Jack Edwards
EDWARDS, John (Jack) Keith, AO
Career Summary
After graduating from the Melbourne Technical College with a Fellowship Diploma in 1942, Jack joined the Country Roads Board and worked on the Essendon Airport. He enlisted in the Airforce in 1943 and was assigned to the Airfield Construction Group. When the war ended, he returned to the Country Roads Board and worked on the repair and upgrade of many bridges.
In 1946 he moved to the Burnie Marine Board where all the existing berths needed reconstructing. In 1948 he joined the Launceston Marine Board as Chief Engineer and later became General Manager. There he remained, hard at it, until his retirement in 1980, at age 55 due to ill health. Fortunately, multiple heart bypasses and an improved diet restored his vigour.
Port of Launceston
In 1948 the development of a new port near the mouth of the Tamar River was beginning. Comalco had establishing its aluminium refinery there and a wharf was required. Another wharf was built for BHP’s Temco Plant, both industries attracted to Tasmania by cheap hydro-electric power.
In 1958 dry conditions caused a power shortage and the Hydro purchased a NZ ship to use its generators to support the grid; the Marine Board built a wharf for that ship in 3 in weeks. The Bell Bay thermal power stations followed in 1960-62 with new berths for oil tankers provided.
Then came a new activity: exporting woodchips in large quantities. The wharf for that was constructed at Longreach.
Under Jack’s management the Board built all these facilities with its own resources; engineers, supervisors, tradesmen, etc. with some contractors. Its capabilities were so significant that it took on outside work. For example, it rebuilt the Charles St Bridge and the Tamar St Bridge for the government. It also constructed the Launceston Flood Protection Scheme.
To maintain its floating equipment, it built a graving dock in Launceston. When the Bass Strait oil drilling tenders needed maintenance, the graving dock enabled the Board’s commercial offer to be accepted. That work became quite a lucrative business. It required a collaborative effort from a range of tradesmen and contractors managed by the Board and provided more employment for many firms in Launceston. Later a ships lift was constructed to handle larger vessels.
Roll-on roll-off ships came on the scene in 1958, and Jack was sent overseas to investigate wharf designs for the Australian National Line. After the roll-on roll-off terminal was built at Bell Bay, Jack was involved in building similar terminals all over Australia.
With larger ships entering the Tamar dredging of the channel was required, including removal of one half of Garden Island on the western side. This was done by contract.
In 1974 the roll-on/roll-off ferry Straitsman sank after an incident in the Yarra River. The Board won the tender to repair it in Launceston.
While the Launceston Marine Board did not have authority to control pollution in the Tamar River, it was successful in discouraging industries from dumping waste into the river on a voluntary basis. It also constructed a number of boat ramps and jetties along the river, not strictly its job, but Jack persuaded the Board that it was good public relations.
In summary, Jack’s efforts, skills and economic bent ensured that the Board was a capable and profitable enterprise of great benefit to Launceston.
Training young engineers
Jack encouraged the Board to train young engineers. He employed cadet engineers and enrolled them in the diploma course at the Launceston Technical College. They were given some time off for study but mostly attended night classes over a period of six or seven years. On completion Jack did not employ them; he sent them off to other employers to broaden their experience, many ending up in very senior positions.
Community Service
In retirement Jack became Chair of the Launceston Technical College and Chair of the Tertiary Education Commission of Tasmania during the transition from the Launceston College of Advanced Education (TCAE) to a campus of the University of Tasmania.
He was involved in the Australian Maritime College from its beginning and became Chair of AMC Search Ltd which does consulting around the world and provides courses. It was financially successful, training 1000 students every year.
He was a foundation member of the Tasmanian Development Authority which helped to establish several call centres in Launceston and elsewhere.
He was an Associate Commissioner of the Hydro-Electric Commission for 1980-1990, 10 tumultuous years which included the Gordon-below-Franklin stoppage in 1983 and the urgent replacement by the King River and Anthony schemes.
The list goes on: He was a director of the Launceston Gas Company; on the Gas Corporation Board for 25 years; Director and Chair of the Launceston Bank for Savings; Director of Monds and Affleck (flour millers).
Jack championed the need for a new flood levee system for many years at all levels of government. The new levees, completed in 2014, helped to save Launceston from catastrophe in 2016.
Awards
Jack became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1981 in recognition for service to industry and education.
In 1996 the Australian Institute of Company Directors awarded him a Gold Medal as Director of the Year.
In 2000 the Maritime College gave him a Distinguish Service Award.
