A bit of background…
I was born and bred in the small town of Mudgee in Central West NSW before moving to Northern NSW to study Environmental Science.
I started my career in aquatic and riparian habitat rehabilitation with NSW Fisheries based in Dubbo. In this role I worked extensively across western NSW with a range of stakeholders including graziers, irrigators, water managers and various levels of government.
I gained critical knowledge of river and stream processes, and worked on a number of projects to map and address erosion. I assisted landholders to successfully apply for funding for fencing and weed management, and delivered a number of successful rehabilitation projects in collaboration with landholders and community groups.
I worked with the NSW Government and graziers, monitoring ecosystem responses to the delivery of environmental flows that benefited both the environment and grazing enterprises. (Environmental flow is any managed change in a river’s flow pattern intended to maintain or improve river health).
During this time I also developed a project to increase water delivery efficiency to farming enterprises by addressing erosion at a small distributary stream.
In my spare time I enjoy fishing and scuba diving which helps drive my commitment to working with landholders to achieve water quality outcomes for the BBB, Burdekin and Great Barrier Reef.
— MATT MILES