New Member Profile
Dinesh Nadarajah (City of Darebin)

Why did you join as an ALGA member?

ALGA provides a unique platform for cross fertilisation of innovative ideas and pragmatic solutions for managing contaminated land as well as networking with comrades in the frontline trenches healing country.

How did you hear about ALGA?

I was introduced by a colleague to the online seminars and got addicted.

What does your job involve?

As Principal Environmental Risk Officer at Darebin City Council, it is consistent roller coaster fun! covering A-Z of environmental risk assessment and providing advice across the organisation. I am the ‘go to’ fireman, policeman, oracle and superman who constantly pivots handling a range of emerging issues on a fast track basis working with limited resources. Also managing multiple site assessments, risk assessments, environmental audit and remediation projects concurrently while conducting planning referrals, compliance inspections, training and liaison with EPA, lawyers, stakeholders, etc.

What project/s are you currently working on?

Developing a ‘whole of council’ Contaminated Land Management Framework and conducting a Sustainability and Climate Resilience Review of a park sited on a legacy landfill.

What part of your job do you enjoy most?

Knowing that I have consciously chosen to get my hands dirty to facilitate healing country to ensure the mess we inherited is not kicked down the road for our kids to deal with. I will leave this beautiful land in a better condition than when I popped up and revert to becoming top soil. My approach has evolved from ‘remediating soil’ to ‘infecting minds’ with the urgency to rejuvenate, regenerate and revitalise soil and habitats. It gives me satisfaction when others regurgitate my ideas with their own flavour and take action healing country.

What is one item you could not live without and why?

There is no one thing that I can’t live without. Life is beautiful but has an expiry date and for me it is sweetest spending quality time with family and friends preferably in nature. Being a nature lover, I have been fortunate to have undertaken sustainability assignments in South East Asia, Australasia and North America. For me, time in nature is precious, be it working on conservation of critically endangered species in high conservation value habitats or watching a spider hunting in the garden.

Article Published on 26/02/2024

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