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PLUMBING CONNECTION Summer 2017
BUILDING EQUINE EXCELLENCE
P
hilanthropist Terry Snow, is no
stranger to big build concepts
and outcomes. As the owner of
Canberra Airport and its current re-
development, he commissions experts
to design and build the best possible
buildings and surrounds to create
exceptional results.
Such is the case for Willinga Park
Equestrian Centre at Bawley Point,
NSW.
Discovering a love of horses later
in life, Terry decided to build a state-
of-the-art horse breeding facility
for Australian Stock Horses and an
international-level equestrian centre
for performance horses. In an interview
with
Australian Financial Review
, Terry
said that his vision was ‘to create
a place of paramount excellence in
terms of breeding, showing horses and
hosting equestrian events, including
dressage, showjumping, campdrafting,
and vaulting. Most horse people are
interested in a range of events – so
that’s what we’ll give them...everything’.
The facility has been built on Terry’s
100 ha property north of Batemans
Bay. In line with his philosophy of ‘the
pursuit of excellence’, Willinga Park
provides a 100m campdrafting arena
and judges box; two round yards; two
open dressage arenas; a grand prix
arena; covered arena with seating for
500 spectators; polocrosse field and
pavilion; 32 stables (primarily for Terry’s
breeding program and horse auctions)
and a veterinary room, reception
building and an administration area.
Building is underway to provide another
160 stockyards for visiting equestrians.
Project management team,
Construction Control have been involved
since conception in 2014, in conjunction
with well-respected Canberra design
firms, Cox Architecture, Norman
Disney & Young, Vital Design Solutions
(hydraulics and plumbing), Shepherd
Electrical, DZ Designs (landscaping) and
Sydney-based Lighting Design Partners.
“The original scope of works was to
build the main stables, the grand prix
arena and the reception building, but
then we added the polocrosse field
and pavilion, campdraft building and
assembly area,” says project manager,
Andrew Sharpe of Construction Control.
“Then the covered and open arenas,
4.5km of sealed road, the heated
equestrian hydrotherapy pool, horse
walker and administration building. And
now the 160-capacity stockyards. The
project has evolved over time but in
Willinga Park Equestrian Centre is the realisation of a dream to produce a world-class facility. To
make it happen required extensive planning and design from a suite of building, plumbing and
electrical specialists.
Deborah Andrich
reports.
EQUESTRIAN CENTRE SPLENDOUR