Who we are
Simon Leake
B Sc Ag (HonsI) AIAST, ASSSI, ASPAC, WMA
Simon Leake is a founding Director and Principle Soil Scientist and responsible for all technical matters in the company. His education and interests are centred on soil science and soil chemistry in particular.
Since the Darling Harbour development, Simon has risen to become one of the best-known urban soil scientists in Australia. His knowledge and expertise naturally led him to composting science. He has been consulting to the composting industry for over 12 years. He is an active member of the Australian Standards Committees for Topsoil, Compost and Potting Mixes
Murray Fraser
B Sc Ag (Hons) LCA, QIA, MCCF
Murray Fraser is a Director and Senior Soil Scientist and is responsible for the fiscal, marketing and business management of the company. Murray has been responsible for introducing technical innovation to many of our activities.
With a solid understanding of soil science from his degree course at Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Murray has built on that knowledge with experience including but not restricted to the regeneration and rehabilitation of industrial sites, design of soil mixes for specific uses, horticulture, agriculture, landscape installation and maintenance roles and project management. He is currently involved with the design and planning of a number of sportsturf facilities.
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Daniel Saunders
B Sc Env Sc QIA
Graduating from Newcastle University as an Environmental Scientist, Daniel Saunders leads our Environmental Consultancy department. Daniel’s previous experience with meeting DEC (EPA) and Local Government requirements and his skills in project management makes him the ideal person for dealing with risk assessment and reporting of environmentally sensitive matters.
Daniel's current role sees him consulting to clients on waste classification, contaminated site evaluation and reporting, environmental analysis including waste, water, acid sulphate soil, corrosion and scaling and salinity.
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Ryan Jacka
B Env Sc EIANZ (Assoc. Member)
Ryan joined Sydney Environmental & Soil Laboratory (SESL) in 2007 adding to the Environmental Consultant team. He brought to our company impressive skills in sampling, testing and monitoring and the evaluation of scientific results.
He currently has the responsibility of managing numerous clients and their varying requirements, including monitoring of green waste products, acid sulphate soil risk assessments (preliminary, detailed and management plans), contamination site assessments (Stage 1, Stage 2, Remediation and Validation), effluent disposal (single-dwelling and Sub-division), drinking and environmental water assessments and corrosion test results interpretation and reporting.
He is responsible for planning, organising and performing environmental site surveys, and soil/water sampling exercises accompanied with detailed report writing. His reports are clear, concise, easily digested by non-scientific clients and meet the reporting criteria of the regulatory authority for each project.
Ryan holds a current "green card" for OHS General Induction for Construction Work in NSW (Work Cover) and Elevated Work Platform Ticket (WorkCover).
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Luzmila Abercrombie
B Sc, M Sc
With over 20 years experience in research and analytical laboratories, Luzmila brings a wealth of both Australian and International experience to the laboratory. Her management style is open and communicative and her hands on experience is second to none. She is proving to be the most accomplished laboratory manager we have had and we look forward to her continuing contribution to our development of both our analytical techniques and our planned NATA certification.
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Paul Looby
B Sc (Horticulture)
Paul Looby has achieved considerable practical experience in many aspects of both horticulture and agriculture prior to joining SESL. His experience encompasses every facet of growing systems including:
• Day to day operations of a technical services division of an international turfgrass products company
• Providing technical assistance regarding work methods, use of equipment, techniques and analysis of results
• Write all soil, water and plant pathology results
• Experimental and analytical data compilation, reporting and interpretation.
• Conduct research into water efficiency of forages used in the dairy industry
• Conduct research studies on rice physiology and plant nutrition
• Attend to all day to day duties to maintain trials in the field
With such sound practical agronomic experience combined with one of the best horticultural degrees available in Australia, Paul can provide industry best practice advice and consulting for all horticultural/agricultural growing systems from the largest commercial urban landscape development, any type of production horticultural endeavour to the home gardener.
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Meredith Bormann
B Env Sc (HONS)
Meredith has recently joined Sydney Environmental & Soil Laboratory (SESL) as an Environmental Consultant. Building on her previous three years experience she has already become an integral part of our consulting team.
At Hayes Environmental Consulting Meredith was involved preparing soil contamination assessment, acid sulphate soil investigations, asbestos and other hazardous materials surveys and site remediation and validation including preparing proposals, site investigations, sample collection, data analysis and report writing. This experience proved ideal for the role she currently successfully holds at SESL.
At Hornsby Shire Council Meredith had close involvement with customers and excelled at providing a balanced view to customer complaints regarding pollution of many different sorts. She was also involved in assessing Development Applications and on-site Sewage Management Systems and therefore can address these issues from all points of view. She was also an OH&S representative for her department with practical experience in risk/environmental hazard evaluation.
Meredith currently has the responsibility of managing a number of clients and their requirements particularly in the areas of waste classifications, DECC resource recovery exemptions, contamination assessments, water monitoring and data analysis and reporting.
Meredith holds a current "green card" for OHS General Induction for Construction Working NSW (Work Cover).
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Gabriella Navarrete
B Sc Agr (Hons)
Gabriella (Gaby) has been working at the forefront of the most innovative soil classification system in Australia. She has brought to Sydney Environmental & Soil Laboratory (SESL) impressive up-to-date skills to complement the wealth of our already accumulated in-house knowledge. Her systematic approach to soil surveying, classification, testing and sampling makes her an ideal consultant for all projects involving soil science.
While Gaby has joined our senior soil scientists' urban horticulture team to supply consulting and testing to the landscape and amenity horticultural industries, her knowledge of soil science enables her to be involved with and contribute to all facets of SESL's technical ventures.
Gaby is a personable, erudite person with excellent interpersonal skills. You will be impressed with her enthusiasm for her role and her organised and systematic approach to projects. She is a great addition to our company's technical skills and knowledge database.
Gaby holds a current "green card" for OHS General Induction for Construction Work in NSW (Work Cover).