Miles Frederick Colvin

Miles Frederick Colvin
(1932 - )

Miles Frederick Colvin was born on 3 April 1932 in Sydney.

Between 1950 and 1954 he was employed by Gutteridge Haskins & Davey, Consulting Engineers, in their Sydney Office.

He gained experience in field surveys. town water supplies, town sewerage schemes and country electricity supply distributions.

He was involved in the design of water supply & sewerage schemes, small earth dams concrete slab and buttress dams and high voltage transmission towers.

In particular he supervised the Boggabri sewage treatment works and town Reticulation, and the Coombing slab and buttress concrete dam at Carcoar NSW.

For the decade 1954 to 1964 Colvin was employed by the Department of Public Works NSW.

Here he gained design experience in:

— Country town water supplies.

— Hydro-electric power stations.

— Country town sewerage schemes.

— Water hammer analysis with large scale dam reticulations.

— Coal loading wharf and associated structures.

— Concrete and steel service reservoirs.

— In-ground swimming pools.

He supervised:

— Country town water supplies.

— Large dam construction in the Snowy Mountains.

— Resident Engineer, Bundanoon Creek dam and Moss Vale district water supply.

— Crookwell sewerage.

— Dredging Newcastle Harbour, including rock removal at Throsby Basin; wharf construction Newcastle and Port Kembla Harbours.

Investigation and Research work included:

— Hydrological and hydraulic studies into the flooding effects of the Hunter, Paterson and Williams Rivers in NSW including flood mitigation and flood routing solutions.

— Construction and operation of an analogue computer model for the solution of non-linear drainage networks located at Sydney University with guidance from the academic and professional staff.

— Operation of physical hydraulic models for siltation studies at the Manly Vale Research Laboratory particularly the Hunter River and Newcastle Harbour.

After 1964 Colvin moved to Queensland and until 1986 was employed in the Department of Harbours and Marine. He gained experience in:

Design.

— Design of South Trees Alumina Wharf Gladstone. — Tourist Island Jetties.

— Navigation Beacons and the Mooloolaba Pilot Station, Entrance Training Works, Boat Harbours, Signal Stations and Motel Accommodation; — Design and Operation of two hydraulic models, one fixed bed, one moveable bed, of the Mooloolah River and its entrance training works in conjunction with the University of Queensland.

Construction.

— Supervision of construction, both contract and day labour for all aspects, including quarrying and dredging, of works required for the Ports of Weipa, Thursday Island, Bamaga Portland Roads, Cooktown, Cairns, Innisfail, Dunk Island, Cardwell, Hinchinbrook, Lucinda, Townsville, Magnetic Island, Hayman Island, Shute Harbour, South Molle, Daydream, Lindeman and Brampton Islands, Mackay (inner Harbour) and Tin Can Bay.

Investigation.

— Reviewed schemes involving all aspects of foreshore and river development in Queensland, careful attention being paid to regulatory, statutory, environmental, commercial and engineering components of proposals being submitted for Government approval.

— Advice prepared for commercial and academic bodies, other departments, national and international authorities, consultants and developers an industrial and residential development of river flood plains, estuaries and harbour lands, on the east Australian Coast.

— Departmental representative on the Water Quality Council of Queensland.

— Advice to Government and Ministers of State on approvals being sought for coastal development failing within the provisions of the Harbours Act, Marine Act, Canals Act, Integrated Resort Development Act and other related Queensland statutes and relevant Commonwealth Acts of Parliament.

— Review and preparation of guidelines for Impact.

— Assessment Statements in accordance with Queensland government policies.

— Review of flood mitigation reports and studies in Queensland coastal rivers and estuaries.

— Review of dredging operations and reclamation of land from the sea for extractive industries and land development schemes.

— Recommendations to government on the suitability of local government schemes for Government subsidies in coastal tidal waterways.

— Provision of expert testimony in litigation involving matters within the ambit of local government authorities and the State government in tidal areas.

Between 1988 and 1990 Colvin was with the Todd Group Consulting Engineers.

He undertook feasibility studies including provision of advice on ail administrative and technical aspects of development proposals located in tidal, ocean and river lands (including flood plains and estuaries) situated in Queensland, particularly, and other Australian states generally.

From 1990 Colvin operated as an independent Consulting Civil Engineer. His clients included:

— Department of Public Works NSW.

— Tangalooma Island Resort.

— A. Raptis & Sons Colmslie, Brisbane River.

— Brisbane Slipway & Engineering.

— Bowen Tug & Bunkering, Brisbane.

— Metalia P/L, (Burnett & Mary Rivers).

— New Zealand Local Government Authority for the Coromandel Peninsular re their first canal estate also the developer and his consulting engineers.

— Various barristers and Solicitors acting either for developers or their opponents.

By 2004 Miles Colvin had mostly retired.

He was a Member of the Institution of Engineers Australia, a Registered Professional Engineer in Queensland and a member of the Environmental Institute of Australia.

To access an oral history interview with Miles Frederick Colvin please use this link:'

https://heritage.engineersaustralia.org.au/wiki/Oral_Histories_Sydney