Ronald Frank Campbell
Ronald Frank Campbell
(1927 - 2007)
Ronald Campbell was born on 4 February 1927. His father held administrative positions with the Sydney Metropolitan Water Sewerage & Drainage Board, finally as Assistant Secretary. His mother was English born, née Edith Harpham. He had two sisters, and married Gloria Ogle in 1953. They had two children. Peter and Ian.
He first attended Kogarah Primary School and then two years at Opportunity classes at Hurstville. He moved to Canterbury High School in 1937, studied languages, and was strong in mathematics and had an interest in physics, taking mechanics in final year. He applied for a Teachers College scholarship and a Public Exhibition; achieved both but took up the latter.
He studied at Sydney University between 1944-1947, graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering). Later in life he obtained a Graduate Diploma Economics from the University of New England attending between 1990 and 1993.
From January 1948 to November 1950 he worked for Sydney Metropolitan Water, Sewerage & Drainage Board as Assistant Engineer. His main project was in investigations for and design of Warragamba Dam.
From December 1950 to September 1953,he was with the Commonwealth Department of Works, engaged on the design of reinforced concrete and multi storey steel framed buildings and field supervision of the construction phase. Two projects at this time were the Commonwealth Bank, George and Market Streets, Sydney and the Commonwealth Bank, Hobart.
In October 1953, he accepted a position with the British Colonial Service as Assistant Engineer for the Public Works Department of Malaya in two districts, until November 1956. In North Kedah was involved in operation of quarries, road and building maintenance and supervision of contracts for bridges and buildings. He was also involved in reconnaissance for, and construction of, pioneer roads and bridges in jungle areas during the Emergency. In Central Pahang work involved the construction of a highway between Temerloh and Maran. Included in his tasks were the operation of quarries, performance of earthworks, pavement construction and supervision of bridge contracts and the operation of ferry across Pahang River.
Returning to Australia on leave at the end of 1956, he decided to stay, and took a position in January 1957 with Concrete Industries (Monier) Ltd. Villawood, NSW. This was initially as Manager of the subsidiary, Monier Prestressed Concrete P/L He finally became Acting Chief Engineer of the Group. An early project was a mixing tower for the M.W.S.&D.B., the first design in Australia using prestressed concrete.
Campbell designed and produced prestressed concrete beams for Department of Main Roads small road bridges, to 50-foot span. The largest individual project undertaken was for manufacture and installation of precast components for the Tasman Bridge, Tasmania. He was involved in the conversion of tram tracks to roadway on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
In July 1967 he joined Crooks, Michel, Peacock & Stewart, Consulting Engineers at Chatswood, becoming Resident Engineer on the Alcan Aluminium Smelter project at Kurri Kurri - a 16 month project from onsite commencement to completion.
In December 1968 accepted position of Chief Estimator with Project Development Construction P/L, Civil Engineering Contractors of Crows Nest, NSW. and found the work challenging and interesting, finding he had a flair for innovative solutions to construction problems. He was responsible for analysis of resource requirements, construction planning and cost estimating for major works in Australia, New Guinea and Fiji.
In April 1971 was invited to join Curtis & Clifton Pty Ltd as Chief Estimator. Projects included tenders and construction for water supply tunnel and water reticulation and treatment works including Emerald Tunnel (Water Supply) Victoria, and waste water treatment works and pipe reticulation systems ($6.5millon) in Sydney.
In November 1974 his next career move was to the position of Senior Engineer with Vallentine Laurie & Davies, Consulting Engineers, in Miranda. He participated in International Bank for Regional Development. This included a project of engineering and economic appraisal of 300 km of rural roads in Northern and Central Thailand. He made a business promotion trip for four months to Kenya, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Sudan and Egypt to obtain consulting work for company.
From April 1976 to April 1980 Campbell was Senior Construction Expert for the United Nations Department of Technical Co-operation for Development, based in Kabul, Afghanistan. His responsibilities were mainly with the field activities, which involved labour-intensive construction, often with primitive equipment. Involved in roads, bridges and dams for small communities using local labour and materials. He introduced monitoring systems for progress against time schedules and expenditure against budgets.
In September 1980 he was offered a role as Chief Technical Adviser of a new World Bank project in Sierra Leone. He was advisor on Infrastructure Planning in the Central Planning Unit of the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning. The sectors covered were road construction, maintenance and transport, ports, airports, water, posts and telecommunications, energy supplies and sanitation. He established liaison with the appropriate Ministries in these areas for the collection of proposals for inclusion in annual and medium-term plans and for monitoring progress of on-going projects. He also co-ordinated foreign assistance for projects.
In February 1984, while still Chief Technical Adviser with United Nations Development Projects, in 1988 he was offered job to complete a project in Malawi, Central Africa. He set up and directed projects in the Ministry of Works, Malawi, to construct by labour intensive methods including 205km earth roads, 60 road bridges and 106 foot bridges.
His last job before finishing with United Nations in December 1988 was a project formulation mission to Pakistan, to prepare rural a development project for Afghanistan to be commenced across the border. He was disappointed to note that fighting in this area had destroyed a great deal of the work done there by his earlier project.
Campbell went to New York after Malawi seeking more UN work, but nothing was available.
He gained a Graduate Diploma in Economics in 1993, undertook various courses run by NSW Institute of Management.
He was a fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australian and a Chartered Professional Engineer.
He was President, of the NSW Branch, of the Australian Federation of Construction Contractors.
Ernest Frank Campbell died in 2007.
Prepared by Freda Garnsey, 23 October 2002 from oral history interview conducted on 18 January 2000.
To access an oral history interview with Ronald Frank Campbell please use this link:'
https://heritage.engineersaustralia.org.au/wiki/Oral_Histories_Sydney
