In September 2014, a truck carrying 50 tonnes of ammonium nitrate crashed and exploded on the Angellala Creek Bridge, south of Charleville, Queensland.
In what was later described as the biggest explosion in Australian peacetime history, the outback bridge was decimated, severing a vital freight route on the Mitchell Highway.
What followed – a coordinated, multidisciplinary effort to build a new and improved bridge in just over 13 months – is now set to take centre stage at this year’s Engineering Technology (ET) Forum, with more than 500 representatives from government and industry expected to gather in Brisbane this August.
With a two-hour plenary session and panel discussion planned for the opening day, the Angellala Creek Bridge project will set the scene for the three-day forum – one of Australia’s premier road technology events.
Julie Mitchell, Chief Engineer for Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads, says the Forum is the perfect opportunity to revisit the event.
“It was actually just a couple of days before the opening of the last forum, in 2014, that the incident took place – so in many ways, we’ve come full circle,” she says.
“This project required a concerted response from a diverse range of disciplines across emergency, engineering and construction personnel.
“The ET Forum is all about sharing ideas and expertise, and this plenary session and panel discussion is a great way to exchange findings between those disciplines.”
In addition, the forum will also feature more than 50 technical presentations, impressive keynote speakers from government and industry, and a trade exhibition showcasing the latest road technology innovations.
2016 Engineering Technology Forum
23-25 August, 2016
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Registrations are now open, with early bird prices available until 15 July 2016. Visit www.cvent.com/d/lfqjvp to register and download a program for the event.
The 2016 Engineering Technology Forum is proudly sponsored by ARRB Group.
About the Forum
One of Australia’s premier road technology events, the Engineering and Technology (ET) Forum is an outstanding opportunity for technical professionals, executives and managers to share knowledge and build multi-disciplinary networks.
Hosted by Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads, the 2016 ET Forum is expected to attract more than 500 delegates from state and local government, industry, peak bodies and research institutions. The majority are engineers, design technologists and consultants.
This year’s three-day program will centre on practical research into action, exploring a broad range of transport-related solutions in road safety and design, pavements, hydraulics, maritime, intelligent transport systems, bikeways and pedestrian facilities, and bridge management.