Northern Territory Training Areas and Ranges Upgrades Project
RPS has been engaged by the Department of Defence’s Capital Facilities and Infrastructure Branch since 2018 to deliver the largest upgrade of Defence training areas in the Northern Territory in recent years.
Over a nine-and-a-half-year program consisting of a four-year design phase and a four-and-a-half-year delivery program valued at $747 million, our project management team has led planning, design, and delivery of essential facilities and infrastructure upgrades across four training areas, being Robertson Barracks Close Training Area, Kangaroo Flats, Mount Bundey, and the very remote Bradshaw Field Training Area.
The challenge
This key project is critical to ensuring the Australian Defence Force has reliable access to fit-for-purpose training areas and weapons ranges, while also supporting greater cooperation and interoperability with United States Force Posture Initiative’s Branch and our international partners.
Delivering the upgrades has required navigating a wide range of challenges including:
· Aligning and prioritising scope with a diverse group of stakeholders, each with different capability needs and priorities.
· Adapting to evolving Defence training requirements, including advances in simulation and targetry technology.
· Managing delivery in remote and logistically complex locations, with limited contractor availability and long travel distances.
· Overcoming pandemic disruptions, from site investigation delays to conducting one of the first major virtual Defence design presentations during COVID-19 lockdowns.
· Balancing construction works with the need to maintain training schedules and avoid overwhelming the local construction market.
· Securing cultural and environmental approvals across all sites.
These complexities required a consistent and collaborative project management approach to keep the program moving forward.
Our approach
As Defence’s Project Manager and Contract Administrator, RPS has overseen every stage of the program, from scoping and master planning through to approvals, contract negotiations, and construction delivery.
A hallmark of our approach has been the creation of a collaborative and inclusive project culture. With more than 50 stakeholder groups involved nationally, RPS established clear communication channels and ran high-level program deconfliction meetings to align delivery with Defence training requirements. Our strong relationship with the Managing Contractor has ensured challenges are resolved in the best interests of the project, minimising delays and protecting capability outcomes.
In collaboration with Sitzler, the project’s Managing Contractor, and key stakeholders, RPS also introduced highly targeted approaches to design and cost management. A two-stage review process improved the quality of design documentation and made stakeholder engagement more efficient, even during fully virtual design presentations. Value management sessions at each design milestone helped manage scope within budget pressures, while rigorous cost modelling and negotiations helped to reduce costs for elements delivered under the project.
Through proactive risk management, transparent reporting, and a focus on stakeholder collaboration, RPS has provided Defence with continuity, confidence, and strong governance across this complex, multi-year program.
The result
The project has already delivered significant new infrastructure, with 16 of 22 stages complete and two of the four training areas handed over. Key facilities at Bradshaw Field Training Area delivered by this project have been successfully used for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, involving 19 nations.
The upgrades from this project are providing:
· Flexible, modern training areas that adapt to evolving Defence needs.
· Improved health, safety, and support facilities.
· Infrastructure to support increased joint training between Australia and partner nations.
Importantly, the project has generated strong benefits for the Northern Territory economy, with more than 90% of subcontract value awarded by Sitzler going to local businesses, and nearly 30% being awarded to Indigenous enterprises.
The project’s success has been recognised nationally, with RPS’s Northern Territory team winning the National award for the Professional Services category at the 2023 Australian Institute of Project Management Achievement Awards. With one year of construction remaining, RPS continues to deliver high-quality outcomes that strengthen Defence capability and benefit local communities.
Fast Facts
· Project value: $747m
· Timeline: 2018 – 2022 (Design Development), 2022 – mid-2027 (Delivery Phase)
· Locations: 4 Northern Territory training areas
· Services: Project Management, Contract Administration
· RPS team: 5 dedicated project management professionals