Our Team

 Overview 

Karen is a geo-environmantl engineer withover 25 years experience within the resource, civil and industrial sectors. She has a combination of qualifications in civil engineering, environmental management, geotechnical engineering, and business administration and has certifications in Six Sigma, Project Management (UK) and TAPROOT incident investigation – 

She has a strong background in geotechnical investigation, analysis, design, and construction support as ell as environmental (contamination and acid slufate soil) investigations and assessments. She has provided services in both the public and private sectors. 

 Education and Qualification: 

2017 UTS Contaminated Lands CSARM Modudles A to E inclusive 

2013 RMS Slope Assessor (Version 4) 

2013 TAPRoot Incident Investigation 

2011 Master of Business Administration, La Trobe/Chiefley 

2009 Six Sigma Champion 

2008 APMA Level D (Diploma), Association of Project Managers, UK 

2006 M Engineering Science – Geotechnical, UNSW 

1998 CPEng (NPER3), MIEAust 

1998 M of Environmental Management, Griffith University, Queensland 

1994 B of Engineering (Civil) Hons, Queensland University of Technology

Key Skills and Competencies
Geotechnical

• Geotechnical Investigation and Assessment
• Rock and Soil Slope Stability
• Retaining Wall Design (including soil reinforced)
• Seepage assessments (hydro-geology)
• Shallow and Deep Foundation Design
• Design of Excavation Supports
• Earthworks including Embankments
• Permanent Way design
• Landslide risk assessments (inc meeting the requirements of Wollongong City Council M11)

Project Management

• Contract Documentation including specifications
• One site Contract Supervision (Superintendent)
• Contract management
• Risk assessment and mitigation including ALARP
• Safety in design – also Fulfilled CDM co-ordinator role
• Waste minimisation and management
• Contract Management
• Earned Value analysis

Environmental

• Acid Sulfate Soils
• Contamination Investigation (PSI, DSI, waste Classifications)
• On site effluent and stormwater mgt assessments

Hydrology

• Dam Design, Safety Inspections and Reviews
• Catchment management (including run-off estimation)

Transport

• Asset management
• Sub-grade Evaluation
• Pavement Design
• Earthworks Design including slope stability assessment
• Pavement assessment and remediation

Quality Management

• Auditing / Surveillance
• Compliance with standards
• Quality Systems

Key Project Experience 

Mining and other Subsidence 

• Preliminary site investigations for various sites within the Illawarra, most involving soil sampling 2016-2023; 
• Acid Sulfate Soil investigations for various sites within the Illawarra and Queensland, 2011-2023; 
• ALARP risk assessment of earth-structures and tunnels. 
• Analysis and assessment relating to tailings storage requirements for a number of Bowen Basin Coal Mines for BHP Coal, Queensland Australia 1996-2000. 
• Investigations, analyses and reporting in relation to management and disposal of tailings at Beenup Mineral Sand operations, Augusta, Western Australia, 2000. 

Geo-Environmental, Environmental and Risk Management 

• Preliminary site investigations for various sites within the Illawarra, most involving soil sampling 2016-2023; 
• Acid Sulfate Soil investigations for various sites within the Illawarra and Queensland, 2011-2023; 
• ALARP risk assessment of earth-structures and tunnels. 
• Analysis and assessment relating to tailings storage requirements for a number of Bowen Basin Coal Mines for BHP Coal, Queensland Australia 1996-2000. 
•  Investigations, analyses and reporting in relation to management and disposal of tailings at Beenup Mineral Sand operations, Augusta, Western Australia, 2000. 
•  Tarong Energy – Assistance with risk assessment for a number of projects including interviewing of key personnel and review of available information, Queensland, Australia, 2000. 
• Acid sulphate soils and geotechnical investigation for 18-hole golf course and residential resort located adjacent to the Nerang River at Robina. Gold Coast, Australia 1996. 
•  Contamination and geotechnical investigation of proposed office works site at Woolloongabba. Contamination investigation required the utilisation of an electro magnetic sensing equipment to detect sub-surface disturbance. Brisbane, Australia, 1996. 
• Environmental impact assessment for development of Telstra radio tower sites and optic fibre routes in Queensland, Australia, 1995-1996. 
• Cannon Hill – Geotechnical site characterisation of a contaminated site as part of study to assess physical and environmental characteristics for planning of redevelopment of old Cannon Hill saleyards. Brisbane, Australia 1996 
• Superintendent for remediation of residential site impacted by copper contamination near the Thames, London reporting to a specialist in contaminated land (SICL). 

Civil Infrastructure 

• System management of real time monitoring of Seacliff Bridge Amphitheatre from 2012 to 2014. 
• Project Manager of Geotechnical Investigations for Adani’s Carmichael Mine including desk studies for railway alignment, geotechnical investigation and geotechnical interpretive report. 
• Geotechnical Engineering Manager for NMIS Phase 2 Scheme on M23 
• Earthworks examinations and CECSE reviews for Network Rail 
• Part of investigation and design team for the proposed New City Metro-rail project in Perth which involves construction of twin bored tunnels underneath the central business district in alluvial deposits, cut and cover tunnels and earthworks (embankments and cuttings). 
• Field investigation including ground water testing for the proposed Sydney International Airport to City rail link. NSW, Australia. 
• Third Party Review of Roe Highway extensions 
• Third party review of foundation design for Gabba light towers, Brisbane Australia. 
• Geotechnical investigation and design for proposed extension of Golden Casket building. The project involved slope stability analysis using FLAC to determine effects of construction on the stability of the adjacent SE freeway, Brisbane, Australia. 
• Site investigation, geotechnical analysis, and design for various high rise developments including Legends Hotel (Gold Coast) and Hotel Grand International adjacent to the Brisbane River. Qld, Australia. 
• Geotechnical analysis including pile analysis, stone column analysis and settlement analysis for the Cairns Convention Centre, which is located on soft, normally consolidated clay. Cairns, Australia. 
• Geotechnical investigation and analysis of excavation and trench support for upgrading of the current drainage system in the Stones Corner area, Brisbane, Australia. 

Civil Earthworks, Contract and Asset Management 

• Assistance with review of West Australian Water Corporation Asset management system. 
• Documentation of earthwork and rail works specifications for proposed woodchip siding and loadout facility, Albany, Western Australia. 
• Superintendent for raising of existing and construction of new tailings storage facility. Responsibilities included documentation of scope of works and specification, and review of progress payments. Newman, Western Australia.
• Superintendent for rehabilitation of rail embankment at Jimble Bar Causeway near the Fortescue River after large flood event. Western Australia. 
• Monitoring of subcontractor during clearing of unstable rock cutting near NSW entrance to Border Loop Tunnel, NSW Australia.

Resources and Industrial 

• Geotechnical investigation, analysis and design for proposed mines at Sefton Park and Glen Wilga homesteads near Chinchilla including a pipeline alignment from Tarong Power Station to the proposed Glen Wilga Mine. Qld Australia. 
• Geotechnical investigation and design for petrochemical storage tank at the Port of Albany, Western Australia. 
• Queensland Ammonium Nitrate Project – Geotechnical investigation for feasibility study, preliminary and detailed design stages and advice for construction stage 
• Provision of geotechnical advice for West Angelas Project which includes the Cape Lambert Wharf extension and the proposed West Angelas to Cape Lambert railway line. Western Australia. 
• Site investigation, reporting and conceptual design for proposed bottom dumping station and conveyor system. Hay Point Coal Terminal, Qld, Australia 
• Assessment of foundation conditions for site infrastructure including thickeners, tailing dam design, water storage dam design and clean and dirty water separation schemes for various Bowen Basin Coal mines. Central Queensland, Australia. 
• Annual inspection of water storage and tailings storage dams in Bowen basin 
• Stability analysis of low walls and spoil dumps for six pits at Moura Mine. Qld, Australia. 
• Field investigation and geotechnical analysis of pile foundations and slope stability for a sand storage facility adjacent to the Brisbane River. Qld Australia