LIBERTY’s Whyalla Steelworks helps town win big

If you’ve never seen Whyalla, a coastal town in South Australia, you’re missing out. Rust red earth meets turquoise water and white sand, it can only be described as picturesque. And now locals and tourists have another impressive vantage point from which to admire their town; the Whyalla Jetty.

Completed in September 2020 with $300,000 of steel donated from the town’s LIBERTY Steelworks facility, the jetty stretches 165m from the shore. The steel LIBERTY contributed was actually recycled from scrap steel taken from the original jetty, built in the 1970s with steel that was manufactured in the Steelworks. In fact, the circular design of the jetty itself is a fitting nod to the circular, recyclable nature of its structural material. It’s a clever feature, making the jetty quite distinct and now, award winning.

The eye-catching jetty has been praised by engineers, taking out the award for ‘Best Public Works Project over $5m’, in the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia, South Australian Division’s annual Excellence Awards.

Judges commented that the jetty was “highly unique in it’s aesthetic, and a-typical of a council led project,” adding that they were impressed by the innovative lighting design and disability access, the commitment shown through engagement of local businesses throughout the project, and the potential to attract visitors and boost the local economy long into the future.

Investing in and boosting the local economy was exactly what GFG Executive Chairman, Sanjeev Gupta, had in mind when agreeing to support the jetty project. In his video message to the Australian team he said, “It is fantastic when local council, state government, and private business come together to deliver something to benefit the whole community.” He added, “When I first heard about this new jetty, I jumped at the chance, not only to donate the steel for the project, but also to ensure we push the envelope to make it an iconic site, symbolic of Whyalla’s future. (And having seen the competed project) I am extremely proud to have been involved.”

In the two months since the $7.8 million jetty opened it’s already attracted more than 30,000 visits and more than 15 million hits worldwide on social media, according to the City of Whyalla Mayor, Clare McLaughlin.

A huge congratulations to the LIBERTY Steelworks team in Whyalla – it’s terrific to see your work come to life and put your town in the spotlight!

Check out our favourite pics of Whyalla, including some of the new jetty and the Whyalla dolphins, here: