JOB 11 · COMPLETED 2024 · GOVERNMENT · CAIRNS COURTHOUSE, CAIRNS CITY QLD 4870
Cairns Courthouse: Courtroom Dock Upgrades
Two stages of detainee dock upgrades across five courtrooms at the Cairns Courthouse: secure docks with specialised glazing and lock systems, structural steel supports, custom timber veneer joinery and services upgrades, all delivered outside court hours in fully operational facilities.
Scope of Works: Stage 1 (Completed 2022)
FCQ successfully completed the Stage 1 detainee dock upgrades across two fully operational courtrooms at the Cairns Courthouse. The scope of works included demolition and reconstruction of the detainee docks, incorporating specialised security glazing and lock installations to meet strict compliance and safety requirements.
The project was delivered within extremely tight timeframes, with all works undertaken outside of court hours to ensure zero disruption to proceedings. Construction commenced on Friday evening, with both courtrooms fully operational again by Monday morning.
FCQ coordinated multiple specialist subcontractors, including custom timber joinery and glazing contractors, with prefabricated metal framing systems manufactured off site and assembled with precision on site, leaving no room for error. Additional works included the careful relocation of courtroom furniture and the removal and replacement of carpets, all completed within a live, high security environment.
Stage 2 (Completed 2024) extended this delivery model to Courtrooms 3, 4 and 5: demolition, installation of structural steel supports, construction of custom high end timber veneer joinery with steel framing to accommodate specialised glazing, and extensive electrical and services upgrades including switchboard upgrades that required carefully managed critical shutdown procedures. Courtroom 3 required significant additional structural modifications to the holding cell located behind the courtroom, making its scope substantially more complex than Courtrooms 4 and 5.
Throughout both stages FCQ worked collaboratively with the client and nominated subcontractors to ensure works were completed within strict timeframes, navigating unforeseen site conditions including solid concrete blockwork walls originally documented as timber. The project highlights FCQ's ability to plan, coordinate and deliver complex upgrades in operational government facilities while maintaining program certainty.
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