Events

Stormwater Queensland are pleased to announce the first of a new series of stormwater technical tours to be hosted by the association. The first tour will showcase some of the latest WaterSmart solutions from around Brisbane.

This tour will be a fantastic opportunity to experience first-hand a broad range of different projects and hear about the challenges and solutions related to the funding, design, construction and establishment of each system. This tour aims to provide participants with the chance to learn directly from the practitioners involved in bringing the projects to fruition with plenty of opportunities for questions, debate and discussion. The tour will also include active networking opportunities to help build new relationships, strengthen existing relationships and encourage the sharing of ideas and experiences.

Sites to be featured on this Technical Tour include:
• A Brisbane River Backflow Prevention Device: This is a key initiative of Brisbane City Council in response to lessons learnt during previous flooding events.
• Two Stormwater Treatment/Harvesting Wetlands: These are the first Stormwater Harvesting Wetlands constructed in Brisbane, designed to achieve multiple values. Sites include Whites Hill Reserve and Ekibin Park.
• Two Retrofit ‘Creek Filtration’ Systems: These systems were constructed as part of a trial aimed at exploring low cost ways to managing stormwater in existing urban areas. Sites include Glindemann Park Creek Filtration and Greenslopes Creek Filtration System.
• Bowies Flat Wetland: This was the first stormwater treatment wetland in Queensland, the lessons of which continue to influence design today. Recent investment in the wetland has resulted in correcting some of the previous design issues and aims to revitalise the wetland.

Speakers will include:

Chris Wilson (Brisbane City Council)

Christopher is a Design Manager with over 35 years’ experience in civil design within local government. His special expertise includes detailed design of Urban Stormwater Relief drainage, project documentation, project management and design team supervision. His primary role is to lead a team of design professionals delivering design for Council’s annual Drainage Capital Works program valued at $27 Mil 2014/15.

He assisted in the drafting of the original BCC Water Sensitive Road Design Guidelines and for many years advised on the development of BCC Stormwater infrastructure standards and specifications. Since 2011 he has been the Technical Lead / Design Manager for the Brisbane River Backflow Prevention project.

Christopher has a Diploma of Project Management from UNE is a member of AIPM and is RPPD.

Natalie Baker (Brisbane City Council)

Natalie has worked on large scale river restoration projects in the Murray Darling Basin and currently works as a senior project officer at Brisbane City Council in the waterway health team. Natalie is experienced in project planning and management, stakeholder and community engagement, science communications and knowledge sharing with a specific focus on river restoration and integrated water resource management. In her current role at Brisbane City Council, Natalie is responsible for coordinating an evidenced based approach to maximise investment in waterway health enhancement works.

Adrian Crocetti (Brisbane City Council)

Adrian is a Senior Program Officer in the City Planning and Sustainability Division within Brisbane City Council.  After starting his career in the construction industry, followed by completing an Engineering Degree, Adrian joined Brisbane City Council seven years ago, where he worked on landfill remediation and stormwater harvesting projects.  Adrian is now involved in the policy, planning and programming for WSUD assets with a particular focus on ensuring the proper operation and maintenance of these devices.  Adrian’s unique skillset and hands-on approach has allowed him to forge new levels of cooperation between different sections of Council ensuring that there is a strong link between policy and operational aspects of WSUD.

Mark Gibson (Brisbane City Council)

Mark studied a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland and while studying worked casually at Redlands City Council, Brisbane City Council and Geo-Eng (formally Neville Jones and Associates).  Upon graduating Mark accepted a fulltime position at Geo-Eng, who straight away seconded him to Brisbane City Council Flood Management Department.  After six months Mark took a fulltime position at the Council.  Of his experience, he is appreciative of the extensive tutoring in hydrology, hydraulics and flood management by his peers at the Council, some of which included Grant Witheridge, Malcolm Eadie, Helen Abraham, Ken Morris, Darren Rogers, Damien McGarry and Martin Giles.

After a few years Mark entered the private industry again, this time joining Coffey Water Studies where he was first exposed to 2D hydraulic modelling, insurance assessment, mine site and quarry water management, stormwater quality modelling and long hours.  After two years Mark joined Stormwater Consulting as a junior partner and learned a lot about business management, accounting and running a small business, as well as working with small developers and civil engineers.  In May 2004, Mark formed his own company, MRG Water Consulting Pty Ltd.

MRG Water Consulting has specialised in flood risk management, stormwater quality improvement and assisting developers, mining firms and local government with tricky water issues.  In the last 10 years the business has grown to 5 staff, (still small but good!)  In 2012, Mark took a part time position at Brisbane City Council again, working in the Water Management Section.  Mark works as the director of MRG water Consulting 2 days per week.

Working at the Council has allowed Mark to focus on interesting projects such as the creek filtration systems.  He is passionate about improving waterway health, reducing flood damage and risk and protecting our critical infrastructure.

Damian Thompson (Lat 27)

Damian is one of the founding directors of the multi-disciplinary design practice Lat27 and has practiced Landscape Architecture for over two decades. His design approach involves the creative interpretation of natural systems in ways that enrich the quality of urban communities. He has a long association with QUT as tutor and guest lecturer and co-founded the 2011 ‘flood of ideas’ project in support of disaster-resilient communities. 

Tim Evans (Civil Dimensions)

Tim is one of the founding members and Director at Civil Dimensions Pty Ltd. With over 22 years in the industry, he has experience in a broad range of projects including a number of UDIA award winning projects located in Queensland. Tim has proven track record to deliver quality projects with innovative solutions from concept through to handover. Tim has been directly involved and led engineering teams on numerous water sensitive developments, many of which completed in coordination with BMT WBM.

Alan Hoban (Bligh Tanner)

Alan Hoban has expertise in integrated water cycle management and sustainable urban design. Alan has been behind a number of successful initiatives including Water by Design, Flood of Ideas, Flexicar, and Cool Communities.

He advises state and local governments and developers on policy, planning and technical standards for better urban water management, and is the recipient of a number of project and individual awards. He is the Principal Environmental Engineer with Bligh Tanner.

Paul Dubowski (BMT WBM)

Paul is a senior environmental scientist with 11 years of experience in the water industry.  Since joining BMT WBM in 2010, he has worked across a range of fields including stormwater management, catchment management, ecology and environmental management. Paul has led numerous water sensitive urban design (WSUD) projects from conceptual design through to maintenance, strategic policy and planning, capacity building projects for local governments and catchment/waterways management initiatives.

Prior to his current role, Paul spent two years with the Water by Design program of the South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership focusing on sustainable urban water management. He was involved with the management, delivery and support of: local and state policy; guidelines; professional development initiatives; and organisational strengthening initiatives.  Paul’s also spent five years in local government managing the impacts of urban development on natural assets.

Paul is passionate about the sustainable ecological management of waterways and helping to shape the future of water sensitive cities with a particular interest in the relationships between these two interests.

Secure your place now at this not-to-be-missed Technical Tour by downloading the Registration Form via here.

“The Death of the Backyard – An Issue for Stormwater” by Professor Tony Hall.

Tony will be present for approximately 45 minutes, with approximately 15 minutes for discussion/ questions.  Finger food and drinks will be provided beforehand.

About the subject:  

A substantial backyard has long been considered an iconic feature of Australian suburbs. From the air, they appear dominated by tree cover. Nevertheless, since the late 1990s, almost all new houses throughout the country have had minimal planted space around them. From above, they seem to be almost roof-to-roof. Taken together with the adjacent wide roads and concrete driveways, this clearly has severe adverse implications for stormwater run-off.

The issue is larger houses rather than higher densities. It appears driven by the trend towards greater debt, longer working hours and an indoor, air-conditioned, car-based lifestyle. Planning codes, while not actually encouraging the trend, do nothing to prevent it. It has serious ecological implications for the community as a whole, including a significant reduction not only in sustainable drainage but also in biodiversity and a beneficent microclimate.

About the author: 

Tony Hall has been an Adjunct Professor within the Urban Research Program at Griffith University since 2004. He was previously Professor of Town Planning at Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, UK. Rather unusually, he also served as a local councillor and led Chelmsford’s planning policy for seven years, obtaining a government award for quality of the built environment in 2003.

Tony’s book, The Life and Death of the Australian Backyard, was published by CSIRO Publishing in 2010 and won the 2012 Planning Institute of Australia National Award for Excellence in Cutting Edge Research.

To secure your place at the Seminar, download and complete the registration form via the following link: http://www.gemsevents.com.au/Resources/sq_feb_regoform.pdf

Should you have any questions about the event, please contact GEMS Event Management on +61 2 9744 5252 or via email to registration@gemspl.com.au.

Members will cycle around the Brisbane River – stopping off at a few interesting spots on route.  Free event, with brekky afterwards.

Further details to be provided soon.