Team HCSurvey
Since company creation, Richard has provided extensive support to commercial activities including client representation, expert witness, Level 1 oversight of navigational channel surveys, navigation aid surveys, dredge and construction survey. He has also provided specialist reports to aid in the resolution of survey practice conflicts between third parties in dispute.
Richard joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1991 and qualified as a hydrographic surveyor in 1997. During his military service, Richard surveyed on HMAS Melville, HMAS Leeuwin, HMAS Moresby, HMAS Benalla, HMS Roebuck, the Laser Airborne Depth Sounder (LADS) operating out of Cairns and two commercially leased survey vessels in the UK.
Richard is proficient in the use of processing and end product software such as Caris HIPS and SIPS, Fledermaus, Hypack, TopSurv and survey adjustment software. He is very capable of rapidly acquiring the higher level user skills for new software. Richard provides training to all staff members as required on the use of the company’s equipment suite and correct hydrographic practice.
Specialist Positions Held
- 2006 to Present – Senior consulting hydrographic surveyor at Hydrographic & Cadastral Survey
- 2022 – Course Implementation Officer at the Maritime Geospatial Training Centre
- 2013 to 2014 – Second in Charge of the RAN Leeuwin Class hydrographic survey vessel.
- 2010 to 2013 – Staff Officer Hydrographic Standards at the Australian Hydrographic Office, Wollongong.
- 2008 to 2010 Commanding Officer RAN Laser Airborne Depth Sounder II
- 2007 – (Jan – Aug) Officer in Charge of the RAN Hydrographic School and initiated training on the Lieca 1201 total stations.
- 2005 to 2008 – Staff Officer Quality Control at the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO), Wollongong.
- 2005 – Became an Editor for the Journal of Spatial Science and a Committee Member to the NSW Spatial Science Institute where he represents the interests of the Hydrographic Surveying community.
- 2003 – Completed the highest level of IHO accredited course, Category A in the UK.
- 2003 – Remained on exchange with the Royal Navy and commanded two Royal Navy Naval Party’s (NP), the first Australian Officer to do so. In this role he was the Surveyor in Charge, authorised to conduct surveys and release hydrographic data to the UK Hydrographic Office.
- NP1008 was designated “off-shore” and utilised single beam technology and side scan sonar.
- NP1016 was designated “in-shore” utilised a Kongsberg 3000D (dual head) swathe sounding system, EA600 singlebeam, military spec magnetometer, C-Nav wide area GPS, and side scan sonar. The unit operated in highly mobile seabed areas off the east coast of England.
- 2000 to 2002 – Second in Charge of the RAN Hydrographic School, Sydney. Roles included Senior Instructor and Course Implementation Officer. During this period, he redeveloped the School’s Category B Hydrographic Surveying Course leading to its subsequent re-accreditation by the IHO. Richard also oversaw the installation and acceptance of two multi-beam survey motorboats which utilised the Fansweep 20, Atlas Deso 25, various oceanographic data collectors, Ashtec and Trimble GPS systems.
- 1997 – Completed an International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) accredited Category B Hydrographic Surveying course.