While state of the art materials @-@ handling methods was used , in some instances labour @-@ saving machinery worked beside operations intended to maximise the labour content . Sustenance workers was employed chiefly for on @-@ site preparation , road construction , foundation excavation , clearing timber from the reservoir basin , and on some concreting operations . Skilled workers was required on the dam for fixing the formwork where the concrete was poured . These workers was probably employed at normal day labour rates , the main employment method used on the project . Bulk handling of cement was also used for the first time in Australia , this saw a significant saving as opposed to bagged cement which was the standard practice of the day .