Draft program released

The program promises a packed schedule and something for everyone in terms of the broad scope and quality of the papers. Many more papers were received than we had slots and the program committee, chaired by John Monro, had the tough job of making the final selections. The upside of this for delegates is that you are guaranteed a wide range of quality presentations.

On Day 1, a number of speakers will look at asset management from different perspectives, including condition assessment and inspection, maintenance and new technology developments, with presenters from major utilities, engineering companies, contractors and service providers.

This section of the program will be particularly useful for engineers and others from local councils or utilities who need to keep up-to-date with the options available to them for asset management.

Other themes to be covered at the conference include tunnelling and tunnelling technology, local and international projects, relining, new technology, contracting, risk management, innovations and the future outlook. Altogether more than 40 papers from both Australasian and international authors will be presented in two streams.

For those unfamiliar with all the details of Trenchless Technology, a special trenchless bootcamp will take place on Sunday 2 March. This two-hour seminar will be presented by highly experienced industry professionals and is aimed at the council engineer or other delegate who wants to learn more about trenchless before the more detailed and specific papers program begins. Attendance at this session is free to all delegates but spaces are limited, so let us know today if you are interested.

Registrations filling fast

The exhibition sold out in record time and registrations are also moving quickly, so all interested delegates are strongly urged to register as quickly as possible to avoid disappointment. Hotel rooms are also limited and can be booked through the organiser Great Southern Press. The huge response means that this will undoubtedly be one of the biggest trenchless events ever seen in Australia.

Social events

Socially the event kicks off with the great Trenchless golf challenge. Shaping up to be a broader event than previous years, the 9 hole course at Stathfield is set to please seasoned professionals, weekend whackers and novices alike in a fun atmosphere which includes a BBQ and drinks. Following this, the event kicks off formally with the Kembla-sponsored exhibition opening, after which the evening is free so delegates can catch up with clients and friends.

An extra event has been included this year, the Vermeer-sponsored harbour cruise. Enjoyable for locals and visitors alike, the cruise will depart nearby the conference and take delegates right into Sydney Harbour for spectacular views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, all while enjoying a fantastic buffet, drinks and a pirate theme. Don’t forget to bring your costume!

The highlight of the social program is the Vinidex-sponsored Gala Dinner on Tuesday at the Aquatic Centre. Delegates will enjoy a three-course meal and drinks alongside the pool where so many athletes made history at the 2000 Olympics, laugh along with the special act and then dance the night away to the sound of the band. The dinner will also include presentation of the trenchless project of the year awards.

Keynote speakers

Industry pioneer James C. Thomson will present the keynote address on developing microtunnelling and pipe jacking markets and technology. Mr Thomson has worked professionally in the construction industry for more than 45 years and founded Jason Consultants, leading international consultants in all forms of Trenchless Technology and utility tunnelling, in 1979.

Mr Thomson is acknowledged as an authority on soft ground utility tunnelling, pipe jacking and microtunnelling, and jacked structures. His expertise in this specialised field dates back to 1958, when he pioneered the development and use of pipe jacking techniques. He is currently the lead author for a five-book compendium on microtunnelling and pipe jacking, of which the first volume will be available in late 2007.

We are also very pleased to welcome international keynote Dr Ian Moore who will be presenting the keynote paper on sewer and culvert deterioration and its implications for design of liners.

Trained at the University of Sydney in Australia, Dr Moore holds the Canada Research Chair in Infrastructure Engineering at Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario. His more than 160 technical publications examine both conventional and trenchless installation and replacement of buried metal, concrete and thermoplastic pipes, contributing to North American and other codes of practice.

Australian industry visionary Andy Lukas will also be presenting as a keynote speaker.

Papers looking at the trenchless industry from new and unique angles will also be presented. An expert spin doctor and political insider will ask the question “Why isn’t trenchless a household word?” and explain how the industry is underselling itself to government and the media, and what can be done to change this.

Along similar lines, one of Australia’s leading economists will look at the economic conditions which have and will lead to the increasing use of trenchless technology, including ground-breaking analysis of the true economics behind trenchless construction.

Exhibitors

The exhibition sold out in record time and includes a great range of companies from all aspects of the industry including contractors and equipment providers in areas such as HDD, tunnelling, relining, pipe bursting, concrete and plastic pipe manufacturers, consultants and special services, inspection and much more.