Eric George Warrell
Eric George Warrell
(1925 - )
Eric George Warrell was born on 5 March 1925. He studied at the University of Melbourne graduating with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering with first class honours in April 1947 and a Master of Civil Engineering in April 1954.
Positions Held:
1. State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, Victoria.
1947-1951 Engineer.
2. Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme
The Snowy Mountains Scheme, a major hydro-electric and water diversion project, was constructed between 1949 and 1974 at a total cost of some $800 million. It included 7 power stations with a total installed capacity of 3.74 million kilowatts, over 120 kms of tunnels, and 13 major dams.
1951-1954 Engineer, Aqueducts Branch.
1955-1957 Supervising Engineer, (second in charge), Scientific Services, comprising fluid mechanics, geology, materials and physical sciences branches.
1958-1960 Engineer-in-Charge, Field Investigations comprising survey, hydrology, diamond drilling and soil conservation branches.
1960-1965 Chief Engineer, Investigations, covering both Field Investigations and Development Divisions. The latter was responsible for preliminary design and feasibility studies which determined the most favourable layout for each project of the Scheme, system studies to co-ordinate Snowy output (both electricity and water) with State requirements, and programming.
1965-1969 Associate Commissioner, broadly covering the work of the Investigations and the Civil Design and Scientific Services Groups, the Authority’s day labour forces, property and other administrative functions and work for other organisations. Including road design and construction inn Thailand and Sabah, design and advice on construction of the Eastern Suburbs Railway in Sydney and investigations for the augmentation of Sydney's water supply.
Special assignments carried out included:
1959 Advice to the Electricity Commission of Papua and New Guinea on the Rouna Falls hydro-electric project;
1961 Australian representative at ECAFE Committee Meeting and Symposium in Bangkok.
1964 Advice on the Upper Ramu hydro-electric scheme.
1965 Inspections of pumped storage projects in Europe and U.S.A.
3. Cities Commission
1973-1976 Chairman.
The Commission was charged with the responsibility of advising the Minister on all matters relating to urban and regional development throughout Australia.
4. Joint Tasman Bridge Restoration Commission 1975-1978 Associate Commissioner. Australian Government representative on the part-time body which was established to oversight the repair and widening of the bridg foll wing the destruction of three spans by the "Lake Illawarra ".
5. New South Wales Public Service Board 1976-1978 Consultant. Responsible for various organisational reviews and the following particular assignments: Executive Member, Board of Review , Eastern Suburbs Railway. Project Co-ordinator, Botany Bay Port Development. Project Co-ordinator, Port Kembla/Balmain Coal Loaders. Convenor, Coal Export Strategy Study.
6. Archives Authority of New South Wales 1979-1981 Member.
7. Public Service Board of New South Wales 1979 - 1981 Member. The Board, created under the 1979 Act , comprised a Chairman and two Members. Its main functions were to provide assistance and advice to Departments and some Authorities in the fields of Industrial Relations, Personnel , Establishments, Efficiency Audits, Management Consultancy, Computer Services and Office Accommodation.
8. Metropolitan Waste Disposal Authority and State Pollution Commission 1981-1983 Member. Ex-officio member of these bodies while President of the Board (see 9 below)
9. Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board President, October 1981 to October 1983. Vice President, August 1978 to September 1979 and October 1969 to June 1973. The Board was responsible for the provision of water supply, sewerage and main stormwater drainage services in a 13000 square kilometre area containing some 3.3 million people in Sydney and surrounding areas. It was also responsible for the raising of rates and charges which for the 1982/83 year amounted to some $535 million.
10. Australian Executive Service Overseas Program This body recruits retired professional and trades people as volunteers to provide the benefit of their experience to developing nations. 1994: September-November Attached to UNICEF in Rwanda to advise the Rwandan authorities on hydro-electric and water supply works; to advise UNICEF on possible methods of obtaining staff for emergency operations; in conjunction with Rwandan agencies advise UNICEF of personnel requirements for operation and maintenance of water supply and electricity works. 1993: July-November Advise the Labasa Town Council, Fiji, on ways of overcoming storm water drainage problems.
Major Professional Activities.
Institution of Engineers, Australia
Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia.
1982 Sydney Division Chairman.
1981-83 Vice – President.
1984-85 Honorary Treasurer.
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
1982- 84 Member of Examining Committee
The Institute of Arbitrators Australia, Grading Examination (credit), February 1989.
To access an oral history interview with Eric George Warrell please use this link:'
