The Good Drop with Hawkes and AD

Our guest on Episode 042 is Darron Nutt, Founder and Managing Director of GANDEN Engineers and Project Managers, one of Australia's leading water infrastructureconsultancies.With more than 34 years of experience in the waterindustry, Darron has played key leadership roles on major water and wastewater projects across Australia and internationally. Uniquely, he's seen projects from almost every perspective, having worked as a client representative, designer, independent verifier, client's engineer, commissioning team member and operator.Outside of engineering, he's also a passionate supporter and sponsor of AFL programs, including the Gold Coast Suns andParramatta.Today we'll explore the experiences that shaped him, the journey of building GANDEN, and the lessons he's learned from more than three decades in the water industry.Hawkes & AD

Graham Caswell is a retired pump fitter, supplier, andwidely respected “pump doctor” with more than 50 years of experience across Australia’s water, wastewater, and fire protection industries. Growing up on a dairy farm in rural Queensland, Graham developed an early fascination withmechanical systems — particularly pumps — long before electricity arrived at his family home. That practical upbringing shaped a career grounded in hands‑onproblem solving rather than theory.After earning his trade as a fitter and turner in1970, Graham worked across major infrastructure projects, power stations, water treatment plants, and ultimately specialised in fixed fire pump systems for thefinal 25 years of his career. He held senior sales and management roles before founding SureFire Pumps Pty Ltd, which quickly became known for technical integrity and loyalty-driven relationships.Despite being “unqualified on paper,” Graham became amentor to engineers, a trusted adviser to clients, and a steady force in an industry often focused on credentials over competence. Now retired and living in Lawrence, NSW with his wife Dianne, Graham remains passionate about the fireprotection industry and continues to offer guidance where needed.His story is one of resilience, respect, and the often-overlooked value of experience.

From fixing tractors on a Sunshine Coast fruit farm to leading teams through cyclones and complex water infrastructure challenges, Margit Connellan’s career is anything but ordinary.Now National Director of Water Utilities at RP Infrastructure, Margit shares candid reflections on leadership under pressure, why respectful disruption leads to better project outcomes, and how listening, and not always being the loudest voice, builds stronger teams. Drawing on 30+ years across engineering design, asset management, finance, local government and executive leadership, she offers practical insights for navigating complexity in the water sector.Beyond the work environment, Margit also speaks about one of her great passions, rehabilitating rescue horses, and the surprising leadership lessons they’ve taught her about patience, trust and consistency.Thoughtful, grounded and genuinely inspiring, this episode is a must‑listen for engineers, leaders and emerging professionals alike.Enjoy!!!Hawkes & AD

In this episode, we were privileged to have Sarah Wheeler join us in The Good Drop studio. With over 25 years of experience across water and wastewater design, project management, and complex multidisciplinary delivery, Sarah has built an exceptional career. Originally from Wales, she studied Civil Engineering at Imperial College London before spending nearly a decade with Binnie Black & Veatch working on major Thames Water programs. In 2005 she moved to Australia, working across Sydney, Launceston, and Brisbane, and is now Aurecon’s Technical Director – Major Projects. Known for seeing the big picture while mastering the detail, she’s become a trusted leader in major D&C projects and a go‑to problem solver across the industry.What really sets Sarah apart is her passion for people. She has dedicated more than two decades to mentoring—from UK school students to female undergraduates, graduates, and chartership candidates across multiple organisations. Her commitment to diversity and inclusion spans Women in GHD, Aspire, Pride & Allies at KBR, ICE Connects: Women in Fellowship, and the AWA committee in Tasmania. She’s also an ICE Professional Reviewer, an RPEQ assessor, and helped establish the Brisbane WaterAid Committee in 2013.And most recently, she was recognised as the 2025 Australian Water Association (Qld) Water Professional of the Year—a tremendous achievement.Hope you like it.Hawkes & AD

In episode 038 of The Good Drop Podcast, we spoke with Janice Wilson, the founder, Managing Director, and Principal Engineer of Double Black Diamond Solutions—a consultancy dedicated to tackling complex projects for clients across regional and national government, utilities, and mining sectors. Her client list includes organisations such as Mackay Regional Council, Mount Isa Water Board, and Whitsunday Regional Council, just to name a few.She brings 20 years of experience in infrastructure delivery and the utilities sector, and she holds a Master of Applied Science, a Bachelor of Engineering, and many more related to the drinking water, wastewater, and recycled water sectors.With such a full schedule, we were honoured that she found the time to join us today to talk about her remarkable career journey.Enjoy!!Hawkes & AD