GMW was presented the award in the environment category at the Victorian Engineering Excellence Awards last week for its revolutionary Hattah Lakes project. 

The project was one of the country's largest environmental works.

GMW acting general manager of construction Marc Lon Ho Kee said the project aimed to revive the drought-stricken lakes. 

"Reviving the Hattah Lakes was a visionary project to restore better health to the Hattah Lakes system of semi-permanent freshwater lakes within the Murray Darling Basin," he said. 

"River regulation and a changing climate reduced the lakes’ natural flooding patterns, rare and threatened species were under pressure to survive, cultural sites were exposed and ancient river red gums were dying.

"The result was one of Australia’s largest environmental works projects, which included the construction of a permanent pump station, four regulators and three environmental levees.

"The works have created a more natural flooding regime in a permanent and sustainable way, making it possible to top up natural floods by gravity or pumping."

The lakes form part of the 48,000-hectare Hattah-Kulkyne National Park on the Murray River and are one of the country's most environmentally and culturally significant sites. 

The awards recognise and reward Victoria's outstanding engineering projects.

They pay tribute to organisations that combine excellence in engineering with commercial viability, innovative solutions and contribution to the community. 

The project was implemented by GMW as the constructing agency for Murray-Darling Basin Authority under the direction of Mallee Catchment Management Authority and the Department of Environment and Primary Industries.