Set on the shores of Tasmania’s Lake Pedder, the village of Strathgordon is surrounded by the Southwest National Park and World Heritage Area. It’s ringed by rugged mountain ranges and vast buttongrass plains, home to an array of unique plant and animal species.

As Tourism Tasmania notes, ‘From here, civilisation ends and nature takes over.’
Strathgordon was originally established to house workers involved in the construction of hydro dams at the Gordon Power Station. To revitalise this township, Batchelor Construction Group (BCG) was engaged by Hydro Tasmania to deliver 14 high-quality accommodation units and two service units at Lake Pedder.

‘Delivering the Gordon Wing in such a remote and iconic Tasmanian location has been both a challenge and a privilege,’ said Scott Batchelor, Director of BCG, following the firm’s success at the 2025 HIA Tasmania Housing Awards. Here, the project won the Purpose Built Project award and received a Highly Commended accolade for Specialised Housing.

The scope of works included all associated civil, hydraulic, mechanical and electrical services. Building elements and material selections were carefully considered to integrate with the natural environment and support the project’s sustainability objectives.

BCG is a family-owned business with a long-standing presence in the construction and civil industries. The company has grown from its beginnings as a local contractor into a fully integrated group delivering civil construction, building, quarrying, heavy haulage and materials supply across Tasmania.

Founder Rob Batchelor established the business in the early 1980s and brings more than 40 years’ experience across civil, commercial and residential construction. While Rob has stepped back from the day-to-day operations, leadership of the business has transitioned to the next generation of the family.

His sons and nephew now serve as Directors, providing strong continuity, capability and long-term vision for the group. Eldest son Scott Batchelor, a qualified Master Builder, leads the commercial building and project management functions. Youngest son Adam Batchelor oversees the civil contracting division, drawing on extensive operational and technical experience.

Completing the leadership team is nephew Luke Calvert, whose disciplined approach to governance, tendering, systems and process management ensures projects are delivered safely, on time, and to the highest standard of quality.

HOUSING spoke with BCG Director Scott Batchelor to learn more about the vision behind the accommodation units in Strathgordon.

Q: Could you sum up the construction methodology in this build?

A: Innovative methodology was adopted to suit the remote location. The accommodation units were prefabricated offsite at Batchelor’s Kingston facility, with eight units constructed at a time under controlled conditions to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency.

Once complete, the modular units were craned onto transport trucks and carefully delivered to the Lake Pedder site, where they were again craned into position with precision. This approach significantly reduced onsite construction time, minimised environmental impact, and improved overall build quality.

Construction was delivered over a period of approximately 12 months with Batchelor managing the works from early site establishment through to completion, commissioning, and handover.

Q: Any unexpected issues during the build?

A: The project presented several significant and unforeseen challenges, particularly during the civil works phase. While the original design specified pile depths of approximately 2.2 metres, unexpected subsurface conditions required substantially deeper installations. The deepest pile extended to an unexpected depth of 51 metres, with a total blade pile length of 2,131 metres installed across the project.

Logistics also posed a challenge. Transporting oversized prefabricated units through the narrow, winding roads of Tasmania’s Southwest Wilderness required detailed route planning and close coordination with authorities to ensure safe and efficient delivery.

Additionally, the harsh and unpredictable climate at Lake Pedder tested the resilience of the construction team, requiring adaptive scheduling and flexible construction strategies to maintain progress while upholding safety and quality standards.

Q: Any interesting materials or techniques involved?

A: The use of offsite modular construction was a key innovation on this project. Prefabrication allowed us to maintain tight quality control, improve safety outcomes, and reduce waste, while also significantly limiting site disturbance in a highly sensitive environmental location.

Beautifully crafted natural Tasmanian timber finishes blends with modern design to complement its remote Tasmanian surroundings. Durable cladding panels in warm, earthy tones enhance the building’s resilience while blending seamlessly with the natural environment. This offers a refined yet rugged exterior finish.

Specialised new timber products and custom plywood was used throughout the build supplied by Brittons Timbers.

Q: Did you work with an architect or designer during this build?

A: We worked closely with Hydro Tasmania’s architecture/interior design firm, Francis Burne, and the project’s design consultants throughout the delivery of the works. Ongoing collaboration was critical in responding to site conditions, refining construction methodology, and resolving design challenges as they arose.

This strong, solutions-focused working relationship ensured the final outcome met functional, environmental and aesthetic objectives, while remaining constructible in one of Tasmania’s most remote locations.

Q: How has BCG changed or developed over the years?

A: It has evolved significantly in both scale and capability. What began as a smaller contracting operation has grown into a multi-disciplinary group capable of delivering complex projects across diverse environments, including remote and regional Tasmania.

The business has invested heavily in people, plant, systems and compliance, enabling it to deliver larger and more technically demanding projects. It maintains a strong focus on quality, safety and environmental responsibility.

Q: How many staff and contractors do you have?

A: We employ approximately 120 staff, supported by a trusted network of specialist subcontractors and suppliers. This flexible model allows the business to scale resources to suit project demands while maintaining consistent standards across all works.

Q: Why did you decide to apply for the HIA award?

A: We decided to apply for the HIA award to recognise the collective effort of the project team and to showcase the quality of work delivered in a regional setting. The Gordon Wing accommodation represents a project the team is genuinely proud of – not just for the finished product but for how it was delivered.

The reaction has been extremely positive. For the team, it’s a meaningful acknowledgement of their hard work, skill and commitment to quality. For the business, it reinforces Batchelor’s capability to deliver high-quality building projects across Tasmania.

Time to shine

Celebrate outstanding workmanship, innovation and leadership. Entries for the 2026 HIA Awards are now open and close in May 2026. Showcase your work, acknowledge your team and take your place among the industry’s best.

Enter now

First published on 27 February 2026