The spotlight will once again shine on Bundaberg’s Wintergarden Community Hub as it competes among the nation’s finest at the Master Builders Australia National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards this month.
The recognition follows an impressive win at the Master Builders Queensland Awards where local firm Murchie Constructions took out top honours in the Commercial Refurbishment/Renovation ($5 million–$15 million) category.
It’s yet another accolade for the project, which has already gained national attention this year after architect Tomas O’Malley and his team were celebrated with the Regional Project of the Year title at the Central Queensland Regional Architecture Awards.
Originally opened in 1929 as a grand theatre, the historic Wintergarden building has played many roles over the decades.
Following a complete transformation, it now serves the community in a new way as the home of Bridges Health and Community Care.
The Bundaberg Regional Council building started redevelopment works in 2022, with a vision to blend the building’s unique heritage charm with modern, functional spaces.
Local builder Murchie Constructions brought that vision to life, restoring a cherished piece of Bundaberg’s history while creating a vibrant hub for the future.
Director Andrew Murchie said the latest state award and the upcoming national event were testament to a great project, one that he and the team felt proud to be part of.
“As a local contractor, it has been extremely rewarding to work on such an iconic building in our region,” he said.
“Due to the age of the building this project presented its share of challenges, but through collaboration with the broader project team, we successfully found solutions along the way.
“Wherever possible we engage Bundaberg-based subcontractors and suppliers and having Empire Engineering as the structural engineer meant most of the project team remained proudly local.
“We are pleased to include this project among our extensive portfolio of landmark buildings that continue to shape and support our local community.”
Master Builders Deputy CEO and Awards Ambassador Sue-Ann Fresneda said each of the winners and finalists were awe-inspiring.
“The stories behind our Individual Award winners reflect the evolving face of our industry – diverse, driven and leading the way,” she said.
“These are the people shaping the future of building in Queensland and I couldn’t be prouder.”
Ms Fresneda said eligible winners from the Queensland Awards would be put forward for Master Builders Australia’s National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards, to be held in Adelaide on 28 November.
“Queensland led the nation last year with 13 wins at the National Excellence Awards. With the strength of this year’s field, we’re quietly optimistic about another standout showing this year.”
