WPSP Board 2025/26
Ian Stevenson – Chairman
Doug Newton – Company Secretary
Dianne Rose – Treasurer
Nina Bate – Meeting Secretary
Richard Cox
Hugh Kirkman
Greg Parry
Craig Sherman
Jeff Thomas
Director CVs
Ian Stevenson
| Qualifications | BSc (Monash Uni) Grad Dip Education MEnvSc (Monash) Dip Heritage Interpretation (Deakin) |
| Experience | Ian is an environmental scientist with over twenty years of local government experience at all levels plus consultancy in fire and catchment management. He is a community member of the BlueScope Steel Liaison Committee. Ian has worked and lived in the greater Western Port catchment for over fifty-five years. |
Doug Newton
| Qualifications | BSc (Latrobe University) Diploma of Education (Hawthorn) |
| Experience | Doug was until 2005 an Assistant Director with the Victorian Environment Protection Authority. During his 20 years with the EPA, he developed extensive knowledge and experience with major projects, policy development, and operation programs, covering waste management, catchment management, environment protection, partnership development and community engagement. |
Dianne Rose
| Qualifications | BApSci (Applied Biology) (RMIT) MApSci (Toxicology) (RMIT) |
| Experience | Dianne spent five years at the Marine Science Laboratories (Victoria) working in marine chemistry, followed by twenty years with the Victorian Environment Protection Authority. A move north led to two years with the Northern Territory EPA focussing on marine and estuarine investigations, policy, and enforcement, and 10 years with Northern Territory Power and Water specialising on marine and estuarine environmental impact assessments and regulatory compliance. |
Nina Bate
| Qualifications | BSc with Honours in Marine Biology (University of Victoria, Canada) |
| Experience | Nina spent eighteen years with the Environment Protection Authority, focusing on freshwater and estuarine ecology. Prior to the EPA, Nina’s work interests included freshwater algae, marine biofouling and terrestrial insect taxonomy. Nina’s connection with Western Port began with holidays in the 1980s, she now lives in a coastal community. |
Richard Cox
| Qualifications | Master Mariner OAM |
| Experience | Dick has lived in the area since migrating to Australia in 1971. He had extensive experience as a seagoing Deck Officer in all roles from Cadet to Master from 1961 to 1986, followed by four years as a chicken farmer before returning to his profession. In 1990 he became Assistant Harbour Master in Western Port, becoming Harbour Master, Port of Hastings from 1996 to 2008. In partnership with then EPA Director, Doug Newton, Dick aided in producing the Environmental Management Plan for the Port of Hastings, the first in an Australian Port. He retired in 2008, then initially took up part time consulting before devoting his time to volunteering with Rotary, the Western Port community and environment. |
Hugh Kirkman
| Qualifications | BAgSci (University of Queensland) MAgSci (University of Queensland) PhD (University of Western Australia) Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme I and II (restricted) OAM |
| Experience | Hugh specialised in seagrass as a marine scientist with CSIRO for 28 years. He mapped the seagrass of Western Port in 1974, was a member of the South Australian Scientific Working Group for Marine Protected Areas, and has considerable international experience in coastal management. He has authored and co-authored numerous papers, including a report on threats to Western Port during and after the proposed Port of Hastings. Hugh is a life member of the Australian Marine Sciences Association and a member of the Environmental Institute of Australia and New Zealand. In 2025 Hugh was awarded and Order of Australia “For distinguished service to conservation and the protection, management and sustainability of seagrasses and marine ecosystems.” |
Greg Parry
| Qualifications | BSc (Honours) (University of Melbourne) PhD (University of Melbourne) |
| Experience | After teaching in the biology department and Monash University for four years, Greg became and environmental scientist with the Victorian Government. In the following 30 years he worked for the Victorian Institute of marine Sciences, Department of Planning, EPA, and Fisheries. Most of his experience has been with marine environmental research; he has led studies examining impacts of scallop dredging, channel dredging, exotic species, nutrient and contaminants. Between 2010 and 2024 he ran his own marine environmental consulting company. Greg’s association with Western Port goes back to fishing and diving there in his youth, and in the 1970s he was involved in the field studies that formed part of the Shapiro Report, the iconic Western Port environmental study. |
Craig Sherman
| Qualifications | BSc (Hons) (University of Wales, Bangor, UK) PhD (University of Wollongong) |
| Experience | Craig is a marine ecologist and one of the group leaders of the EcoGenetics Lab based at Deakin University. Craig and his team use a combination of ecological and molecular approaches to address fundamental and applied questions in the fields of ecological restoration, marine biosecurity and ecosystem resilience. He is a collaborative researcher working with academics, industry and government agencies to find management solutions to complex environmental issues facing coastal and marine ecosystems. Craig is a Professor at Deakin University, and is the Associate Head of School, Research and Industry Engagement. |
Western Port Seagrass Partnership 