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Central Gippsland Irrigation Study

Southern Rural Water, 2018

RMCG contributed to a recent Southern Rural Water study exploring opportunities to expand irrigated agriculture in the Latrobe, Thomson, Macalister and Avon catchments in Central Gippsland.The study aimed to identify potential projects that would create regional growth and boost future employment.

RMCG completed two components of the assessment, including:

  • Assessment of surface water and groundwater resources and comparison to land capability (including soils, topography, climate) to identify potential expansion opportunities. This component was supported by Jacobs. It identified four priority focus areas for more detailed assessment.
  • A demand assessment through consultation with landholders in the priority focus areas. We surveyed over 60 landholders, plus 20 industry representatives, via multiple methods to provide guidance on scale and location of demand for concept design work, and willingness to pay for the economic analysis.

 
Further information is available on the SRW website.

 

Team

Anna Kelliher

Anna Kelliher

Managing Principal

BA, BE (Hons), GAICD

Anna is an environmental engineer with 20 years’ experience in water and catchment management. She specialises in recycled water planning, irrigation modernisation, land capability assessment, environmental risk assessment and catchment condition reporting. Anna has experience working with industry, government, farmers and the community, and has developed sound teamwork, communication and project management skills.

Clinton Muller

Clinton Muller

Senior Consultant

M.Sust.Ag., B.Bus. (Hons), B.A.

Clinton has extensive experience in sustainable agriculture, with a specialist focus on horticulture and intensive production systems. With a strong agricultural industry focus, Clinton has worked across a range of agricultural commodities and natural resource management issues in Australia and internationally.  Clinton’s diverse range of capacities including program design and management, stakeholder engagement, partnership management, monitoring evaluation and reporting, extension, facilitation, action research and science communication.

Rebecca Schwarzman

Rebecca Schwarzman

Senior Consultant

B.Sci. (Hons)

Bec is a skilled geographer and environmental scientist with a background in water, natural resource management and regional development.

She has made important contributions to catchment and water management, salinity, compost use in agriculture and bushfire planning and management at RMCG. She works on projects with a focus on strategic planning, program evaluation and social and environmental research, primarily for government agencies.

Bec has well developed project management skills and has a practical and resourceful style. She is a highly capable writer and problem solver.

 

Steph McNulty

Steph McNulty

Senior Consultant

M.Env., B.Sci. (Marine Biology)

Steph has ten years’ experience working in environmental management. Key areas of knowledge include general ecology and environmental policy. She has specific skills in GIS analysis, project management and stakeholder consultation. Steph’s work has focused on the delivery of balanced, practical and effective environmental interventions.