Kaniva College takes out first prize at the Aurecon Bridge Building Competition Victoria Tuesday, 18 August 2015

The annual Aurecon Bridge Building Competition – Victoria, part of Australian Engineering Week, concluded with Kaniva College securing first prize on Thursday 13 August at Scienceworks.

The Australian and New Zealand competition aims to raise awareness of the engineering profession with year 8 and 9 students using their planning, team work, decision making, creating thinking and innovation skills to produce an efficient bridge design.

Judges, including Ben Aldham FIEAust CPEng, the 2014 Young Victorian Engineer of the Year, assessed the workmanship, creativity, and aesthetics of the teams’ bridges followed by testing of the mass supported by the structures.

The winning bridge from Kaniva College withstood an incredible 147.5kg! The team were awarded $1,500 for their school and $200 to each team member, courtesy of VicRoads.

Yeshivah College, were awarded the Engineers Australia Second Place prize, with their bridge holding a load of 82.3kg. The team took home $1,000 for the school and $100 to each team member.

Third prize, courtesy of Monash University Department of Civil Engineering, was awarded to John Paul College. The team’s bridge withstood a load of 46.3 kgs, gaining the school a prize of $500 and team members $50 each.

An innovation prize was awarded to Northcote High School.

Lastly, the judges gave an honourable mention to the Melbourne High School team, whose quick thinking proved invaluable when they lost their bridge and made a ‘plane’ bridge out of the left over materials they had.

Congratulations to all the teams involved and our future engineers!

Photo: Yeshivah College team receiving second prize from Ben Aldham, 2014 Young Victorian Engineer of the Year and Aurecon Bridge Building Competition Victoria Judge.