'This is exactly what I want to do'
COUNCIL TOUR
AT 18 years of age, Holly Assman is confident enough to say that she has found her niche in life.
Now into her second year of a Certificate III in Water Operations and a popular member of the team at the Mossman Water Treatment Plant, the Douglas Shire Council employee is proudly following in the footsteps of her uncle who previously worked at the plant.
“I love the outdoors and although I am involved in extremely technical and challenging work, this is exactly what I want to do and each day is as exciting as the next,” she said.
She has another year to complete in her two-year course. To achieve the qualification, she must complete 11 units of competency, comprising three core and eight elective units.
The core units are implementing, monitoring and coordinating environmental procedures; organising personal work priorities and development; and contributing to OHS hazard identification and risk assessment.
Some of the elective units include, monitoring and operating water distribution services; monitoring and operating wastewater collection and transfer systems; and monitoring and scheduling water deliveries.
“Although I have an on-site trainer who spends time with me, it’s basically on-the-job training, which is a great way to learn. There is, of course, the theoretical side. I am thriving in this environment and looking forward to completing my certificate,” she said.
Team leader Mark Howarth can only speak highly of Holly adding she is a popular member of the team and eager to learn.
Newsport met Holly on a Douglas Shire Council-organised tour of their water and wastewater assets where Council will be heavily investing in capital works projects over the next few years. Among the objectives is to improve environmental outcomes for the Great Barrier Reef.
A visit to the Rex Creek Intake, built in the rainforest in the 1930s and the pristine source of the Douglas Shire’s water supply above Mossman Gorge, allowed for an opportunity to recall the past with some humour attached to it.
Near the intake, sits an old run-down hut with a rusted single bed inside, an outside fireplace and some fascinating memories.
Forty years ago before the intake was upgraded and is now the sophisticated vehicle used to capture the water, four Council employees spent a lone night in the hut watching the water fearing it might wash over a wall.
“It was tight in the hut, and it’s not something I will forget in a hurry, especially the person who brought us a bottle of rum to ensure we made it through the night.
“It was a night of tension and lots of laughs and we still talk about it today, especially when we come to the intake,” said Howard, who enjoyed sharing the story with Mayor Julia Leu, who was also part of the Council-organised tour party.
Leu, meanwhile, said over the next five years a considerable amount of money will be needed to be spent to maintain and improve the water assets, and manage what is an ageing infrastructure.
On this Council-organised tour, we also made stops at the Drumsara Quarry below the Mossman Gorge to view the site of the proposed new intake for Mossman and Port Douglas; and the Mossman Wastewater Treatment Plant.
In the capital expenditure budget of $14 million, water accounts for $6 million and wastewater $2 million.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
* Readers are encouraged to use their full details below to ensure comment legitimacy. Comments are the opinions of readers and do not represent the views of Newsport or its staff. Comments containing unlawful, obscene, defamatory or abusive material will not be published.
