In April 2026 our Hobart technicians completed a significant scope of works at one of Hobart’s most loved community facilities — the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre.
Contact Group had multiple teams on site carrying out two major scopes of work: a full lighting upgrade above the pools, and the centrepiece of the project: the complete replacement of the centre’s main switchboard. The works required meticulous planning, careful coordination with the City of Hobart facility management team, and many long hours from our technicians to ensure the centre could reopen on schedule with zero disruption to the community.
A Major Infrastructure Upgrade
The main switchboard replacement was a complex, multi-phase project designed to enhance the capacity, reliability, safety, and compliance of the centre’s entire electrical infrastructure — no small undertaking in an operational aquatic facility.
The project began well before our teams set foot on site. Engineers conducted a detailed survey and analysis of the existing switchboard, developed engineering designs including single-line diagrams and load calculations, with Contact Group carefully coordinating shutdown schedules with Doone Kennedy to minimise disruption. Every phase of the work required its own Risk Assessment and Safe Work Method Statement — from de-energisation through to final commissioning.
On site, the scope included:
- De-energisation and lockout/tagout of the existing system, with strict safety protocols in place throughout
- Coordination with TasNetworks to isolate the incoming substation feed
- Demolition and removal of the old switchboard, with materials disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations
- A temporary generator supply brought in to keep critical systems — including fire detection and security — live throughout the outage
- Installation of the new main switchboard, including all new wiring, terminations, busbars, breakers, relays, surge protection devices, and earthing systems
- Integration with the centre’s building management system, including automated controls, monitoring, and alarms
- Full testing and commissioning — insulation resistance, continuity, earth fault loop impedance, and functional performance testing — all verified against Australian Standards (AS/NZS 3000)
- Handover documentation including as-built drawings, test results, warranties, and maintenance schedules, along with training for facility staff and maintenance contractors on operating the new system
Alongside the switchboard works, around 500 lighting tubes above the pools were also replaced — requiring our technicians to put in significant hours to complete both scopes concurrently.
The result? The Doone Kennedy Aquatic Centre reopened right on schedule with zero disruption to the community. Throughout the project, Contact Group recorded zero safety incidents — a testament to the thorough planning, rigorous risk management, and professionalism of every person on site.
A Long-Standing City of Hobart Partnership
The Doone Kennedy Aquatic Centre is owned and managed by the City of Hobart, a long-standing client and valued partner of Contact Group. We have proudly delivered Fire and Electrical Maintenance services for the City of Hobart since 2016, and in July 2024 were re-awarded that contract following an open and competitive tender process. Across approximately 56 sites — from community centres and sportsgrounds to parks, fountains and huts — our dedicated team completes up to 250 jobs per month.
It’s a partnership built on fast response times, consistent quality, and genuine communication — and projects like this one are a great reflection of what that looks like in practice.
