VUGA’s horizontal directional drilling works a success
Published on 15 January 2026
Yesterday a package of critical horizontal directional drilling works to connect the Valla Urban Growth Area (VUGA) to Nambucca Valley Council’s existing water and sewer networks were completed.
The final 450mm sewer gravity main high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe, approximately 200 metres in length, was successfully pulled through the underbore by Pipeline drillers from its compound located near old Boggy Creek Road, on the eastern side of the motorway, at about 2.45pm.
Nambucca Valley Council General Manager Bede Spannagle said completing these critical infrastructure installations had put the project in a great position to start selling Stage One industrial lots from about mid to late 2026.
“We’ve seen great construction progress at VUGA, which means its 14 large-scale industrial blocks, many with highway frontage, will be ready to hit the market this year,” he said.
“Watching the HDPE pipe, PN16 pressure rated, being underbored yesterday was quite an exciting sight and it followed the contractor’s first successful horizontal directional drilling effort back on 18 December when the water trunk main was installed.
“Council has invested $17 million in these works to enable this subdivision to go ahead, and we appreciate the support provided to date by the Australian and NSW Governments of $11.2 million.
“While we’re in a great position to realise Stage One, the industrial precinct within the subdivision, we need further investment from the Federal and State Governments, if we are going to be able to open up its residential land and help to ease the local housing crisis.”
VUGA is strategically located midway between Central Coast-Sydney and Southeast Queensland-Brisbane and the major regional centres of Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. It represents a great opportunity to help meet the 41,300 extra homes identified in the North Coast Regional Plan 2041, needed to support the population growth for the North Coast region.
Local contractor, AJ Civil Projects, has also worked hard on the VUGA project’s civil components. Bulk earthworks are fully completed, with plant moving 140,000 cubic metres of earth in total to form Stage One’s 14 industrial lots and install pipelines within the subdivision and stormwater drainage.
It has so far installed two-thirds of the subdivision’s sewer pipeline, along Red Ash Road and at the project’s entry, which will connect to the sewer gravity main installed under the Pacific Highway yesterday.
From there, the sewage will be gravity fed to a soon to be built, sewage pump station, located near the old Boggy Creek Road adjacent to Giinagay Way. Here it is pumped, via a new pipeline currently being constructed, to the Nambucca Heads Sewerage Treatment Plant for treatment.
AJ Civil Projects has been awarded the contract to build the sewage pump station, which will involve procuring, excavating, installing and commissioning pump station components.
All of the new sewer and water infrastructure needed for VUGA Stage One is expected to be completed by about Quarter 3 this year.
ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES TO:
Mr Bede Spannagle
GENERAL MANAGER
02 6568 2555
DATE: 15 January 2026