Peter Gannon

Director, Principal Ecological Consultant

Professional expertise

Peter is our principal ecological consultant with over 25 years professional experience as a consultant in ecological management. His particular expertise is in the review and development of Native Vegetation Offset Management Schemes, Planning Scheme Amendments, Federal (EPBC Act) and State (FFG Act and PE Act) legislative permit application and implementation programs, development and implementation of Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) and Native Vegetation Precinct Plans (NVPPs), review and development of planning scheme zoning and overlay systems, auditing of environmental management plan implementation and permit compliance reporting, proponent representation at EPA 20B public hearings and delivery of VCAT and Supreme Court expert evidence testimony.

Peter also has extensive experience in the planning, management and implementation of flora and fauna assessments, threatened species identification and targeted surveys, population impact assessments, management of biodiversity values and attributes, identification of BioSites and sites of biodiversity significance, and the development of terrestrial, coastal and waterway management plans.

Peter has DEECA training and extensive experience in ecological site assessment including the habitat hectares assessment methodology, implementation of Victoria’s Biodiversity Assessment Guidelines and avoid, minimise, and offset requirements, identification of offset sites and development of Covenanted Management Plans, and brokering of Allocated Credit Extracts for government agencies and private sector proponents. Peter is an authorised BushBroker and Trust for Nature Offset Broker and Accredited for the development and covenanting of Native Vegetation Offsets registered with the DEECA Native Vegetation Credit Register.

Peter is also an ecological auditor/consultant on DEECA/EPA Native Forest Audits against the Code of Practice for Timber Production and associated Management Standards and Procedures and an experienced lead auditor and Technical Expert Ecologist for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Forest Management, Chain of Custody and Controlled Wood accreditation systems.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Science, Monash University (1989).
Graduate Diploma of Environmental Science, Monash University (1998).
Masters of Environmental Science, Monash University (1999).

Accredited with DEECA (since 2009) for the assessment and establishment of Native Vegetation Offset Sites in accordance with the Guidelines 2017 Offset Policy (DEECA AO01_2021).

Accredited with DEECA (since 2009) as a Native Vegetation Offset Broker (DEECA BB01_2021).

Registered with DEECA (since 2006) to conduct Vegetation Quality Assessments (otherwise known as habitat-hectare assessments).

Working with DCCEEW (since 2010) for the establishment of Federal Biodiversity Offset Credits under the EPBC Act Biodiversity Offsets Policy.

Committee and professional pro bono work

Mirboo North Secondary College ecology excursions (2022 - present)

Friends of Turtons Creek (2015 - present)
Mirboo North Primary School ecology classes (2018 - 2019)

Thomasin Bales

Director, Principal Community Consultant

Professional expertise

Thomasin is an environmental and community consultant with over 25 years of professional experience across both fields.

Experience in environmental consultation includes the planning, management and implementation of flora and fauna assessments, threatened species identification and targeted surveys and population impact assessments. She has conducted ecological site assessments utilising habitat hectare assessment methodology, and utilised Victoria’s Biodiversity Assessment Guidelines to avoid, minimise, and offset project impacts. She also has experience in developing terrestrial and waterway management plans, auditing implementation of environmental management plans, and reporting on permit compliance. Thomasin has also worked in geological exploration, contaminated land assessment, contaminated land remediation and waste management.

Experience in community consultation includes the conduct of community surveys, membership drives and organisational assessments, the building of community databases, directories and websites, the development of business cases, communications strategies, social media programs and succession plans, the management of community events, submission of grant applications and also review of applications at the administrative end of grant programs, and development and review of governance structures.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts, University of Melbourne (1997)
Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Melbourne (1997)
Masters of Environmental Science, Monash University (2000)

Committee and professional pro bono work

Mirboo North Winterfest (2021 - present)
Mirboo North ArtSpace (2018 - present)
Mirboo North Boomerang Bags (2018 - present)
Friends of Turtons Creek (2015 - present)

Mirboo Recreation Reserve (2011 - present)

Strzelecki Ranges Community Enterprises (2015 - 2021)

Mirboo North Arty Gras (2018 - 2019)

Mirboo North Primary School Parents Club (2015 - 2018)
Grand Strzelecki Track (2015 - 2017)
Mirboo North Kindergarten (2013 - 2014, 2017)

Mirboo North Playgroup & Toy Library (2011 - 2017)

St Andrews Child Care Centre (2014 - 2015)
Australian Contaminated Land Consultants Association (2008 - 2010)