16.1 Introduction

In the current enthusiasm for delivery of public infrastructure by the “new” approach of design and construct contracts, it may be overlooked that this mode of project delivery has been used for major projects in the past, notably for two high-profile Australian bridges: the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Kings Bridge in Melbourne. At that time, although the terminology was not used, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was (in addition to the Quebec Bridge (see Chapter 21)) one of the few major bridges in the world to be procured by a design and construct contract.