Hansen Yuncken has a rich history spanning over 107 years, and this year, the company marks a truly significant milestone, the Shepparton office turns 100!
Established in 1925, Hansen Yuncken has played a defining role in shaping the built environment of the Goulburn Valley and surrounding regions. Over the past century, Hansen Yuncken has successfully, and continually, delivered a wide range of projects, reinforcing its deep commitment to regional Victoria, and the company continues to grow and develop its services.
Hansen Yuncken’s very first project was the Ardmona Cannery in Mooroopna, which commenced in 1925. This was followed closely by early works at the Shepparton Preserving Company (SPC) in 1926, a relationship that would span decades.
HY became involved in Shepparton and the cannery work by the government’s invitation, to provide the building needs for the development of the first canning businesses. SPC became a major client. Work was carried out during the fruit growing period, and teams returned to Melbourne during the canning season. After the war years, an office was established in the SPC carpark with Frank Crowle as manager. A permanent office was established in Lockwood Road, Shepparton, in 1948. SPC remained a principal client for HY during their five-year rebuilding program.
By 1960, immigration had boosted the need for new educational and health services, which resulted in increasing and changing new work opportunities, not only in Shepparton, but in nearby areas like Swan Hill, Wagga Wagga, Seymour and Deniliquin.
To this day, the business’s culture retains its country feel and openness of old, and HY’s Shepparton-based teams continue to deliver landmark projects across residential, retail, education, justice, health, aged care, community infrastructure and industrial sectors, significantly contributing to regional Victoria’s development.
Some of the notable projects undertaken by Hansen Yuncken’s Shepparton office in recent times include:
• Goulburn Valley Base Hospital (1975) A new two-storey concrete reinforced building to accommodate nurses’ stations, patient wards, operating theatres, and a kitchen. Extensive underfloor services were installed, and later, a mortuary was added to the scope of works.
• SPC Cannery (1988) A 10,300m2 warehouse built for SPC Limited, featuring a 23,000-pallet storage capacity.
• Goulburn Valley Base Hospital (1998) A multi-staged hospital expansion and refurbishment undertaken while keeping the hospital fully operational. Works included a new emergency wing, a day procedures unit, midwifery wards and ICU modifications.
• Shepparton Police Station (2000) A new 24-hour police facility featuring custodial areas, a sheriff’s office and administrative spaces. The project required demolishing an existing asbestos-contained building and removing underground fuel tanks to create a safer, more efficient justice precinct.
• Wodonga Police Station and Courts Complex (2002) A new police station and courts complex that integrated Police Headquarters, cell blocks, four courtrooms and a sheriff’s department into a high security two-storey complex.
• Bendigo Marketplace (2008)
A significant extension involving the construction of 50 new specialty stores, a new food court, amenities and 900 undercover and on-grade carparks, including upgrades to common areas and services.
• La Trobe University (2010) A 5-Star Green Star-rated education facility, incorporating greywater treatment, in-slab cooling and sustainable materials. The Shepparton campus includes flexible learning spaces, office areas, a cafe, landscaped exteriors, and a carpark.
• Bull Street (Justice Precinct) Redevelopment (2014) A former Victorian Police Headquarters in Bendigo was repurposed to house the Justice Service Centre, consisting of a Magistrate’s Court, interview rooms and secure holding areas.
• Echuca Regional Health Redevelopment (2015)
A two-staged project involving the demolition of a medical wing and construction of new surgical, medical, maternity, and paediatric wards, as well as a new sub-acute unit, and ED and Imaging Departments.
• Albury-Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre (2016)
A new 8,000m2, integrated Cancer Centre comprised of a day oncology unit, three radiotherapy bunkers, a 30-bed inpatient ward, a Wellness Centre, and dedicated children’s treatment space, 17 consulting rooms plus a pharmacy. Internal courtyards, covered walkways, and a radical new design provides inviting spaces to support patient wellbeing.
• Shepparton Law Courts Redevelopment (2019) A heritage restoration of the 1930s Shepparton Courthouse, creating Victoria’s first specialist family violence facility, following recommendations from the 2016 Royal Commission into Family Violence.
• Greater Shepparton Secondary College (2021)The largest education project in Shepparton’s history, designed to accommodate 2,700 students. The state-of-the-art facility features a ‘school within a school’ model, with smaller learning ‘neighbourhoods’ and a specialist Enterprise & Innovation Centre for STEM, the Arts, and music.
• Puckapunyal Live In Accommodation (2023) This rapid-build defence project saw the delivery of three new Live In Accommodation buildings, each with 37 sole occupancy unit bedrooms, shared common areas and facilities, plus landscaping and shared outdoor entertainment facilities.
• Spotlight Retail Development (2024) A multi-tenant retail development spanning 38,654m2, with six retail showrooms, major fitouts and significant civil works. The project also included modifications to an existing building to create additional retail spaces.
• Goulburn Valley Health Doctors Accommodation (2026) Currently in construction, this purpose-built accommodation facility is designed to support medical professionals working in the region, helping strengthen Shepparton’s healthcare sector.
