Full Program

Last updated on Monday 17 August 2026, and subject to change.

ALDE 2026 – Full Program
4:00 PM
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Exhibition & Catering - State 3
7:00 PM
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Laneway Dinner
A small, curated group dinner across Melbourne’s iconic laneways — bringing together like-minded professionals before the main conference begins.
· Small group of 5–10 attendees + hosts  · Set menu $50 per person  · Buy your own drinks
Women in Land Development: Leading, Growing and Activating Your High-Value Potential
Elizabeth Wade, SPIIRE & Jasmin (Miin) Leong, The High Value Within Movement™
Find out more & RSVP
9:00 AM
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Conference Opening / Welcome to Country
State 1 & 2
9:30 AM
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Keynote Presentation: Michael Staedler
Collaborating & Delivering the Next Generation of Communities – Victoria Land Market Update Q2 2026
State 1 & 2
10:00 AM
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Keynote Presentation: Peter Coombes
Moving beyond exact ideology with ground truth and the opportunity of our people
State 1 & 2
10:45 AM
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
Morning Tea
Exhibition & Catering - State 3
11:15 AM
Infrastructure Funding, Delivery Models & Cost Pressures
State 1 & 2
11:15 AM
David Reginato
Melbourne Water
Rethinking the DSS: Government and Industry Shaping the Future Together
5 Minute Room Change — 11:45 AM
11:50 AM
Andrew Clifton
Civilmart
Engineered, Economical Solutions without Compromising Performance Outcomes – Dobsons Creek
5 Minute Room Change — 12:20 PM
12:25 PM
Ryan Flack
KLM Spatial
Enhancing the role of land development engineers in improving deliverability of PSP-driven infrastructure
Sustainable Materials & Civil Construction Innovation
Lake 1 & 2
11:15 AM
Ian Paterson
Vinidex
Using Environmental Product Declarations to Assess the Carbon Footprint of Stormwater Pipes
5 Minute Room Change — 11:45 AM
11:50 AM
Wayne Alexander
Southern Geosynthetics Supplies
Innovation in Stormwater Management using Plastic Structural Modular Systems
5 Minute Room Change — 12:20 PM
12:25 PM
Thomas Vu
Iplex Pipelines Australia
The Journey to Efficient Design of Stormwater Systems
Technology, Digital Engineering & Delivery Efficiency
Lake 3 & 4
11:15 AM
Cameron Lowe
12d Solutions
ALDE & 12d Model Land Development Design Training Course
5 Minute Room Change — 11:45 AM
11:50 AM
Jackson Morley
SMEC Australia
From Stage to Handover: The Land Development Golden Thread
5 Minute Room Change — 12:20 PM
12:25 PM
Gregory Chian
Cleanstormwater
Applying AR&R for Climate Change Analysis in WSUD Modelling
12:55 PM
12:55 PM – 1:55 PM
Lunch
Exhibition & Catering - State 3
1:55 PM
Skills, Workforce & Industry Capacity, D&I and Leadership
State 1 & 2
1:55 PM
Amanda Gunawardena
Melbourne Water
Building engineering capability for better risk-based decision making: a structured approach to workforce development
5 Minute Room Change — 2:25 PM
2:30 PM
Bronwyn Herron
Yarra Valley Water
Taking action to help close the gender gap for young women in STEM
Sustainable Materials & Civil Construction Innovation
Lake 1 & 2
1:55 PM
Wendy Greatbatch
Tonkin + Taylor
Avoiding Redesign and Rework: A Practical Guide to Wetland Earthworks and Dam Engineering
5 Minute Room Change — 2:25 PM
2:30 PM
Gee Singh
C&T Consulting Engineers
Designing Stabilised Subgrades: Bridging Practice, Testing and Pavement Performance
Community, Liveability & Social Infrastructure
Lake 3 & 4
1:55 PM
Peter Malley & Craig Doubleday
Ratio & Beveridge Williams
Early Decisions, Lasting Benefits – Mobility in Land Development
5 Minute Room Change — 2:25 PM
2:30 PM
Matt Harridge
O’Brien Traffic
Designing Streets that People Love
3:00 PM
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Afternoon Break
Exhibition & Catering - State 3
3:30 PM
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Keynote Presentation: Angela Brown
Building Diverse Teams – Why diversity is a delivery strategy, not a compliance exercise
State 1 & 2
4:15 PM
4:15 PM – 5:00 PM
Membership Engagement Session
State 1 & 2
A facilitated discussion led by Warrick Cavell of Profitable Conversations on where to next for ALDE. Help shape the future direction of the Association over 45 minutes of interactive discussion. Bring your smartphone, as this session is fully interactive. Scheduled immediately before the Awards Function, so you can contribute your ideas and stay on to celebrate.
5:00 PM
5:00 PM
End of Day 2
6:30 PM
6:30 PM – 11:30 PM
Conference Dinner
Lakeside Pavilion, Albert Park
Enjoy a 3 course meal while celebrating the ALDE Excellence Awards, recognising outstanding projects, innovations, and contributions across the industry.
Tickets are limited. Please visit the registration desk onsite to enquire whether any tickets are available.
9:00 AM
9:00 AM
Day 3 Opening
State 1 & 2
9:15 AM
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM
Keynote Presentation: Hua Feng
The Invisible Infrastructure of Project Delivery
State 1 & 2
10:00 AM
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Keynote Presentation: Chris Chesterfield
In Praise of Engineers: How Collaboration, Innovation and Trust Created a more Water Sensitive Melbourne
State 1 & 2
10:45 AM
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
Morning Tea
Exhibition & Catering - State 3
11:15 AM
Regulatory Shift: Energy, Environment, Decarbonisation and Future Utilities
State 1 & 2
11:15 AM
Adam Heaton
Greater Western Water
Data Centres, the Growing Impact to the Industry
5 Minute Room Change — 11:45 AM
11:50 AM
Craig Velt
Ausnet
Development Impacts in an All-Electric Future
5 Minute Room Change — 12:20 PM
12:25 PM
Tom Langstaff
Powercor
Customer First Network Planning for an Electrified Future
Sustainable Materials & Civil Construction Innovation
Lake 1 & 2
11:15 AM
Ernie Gmehling
Ground Science
Exploring the challenges of sodic soil management while considering the geotechnical engineering requirements of wetland / water body infrastructure
5 Minute Room Change — 11:45 AM
11:50 AM
Lynnette Terrett
RapidMap
Improving Soil Health and Soil Fertility with Liquid Biochar formulations for root development and drought resilience across challenging landscapes
5 Minute Room Change — 12:20 PM
12:25 PM
Kira Woods
Streamology
Sodic soils in land development contexts: understanding and managing a key geomorphic risk
Housing Supply, Affordability & Planning Reform
Lake 3 & 4
11:15 AM
Ava Rafatnejad
Melbourne Water
Front-Loading the Flood: A Practical Drainage Collaboration Model Before Precinct Planning Case Study
5 Minute Room Change — 11:45 AM
11:50 AM
John Yalden
Taylors Development Strategists
Affordable and sustainable development – land development engineering is only one of many challenges – a perspective from a developing nation
5 Minute Room Change — 12:20 PM
12:25 PM
Andrew Clifton
Civilmart
Engineered, Economical Solutions without Compromising Performance Outcomes – Tresoro Estate, Kooweerup
12:55 PM
12:55 PM – 1:55 PM
Lunch
Exhibition & Catering - State 3
1:55 PM
Community, Liveability & Social Infrastructure
State 1 & 2
1:55 PM
Jonathan Pridham
QMax Pumping Systems
Unique Hydraulic Challenges Requires Bespoke Solutions. How an isolated park managed to connect to town infrastructure
5 Minute Room Change — 2:25 PM
2:30 PM
Mark Robinson
Amiblu Australia
To be confirmed
Technology, Digital Engineering & Delivery Efficiency
Lake 1 & 2
1:55 PM
Shane O’Rorke
Civil Survey Applications
When Civil Design Software Starts To Think
5 Minute Room Change — 2:25 PM
2:30 PM
Joshua Allison
SMEC
Digital Engineering’s Impact on the Future of Land Development: SMEC’s lessons from large Infrastructure projects
Climate Resilience, Flooding & Water Cycle Management
Lake 3 & 4
1:55 PM
Sarah Law
Streamology
Waterway rehabilitation with DCP funding – Hazel Creek case study
5 Minute Room Change — 2:25 PM
2:30 PM
Ry Parrott
Yarra Valley Water
Upper Yarra Treatment Plant floodplain and woodland restoration project
3:00 PM
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Afternoon Break
Exhibition & Catering - State 3
3:30 PM
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Great Debate
State 1 & 2
Hosted by the Young Engineers in Land Development (YEiLD), this conference finale pits the next generation of land development professionals against their more experienced counterparts in a lively debate on one of the industry’s hottest topics.
YEiLD will be hosting drinks at the venue bar afterwards. Available for individual purchase at bar prices.
4:15 PM
4:15 PM – 4:25 PM
Conference Wrap Up
State 1 & 2
4:25 PM
4:25 PM
Conference Close