Noosa and District Landcare Inc
1989 – 1991 I was part of the inaugural Noosa Shire sub-committee of Gympie Landcare and the subsequent early un-incorporated committee for Noosa Landcare as Noosa Council’s nominated representative.
1998-2000 – I undertook the role of Integrated Catchment Management Coordinator in the Mary Catchment as an employee of the Department of Natural Resources and Mines. As part of this role I undertook technical assessment responsibilities under the Natural Heritage Trust (& similar funding programs). One of the assessed projects was the Corridors of Green project which partly funded riparian rehabilitation activities of Noosa Landcare along the Six Mile Creek in Cooran.
2015 - I undertook a short $700 consultancy to facilitate a meeting of members and staff of Noosa Landcare to conduct a SWOT analysis to help guide their strategic directions. My role was as an independent facilitator. Also, in 2015 I subcontracted Noosa and District Landcare to provide professional assistance in development a planning tool for the use by a government entity to the value of $760.
I have long-standing collegial relationships with a number of committee members and staff of the association, but in my opinion, these do not constitute a close association as defined by the Act.
I am a current ordinary member of the group.
Mary River Catchment Coordination Association (MRCCC)
1994-1997 – As the Cooloola Shire’s Senior Planner and Conservation Strategy Coordinator I participated in the start-up of this group. I also recommended the investment of Council’s Environment Levy in the state’s first riverbank rehabilitation grant scheme and subsequently sat on the sub-committee that assessed applications for this grant fund.
1998-2000 – I undertook the role of Coordinator of Integrated Catchment Management in the Mary Catchment as an employee of the Department of Natural Resources and Mines. This role involved close collaboration and guidance with the sector-based MRCCC committee and its officers. As part of this role I was the Principal Investigator for the Land and Water Research and Development Corporation funded riparian rehabilitation project with no specific research sites in the Noosa Shire. I also was a member of the state government’s Mary River Cod Recovery Team which devised and guided implementation of the species recovery plan which include the hatchery operations partly funded by Noosa Council at Lake Macdonald. I also undertook the field assessment and developed the Mary River and Tributaries Rehabilitation Plan (linked to my Masters’ degree Research) which was used to guide projects and priorities for some years later.
2000 -2004 – As the Senior Natural Resource Management/ Planning Officer I was responsible for integrated catchment management, in the Mary, Noosa, Maroochy-Mooloolah and Pumicestone Catchments. In this role I can’t recall any specific waterway related projects within the Mary Catchment in the Noosa Shire. The role also oversaw the regulatory responsibilities of the Department under the Water Act and Soil Conservation Act in the district.
2004-2009 – As Principal Catchment Ecologist for the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries I undertook a range of projects which involved the MRCCC. This included being lead author on a Technical Paper on the Freshwater Aquatic Biodiversity of the Burnett Mary Region which informed the initial Regional Natural Resource Management Plan and subsequent funding in the Mary catchment. I also led the development of the Burnett Mary Regional Biopassage Strategy, with the project funding Noosa Council for three small pilot fish passage projects in the Six Mile Creek, based on advice from MRCCC officers.
In this role I developed the FarmFLOW area-wide management framework (linked to my PhD Research) which was an approach aiming to reduce the downstream impacts of agriculture on water quality and fisheries. My team delivered a range of FarmFLOW projects and grant funding to producers including in the middle Mary Catchment (e.g. West Cooroy).
2013 – 2016 - I was a member of a technical working group advising on the development of the Mary River Threatened Aquatic Species Recovery Plan during this period. In 2013 I received $500 to prepare and present a review of the group’s achievements of the Mary River & Tributaries Rehabilitation Plan as part of a ‘20 Years of Rivercare’ event.
2017-2022 – I was Council’s nominated representative on the MRCCC. In this role I facilitated the review of the Catchment Strategy and drafted the revised strategy.
I have long-standing collegial relationships with a number of committee members and staff of the association, but in my opinion, these do not constitute a close association as defined by the Act.
Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA)
2000 -2004 – As the Senior Natural Resource Management /Planning Officer I was responsible for integrated catchment management, in the Mary, Noosa, Maroochy-Mooloolah and Pumicestone Catchments. The role also oversaw the regulatory responsibilities of the Department under the Water Act and Soil Conservation Act in the district. I also led the pilot Rivercare Program for the district. This involved one of my team members working with NICA on a range of initiatives including the Kin Kin Creek Sub-catchment Rehabilitation Plan, Noosa River Boatwash Study and Johns Landing erosion management. In 2003-2004 I attended one or two Noosa River Management Plan’s Community and Industry Advisory Committee Meetings.
2004-2009 – As Principal Catchment Ecologist for the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries I developed the FarmFLOW area-wide management framework which was an approach aiming to reduce the downstream impacts of agriculture on water quality and fisheries. My team delivered/ collaborated in a range of FarmFLOW projects and grant funding to producers including in the Kin Kin catchment. In this role I was the DPI&F representative on the whole of government working group liaising with the Sunshine Coast Council on river management issues across the region. However, due to my advocacy role as President of the Noosa Residents and Ratepayers I declared a conflict in the Noosa River Plan discussions and left meetings if it was being discussed.
2017 – I was requested as a Councillor to participate in a small working group to review the strategic direction of the association. The group prepared a short report and presented recommendations to a meeting of the group.
I am an ordinary member of NICA.
Healthy Land and Water
(and its predecessors SEQ Health Waterways, SEQ NRM, SEQ Catchments)
(and its predecessors SEQ Health Waterways, SEQ NRM, SEQ Catchments)
1998 – I was a technical advisor to the Regional Assessment Panel for the Natural Heritage Trust Program that awarded the initial grant that led to the formation of SEQ Healthy Waterways.
2004-2009 – As Principal Catchment Ecologist for the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries I was involved in providing technical and strategic advice to a number of Healthy Waterways and Catchment Management initiatives and strategies. This included writing a technical paper on SEQ fisheries for the initial Regional Natural Resource Management Plan, collaborating in the development and implementation of the FarmFLOW projects under the SEQ Healthy Country Program, participating on a technical working group in the development of the SEQ Water Quality Management Strategy (esp. rural diffuse pollution), involvement in the coastal algal bloom reference group and on a group investigating nutrient offsets. I participated in, and presented to, the SEQ Healthy Waterways Ministerial Forum.
2017-2020 - I entered into a business relationship with Healthy Land and Water Ltd in 2017. I subcontracted the organisation as part of my sole trader consultancy (t/a Watershed Australia). Healthy Land and Water provided me with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) support and mapping services. This business arrangement commenced in 2017 with invoiced work totalling a value of $57,703. I ceased using Healthy Land and Water as my subcontracted GIS provider in 2020. The GIS expert who I used in Healthy Land and Water has left the organisation, and there is no prospect me of re-entering a business relationship with the group.
Seqwater
2016-2020 -Seqwater was a client of my sole trader business (t/a Watershed Australia) during this period. My professional services included: catchment planning; land capability and suitability assessments for source protection, recreation, grazing, infrastructure, environmental offsets and solar farms; environmental and natural resource evaluation and acting as an 'Expert Witness' in a court case regarding land and weed management. This involved contracts to the value of $232,266. This work covered the vast majority of the Seqwater estate throughout South East Queensland including the Lake Macdonald estate.
My business relationship with Seqwater ended in 2020. I will not be pursuing further consultancy opportunities with this organisation while I am Deputy Mayor. I have advised my broker that I will not be renewing my professional indemnity and public liability insurance which is a prerequisite for this and other government entities.
Noosa Residents and Ratepayers (NRRA)
2009 -2016 - I was President of the Noosa Residents and Ratepayers Association during this period. This role included voluntary community-based advocacy campaigns around the Noosa River Plan and the issues associated with it. This included direct lobbying and meetings with Marine Safety Queensland and the coordination and facilitation of two well attended public forums on the topic.
2009 - Noosa River Solutions Forum – led to my development of a policy statement on managing and rehabilitating the Noosa River jointly endorsed by us Noosa Integrated Catchment Association, Noosa Parks Association and Noosa and District Landcare.
2015 - Noosa River Forum – A Call for Action – led to Council announcing its intent to conduct a Citizen’s Jury on the matter.