SES Depot Deception Bay

Premis was engaged to deliver the transformation of the ageing Deception Bay SES Depot into a contemporary, purpose-built operational and training facility for one of Queensland’s busiest SES groups.

The original 1985 shed no longer met operational or training demands, despite the unit servicing more than 80,000 residents and experiencing a 182 percent increase in service requests. The SES group has been recognised as Queensland SES State Group of the Year in both 2023 and 2024, making the need for a modern, fit-for-purpose base even more critical.

The redevelopment included:

• Two new buildings – a purpose-built administration and training facility with offices, amenities and dedicated training spaces, and a secure vehicle enclosure with a nine-bay garage including double-depth drive-through bays
• Full services installation and upgrades across the site
• Infrastructure works including new driveways, pathways, and vehicle circulation routes
• An expanded shared carpark servicing the SES and the neighbouring Dragons Football Club
• Significant landscaping works and regeneration of koala habitat
• Demolition of the existing depot once the new facilities were operational
• In-ground remediation to support the increased building load
• Asbestos removal and soil treatment prior to new construction

While the build itself was relatively straightforward, the project presented challenges including latent ground conditions and extensive design coordination. The in-ground issues required close collaboration between Premis and City of Moreton Bay to develop suitable remediation strategies without impacting program.

Design coordination was particularly important given the specialised training and operational requirements of the SES, along with the shared community interface.

The completed facility is six times larger than the original depot and provides modern operational areas, dedicated training capability, increased storage capacity and improved access for both SES and community users. It delivers a long overdue upgrade for a highly regarded SES group and ensures they have the contemporary infrastructure needed to support the community, particularly during times of emergency and high demand.