AGJV’s approach also reduced concrete usage by 40%, cutting embodied carbon emissions.

With women now making up 33% of Beca’s workforce, the firm is striving towards its 40/40/20 gender balance goal by 2030. Key initiatives include the Killibinbin Sponsorship Program, which nurtures future female leaders, and the Mac.Robertson High School STEM Partnership, providing hands-on industry experience to talented female students in Year 10 and 11. The Gender@Beca Action Group hosts activities throughout the year to improve the representation and connectedness of women within the business.

Arup’s OCTO (Offshore Wind Cable Transmission Optimisation) is revolutionising offshore wind farm planning by optimising submarine inter-array cable routes. OCTO leverages advanced digital tools to determine optimal cable layouts, reducing rework, improving project feasibility and addressing the high costs of cable materials and installation. Arup has successfully implemented OCTO in major offshore wind projects worldwide, streamlining development, lowering costs and minimising environmental impact, while supporting the transition to greener energy sources.

Arup has pioneered low-carbon concrete solutions that significantly cut emissions. By replacing traditional cement with sustainable alternatives, Arup has reduced cement use by 50% and greenhouse gas emissions by 30% across nearly $6 billion in Australian infrastructure projects, with $7.5 billion more supported. These breakthroughs are reshaping supply chains, setting new industry standards for sustainable construction, and demonstrate a deep commitment to cross-sector collaboration.

In response to a 2021 incident that rendered Callide Power Station’s C4 Unit inoperable, IDI’s technical specialist played a critical role in facilitating transport of replacement equipment from Gladstone to Biloela. Given the 620-tonne load’s complexity, three bridges required assessment, demanding rapid technical input and coordination across multiple stakeholders. IDI provided expert review, pragmatic risk management and strategic decision-making, ensuring timely resolution of design, construction and load movement challenges.

Aurecon overcame significant constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver this 18,000 sqm, 13-level development in Victoria that integrates teaching facilities, informal learning and green spaces and a rooftop multi-sports court. Aurecon’s collaborative approach included stakeholder engagement workshops, risk mitigation strategies and innovative design solutions. Despite challenges, Aurecon has helped to create a modern, dynamic learning environment that fosters collaboration and connectivity.

Since becoming CEO in 2019, Bill Cox has transformed Aurecon into a global leader in workplace inclusivity. Under Bill’s leadership, Aurecon has made major strides in gender equity, First Nations inclusion and cultural diversity. Women now make up 38% of Aurecon’s workforce, the gender pay gap has narrowed, and First Nations employment has tripled. He initiated Aurecon’s award-winning ‘From Bystander to Upstander’ training, which has engaged nearly 7,400 employees. Bill’s impact extends beyond Aurecon, and he drives national diversity initiatives through various forums. He co-chairs the Elevate Advisory Group, guiding the $41.2 million ‘Boosting Women in STEM’ scholarship program.

As Defence Leader for GHD’s Victoria and Tasmania regions, Natalie has doubled regional Defence sector revenue in just two years by integrating sustainability and client-centric design. A passionate advocate for women in engineering, Natalie has mentored 20-plus emerging leaders, championing diversity and inclusion across GHD. Her leadership extends beyond projects – she’s shaping industry culture and empowering the next generation while embedding sustainability into major Defence projects.

The Consult Australia Future Leader Program runs for six months each year, during which time a cohort of young professionals attend workshops and work on joint projects to grow their skills and networks. 

Each joint project was judged by an esteemed industry panel, with 400-plus Consult Australia members also choosing a winning team in the ‘People’s Choice’ category. This year, both the Judges’ Award and the People’s Choice Award was presented to:

The awards for small, medium and large firm of the year are awarded to the firms with the highest scores, in their categories, across all submissions.

Led by Huma Hussain, Infrastructure Design and Innovation Pty Ltd delivers major road and rail projects in Australia. IDI offers lateral thinking, complex problem solving and technical leadership across civil structural engineering design, project and design management. IDI worked in close collaboration with Department of Transport & Main Roads Queensland, as the structures technical advisor and peer reviewer, for the successful heavy load movements of C4 Callide Power station replacement equipment.

With more than 250 staff across Australia, Tonkin is focused on impactful projects that connect communities and enhance environmental resilience. The Flinders Chase Visitor Centre on Kangaroo Island, rebuild after the 2019–2020 bushfires, integrates solar energy, energy-efficient systems and bushfire-resistant materials. Tonkin’s role as lead civil and structural engineering consultants, working alongside Troppo Architects, helped deliver an environmentally harmonious design that serves as a gateway for tourism and a research hub.

Arup is a global collective of designers, engineers and consultants dedicated to sustainable development. Arup established a presence in Australia in 1963, when entrusted with the structural design of the Sydney Opera House. The firm now employs more 2,500 staff working from 10 offices across Australia and has developed a diverse practice through delivering a wide range of projects at every stage – from business case and inception to completion and beyond.