Queensland Operator of the Year

Sponsored by AWA

This  award is presented at the WIOA Queensland conference annually. The award is presented to operators of water or wastewater treatment facilities to recognise excellent performance, initiative and all round attention to detail.

The Queensland Branch of AWA as award sponsor sends a letter to all Council and Water Authority CEO’s annually requesting nominations of “operations staff” to be considered for the Award.

The criteria for the determination of the winner is: Nominees should be employed in Queensland and should have direct responsibility for operational decisions at community water and wastewater treatment plants/ or industrial water or wastewater plants.

The following features are taken into account in considering worthy recipients:

  1. Continuing education/training achievement;
  2. Overall plant or system management and condition;
  3. Demonstrated attention to Occupational Health and Safety and other regulatory responsibilities;
  4. Initiative and innovation, demonstrating improved treatment and efficiency

The completed applications are judged by AWA and the winner of the Queensland Operator of the Year Award is announced at the Awards Dinner at the WIOA Queensland Conference annually.

The winner receives a perpetual trophy for his or her organisation to keep for 12 months, plus a personal trophy to keep permanently.  The winner will also receive an all expenses paid opportunity to join the WIOA delegation on the tour of New Zealand.

Queensland Operator of the Year  – Honour Roll

YEAR CONFERENCE VENUE OPERATOR OF THE YEAR EMPLOYER
2023 Sunshine Coast Aron Smith Cairns Regional Council
2022 Logan Neil Wilcox Suez
2021 Toowoomba Shane Bandiera Cassowary Coast Regional Council
2020 Virtual Water – Online Mark Vairy Mackay Regional Council
2019 Bundaberg John Van Ryt Mareeba Shire Council
2018 Logan Tony Cover Goondiwindi Regional Council
2017 Logan John Holmes Whitsunday Regional Council
2016 Rockhampton Vern Atkinson Cairns Regional Council
2015 Toowoomba Grahame Dunstan Cairns Regional Council
2014 Logan Julie Smith Isaac Regional Council
2013 Gold Coast Chris Hughes Unity Water
2012 Gold Coast Robert Harman Allconnex Water
2011 Toowoomba Robin Cherry Unitywater
2010 Rockhampton Martin Hindmarsh Gold Coast City Council
2009 Caloundra Brian Caplick Wide Bay Water
2008 Gold Coast – Carrara John Paulger & Ian Cuthbertson Toowoomba Regional Council & SEQ Water
2007 Rockhampton Paul Jensen
2006 Rockhampton James Castle Caboolture Shire Council

QLD Operator of the Year

Nominations will open in 2024

Queensland Operator of the Year (Civil / All Rounder)

Sponsored by qldwater

The Queensland Water Directorate is a membership body for Water Service Providers across the state.  qldwater is working in partnership with WIOA to expand its Queensland membership, promote qldwater skilling programs and build the WIOA Queensland conference into one of the most significant events on the water industry calendar.

The award, introduced in 2010, aims to provide encouragement to water industry employees employed in the civil construction/maintenance areas of the water industry to recognise excellent performance, initiative and all round attention to detail.

qldwater sends a letter to all Councils and Water Authorities within Queensland, requesting they nominate “operations staff” to be considered for the Award.

The criteria for the determination of the winner is: Nominees should be employed in Queensland and should have direct responsibility for the operation and maintenance or construction of water and wastewater reticulation networks.

The following features are taken into account in considering worthy recipients:

1. Continuing education/training achievement;
2. Overall plant or system management and condition;
3. Demonstrated attention to Occupational Health and Safety and other regulatory responsibilities;
4. Initiative and innovation, demonstrating improved efficiency.

The completed applications are judged by an independent panel the winner is announced at the Awards Dinner at the WIOA Conference annually.

The winner receives a perpetual trophy for his or her organisation to keep for 12 months, a personal trophy to keep permanently and professional development opportunity to the value of $1,500.

Year Venue

Operator of the Year (Civil / All Rounder)

Employer
2023 Sunshine Coast John Sebasio Veolia
2022 Logan Harris Tahau Redland City Council
2021 Toowoomba Shane Bambrick Urban Utilities
2020 Online – Virtual Water Brett Donald Mackay Regional Council
2019 Bundaberg Spencer Stacey City of Gold Coast
2018 Logan Brad Milfull Logan City Council
2017 Logan Glenn Cook Gladstone Regional Council
2016 Rockhampton Kent Weeden & Matthew Weeks City of Gold Coast & Banana Shire Council
2015 Toowoomba Grahame Dunstan Cairns Regional Council
2014 Logan Matthew Cook North Burnett Regional Council
2013 Gold Coast Jason Vade Gold Coast City Council
2012 Gold Coast Ashley Reidy Isaac Regional Council
2011 Toowoomba Brendan Schutz Allconnex
2010 Rockhampton Col Kirkegaard Banana Shire Council

QLD Operator of the Year (Civil/All Rounder)

Nominations will open in 2024

Queensland Young Operator of the Year

Sponsored by qldwater

The Queensland Water Directorate is a membership body for Water Service Providers across the state.  qldwater is working in partnership with WIOA to expand its Queensland membership, promote qldwater skilling programs and build the WIOA Queensland conference into one of the most significant events on the water industry calendar.

The award introduced in 2010, aims to provide encouragement to young water industry employees, to recognise excellent performance, initiative and all round attention to detail.

qldwater invites all Councils and Water Authorities within Queensland to nominate “operations staff” to be considered for the Award.

To be eligible for consideration the nominees must:

  • be employed in the Queensland water industry and be aged under 30 yrs
  • have been employed in the water industry for less than 4 years
  • be responsible for operating community water and wastewater treatment plants/ or  industrial water or wastewater plants, operation and maintenance or construction of water and wastewater reticulation networks etc.

Nominations are judged on the basis of submissions from employers covering:

  1. Commitment to and demonstrating a strong OHS ethic in all work performed
  2. Commitment to undertaking training and then implementation of skills learned into the workplace
  3. Commitment to team work and following enterprise SOP’s etc
  4. Commitment to meeting Council/Authority and regulatory requirements in the course of all work
  5. Demonstrated use of initiative or suggestions leading to efficiency or safety improvements
  6.  Any other relevant industry based achievements.

The completed applications are judged by an independent panel the winner is announced at the Awards Dinner at the WIOA Conference annually.

The winner receives a perpetual trophy for his or her organisation to keep for 12 months, plus a personal trophy to keep permanently.  The winner will also receive an all expenses paid opportunity to join the WIOA delegation on the tour of New Zealand.

Year Venue Young Operator of the Year Employer
2022 Logan Exavier Evile Urban Utilities
2021 Toowoomba Shannon Thomas Unitywater
2020 Online – Virtual Water Benjamin Haddock Southern Downs Regional Council
2019 Bundaberg Ali Sacipovic Fraser Coast Regional Council
2018 Logan Andrew Hanifin Unitywater
2017 Logan Harry Coleman Toowoomba Regional Council
2016 Rockhampton Ben Pennell City of Gold Coast
2015 Toowoomba Geoffrey Johnson Richmond Shire Council
2014 Logan Sarah Walton Seqwater
2013 Gold Coast Tyren Cavanagh Cairns City Council
2012 Gold Coast Tammy Beddow Central Highlands Regional Council
2011 Toowoomba Cameron Ansell South Burnett Regional Council
2010 Rockhampton Robyn Hoole Gladstone Regional Council

QLD Young Operator of the Year

Nominations will open in 2024

Best Paper by an Operator – Queensland Conference

Sponsored by Grundfos

These awards are presented as an incentive to encourage “grass roots” operational staff to share their knowledge and experience. To be eligible, the author must NOT hold a tertiary (Bachelor level) qualification.

WIOA selects a number of judges at each conference who watch all the presentations made over the two days. They score each of the papers based on:

  • The content and layout of the written paper;
  • The originality of the ideas portrayed;
  • The use of visual aids during the presentation;
  • The verbal presentation and whether or not the author sticks to the allotted time; and
  • The demeanor of the presenter including how well they answer any questions.

At the completion of the paper sessions, the scores are tallied and the winners determined. The prizes are:

1st Place:  Travel, accommodation and a full delegate registration to attend another WIOA conference in Australia to deliver the paper again (to the value of $1,750)

2nd Place: Complimentary delegate registration (non-transferrable) to a WIOA conference of their choice within the next 12 months (valued at $750)

3rd Place:  Complimentary delegate registration (non-transferrable) to a WIOA conference of their choice within the next 12 months (valued at $750)

Year First Second Third
2023 Kathryn Turner
Urban Utilities
Scott Lowe
Unitywater
John Holmes
Mackay Regional Council
2022 Tim Merrett
North Burnett Regional Council
David Barry
Aqualift
Mark Vairy & Brad Richards
Mackay Regional Council
2021 William Smith & Michael Gow
Logan City Council
Martin Coromandel & Michael Zinn
Urban Utilities
Ben Haddock
Southern Downs Regional Council
2020 Not Held
2019 Andrew Watson
South Burnett Regional Council
Marcus Boyd & Terry Hennes
Toowoomba Regional Council
Duncan Shillito
SEQ Water
2018 Glenn Twite
Townsville City Council
Al Law
Unity Water
Jessica Cloumassis
Queensland Urban Utilities
2017 Marcus Boyd
Toowoomba Regional Council
Martin Coromandel
Queensland Urban Utilities
Andrew Watson
South Burnett Regional Council
2016 Gary Fenwick
Queensland Urban Utilities
James Castle
UnityWater
Aron Smith & Peter Wallace
Cairns Regional Council
2015 Sally-Ann Storey
Toowoomba Regional Council
Glenn Carrol & Matthew Ball
UnityWater
Geoffrey Johnson
Richmond Shire Council
2014 James Castle
UnityWater
William Smith
Logan City Council
Peter Kirchman
Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Community
2013 James Coonan
Toowoomba Regional Council
Todd Chapman
City of Gold Coast
William Smith
Logan City Council
2012 Col Kirkegaard & Alistair Cumming
Banana Shire Council
Joel Warnes
Allconnex Water
Kym Kneebone
Bundaberg Regional Council
2011 Marcus Boyd
Toowoomba Regional Council
Martin Schelberg
Toowoomba Regional Council
John Granzien
SEQ Water
2010 Nev Brown
Fitzroy River Water
Martin Hindmarsh
Allconnex Water
Denis Maguire
Seqwater
2009 John Granzien
SEQ Water
Ian Johnson
Gold Coast Water
Sam Magill
Aqualift Pacific
2008 Stephen Will
Sunshine Coast Water
George Bellizia
Veolia Water
Paul Rogers
Gold Coast Water
2007 Keith Nicholle
Bundaberg City Council
& Graham Campbell
Camreay Holdings
Marcus Boyd
Toowoomba City Council
William Smith
Logan City Council
2006 Shane Bandiera
Johnstone Shire Council
David Karrol
Western Bay of Plenty NZ
Graham Edwards
Wide Bay Water

Brian Davis Award for the Best Paper Overall – Queensland Conference

Sponsored by Aqualift

This prize is an Open category award with all Paper presenters eligible to win. By using the votes from the paper judges, the presenter with the highest number of votes will receive the Award for the Best Paper Overall at the conference.

The winner will receive travel, accommodation and a full delegate registration to attend another WIOA conference in Australia to deliver the paper again (to the value of $1,750).

Year Venue Winner
2023 Sunshine Coast Janice Wilson & Regan Whitehouse
Double Black Diamond Solutions & Unitywater
2022 Logan Shaun Johnstone
North Burnett Regional Council
2021 Toowoomba Anthony Domanti
Logan Water Partnership / WSP
2020 Not Held
2019 Bundaberg Cale Maclean
Unitywater
2018 Logan Claire McInnes from Water RA
& Kelly Newton from SA Water
2017 Logan Marcus Boyd
Toowoomba Regional Council
2016 Rockhampton Gary Fenwick
Queensland Urban Utilities
2015 Toowoomba Sally-Ann Storey
Toowoomba Regional Council
2014 Logan James Castle
Unitywater
2013 Gold Coast James Coonan
Toowoomba Regional Council
2012 Gold Coast Col Kirkegaard & Alistair Cumming
Banana Shire Council
2011 Toowoomba Ian Davis
Gympie Regional Council
2010 Rockhampton Peter Griffiths
CH2MHill
2009 Caloundra Charlie Suggatè
Gold Coast Water
2008 Gold Coast Stephen Will
Sunshine Coast Water
2007 Rockhampton Peta Thiel
Activated Carbon Technologies
2006 Rockhampton Peter McTaggart
Sun Water

Best Poster by an Operator – Queensland

Sponsored by IWES – The University of Queensland

It was recognised some time ago that not all “operations” staff feel comfortable with the idea of standing up in front of their peers and delivering a platform presentation. Others have an idea or a project they have completed which does not provide sufficient information to allow for a written paper and a 20 minute presentation. For these reasons, a Poster Paper section was introduced into the program for the various WIOA conferences.

The Posters use the same qualifying rules as the Papers (non-Bachelor qualified). Each poster author is required to do a short (5 minute) description of their poster in a more relaxed atmosphere on Thursday afternoon. They must also answer any questions about the poster.

Bachelor qualified water professionals are also invited to enter a poster for information sharing however, they will not be eligible to win the prizes.

At the completion of the poster judging session, the winners are determined and the winners of the Best Poster Papers will be awarded an all expenses paid opportunity to attend an Interstate WIOA conference (to the value of $1,750)

Year First Second Third
2023 Trusten Hahn
Seqwater
2022 Brian Savage & Paul Campbell-Cowie
City of Logan
2021 Tony Schultz
Seqwater
2020 Not Held
2019 Mark Tosh
Queensland Urban Utilities
2018 No Entries Received
2017 No Entries Received
2016 Scott Nichols
Toowoomba Regional Council
Mark Swadling
Toowoomba Regional Council
Kristy Walker
Banana Shire Council
2015 No Entries Received
2014 Paul Lowien, Jason Toombs & Brad Fiechtner
Toowoomba Regional Council
Peter Knihinicki
Toowoomba RC
Phil Thornton
SEQ Water
2013 No Entries Received
2012 No Entries Received
2011 Martin Melville
SEQ Water
John Paulger
Toowoomba Regional Council
John Paulger
Toowoomba Regional Council
2010 No Entries Received
2009 No Entries Received
2008 No Entries Received
2007 No Entries Received
2006 James Castle
Cab Water
Barry Waddell
East Gippsland Water
James Castle
Cab Wate