Business profile: Robin Crocker and Associates

Robin Crocker & Associates was formed in 1995 to provide a range of high quality planning and project management services to clients involved in natural and cultural heritage, landscape and related fields. The business became a division of Crocker-Jones Consulting in 2001.

Robin Crocker has had diverse experience working in government agencies and private industry – and a keen understanding of client needs. He has successfully managed staff and projects in the National Parks Service, Museum of Victoria, Melbourne Water, Melbourne Parks and Waterways, and Shell Chemical. Robin has also successfully project managed over 60 projects as a consultant.

Robin has extensive knowledge of natural and cultural heritage sites and significant experience in landscape aesthetics and assessment. He also has a collaborative approach to planning, and excellent research, consultation and project management skills.

Current and recent work undertaken includes a range of landscape, heritage and interpretation projects, master/ management plans, open space strategies and management plans for several national and state parks.

Robin project managed the Environment and Land Management Plan for the Torquay-Lorne coastal reserves which was awarded the 2009 Coastal Management Award for Excellence by the Victorian Coastal Council and Coast Action/ Coastcare.

Photos from landscape/heritage projects in
the West Kimberley, Otways and Canberra.

2/145 Prospect Hill Rd Canterbury Vic 3126

Phone 03 9830 2242

Mob 0408 884436

ABN 32 098 988 508

Qualifications, skills and capabilities

Robin Crocker has a B Agr Sc degree from the University of Melbourne. He has demonstrated a high level of capability in the following fields.

Ø Program and project management at a senior level, as:

§ Director, Crocker-Jones Consulting Pty Ltd

§ Principal, Robin Crocker & Associates

§ Manager Park Planning, Melbourne Water

§ Park Management Officer (West), Melbourne Water

§ Manager Historic Places Section, National Parks Service

§ Manager Interpretation Branch, National Parks Service

§ Manager Tourism Unit, Dept Conservation, Forests and Lands

§ Project Manager, Museum of Victoria

§ Senior Development Officer, Shell Chemical Australia

Ø Strategic planning for state and local government and committees of management in open space, recreation, tourism and conservation related to natural and cultural heritage.

Ø Landscape planning and assessment including inspirational landscapes methodology.

Ø Management planning, and on-ground management, of parks, reserves, coastal areas, waterways and other open space.

Ø Planning and implementation of interpretation and ecotourism projects related to natural and cultural heritage.

Ø Business planning and policy development for parks and open space.

Ø Facilitation of community forums, presentations to clients and concise and accurate report writing.

Ø Development and implementation of project planning and management systems.

Ø Effective planning, estimating, scheduling and implementation of projects to meet client needs.

Ø Management and coordination of complex programs and projects and effective utilisation of available resources.

Ø Project management of community grant projects for committees and volunteer groups.

Achievements

Cultural heritage / landscape / tourism / interpretation projects

Ø Canberra views and vistas: for National Heritage Listing (Client: Madeleine Maple, DSEWPaC)

Ø Colonial Sydney (Royal Botanic Garden, The Domain, Hyde Park) Aesthetic Assessment for National Heritage listing (with Context et al) (Client: Madeleine Maple, DSEWPaC)

Ø Management of major project: West Kimberley Aesthetic Assessment – for National Heritage listing. (Client: Madeleine Maple, DEWHA)

Ø Management of the major projects:
a) Identification and Assessment of National Estate Aesthetic Value in the NorthEast, Gippsland and West RFA Forest Regions, Vic.
b) Identifying Inspirational Landscapes in Australia Stage 2
(Client: Juliet Ramsay, Comm. Dept Environment and Heritage.)

Ø a) Heritage Access, Presentation and Interpretation Framework, Victoria; and b) Tourism and Conservation Strategy for Southern Goldfields
(Client: Ray Supple, Parks Victoria)

Ø Otways Parks Heritage Action Plan
(Client: Ray Supple/Chris Smith, Parks Victoria)

Ø Dubbo Area Reserves Interpretation Framework (Client NSW NP&WS)

Ø Boort Cultural Interpretive Centre Feasibility Study (with Tim Bracher, Bramark Consulting)
(Client: AAV and Loddon Shire)

Ø Master plan for Wonthaggi State Coal Mine
(Client: Paul Dyer, Parks Victoria)

Ø Heritage Information Report: Piers and Jetties of Port Phillip
(Client: Belinda Lyons, Parks Victoria)

Ø Walkerville Lime Kilns Heritage Action Plan (with Andrew Ward et al) Client: Chris Smith, Parks Victoria)

Ø Interpretation and signs plans for Walkerville
(Client: Bill Bray, Committee of Mgt)

Ø Social and economic assessment of proposed recommendations, Historic Places Special Investigation, LCC (with Read Sturgess & Associates).

(Client: Simon Ransome, ECC)

Ø Interpretation/ development plans for heritage sites including Werribee Park historic precinct, Point Cook homestead, Walhalla township and Victoria Hill (Bendigo).

Park plans / strategies

Ø Yarra Bend Park Management Plan – current
(Client: Libby Jude/Craig Albiston, Parks Victoria)

Ø Management plan for Grey-headed Flying-fox site at Yarra Bend Park (2005, and revised plan 2010/11 – current) (Client: Simon Toop/Shirley Diez, DSE)

Ø Great Otway National Park and Otway Forest park – recreation and heritage components of draft management plan – (client: Cheryl Nagle, Parks Victoria)

Ø Future Directions Strategy for Tower Hill (with SGS Economics & Planning)

(Client: Rachael Robertson, Parks Victoria)

Ø Draft management plan for Warrandyte State Park

(Client: Garry French, Parks Victoria)

Ø Management plan for Mornington Peninsula National Park and Arthurs Seat State Park (with Biosis Research). (Client: Tony Varcoe, Parks Victoria)

Ø Master plans for (i) Wesburn and Millgrove reserves, and (ii) Warburton Recreation Reserve and Caravan Park – current. (Client: Ron Pearce, Yarra Ranges Shire Council)

Ø Master plan and management plan for Crusoe/Number 7 Reservoirs
(Clients: Peter Davies, Anthony Sheean, City of Greater Bendigo)

Ø Landscape and Management Plan for Campaspe River reserves, Rochester
(Client: Sally Dickinson, Shire of Campaspe)

Ø Recreation plan for Yarra Glen Precinct
(Client: Gerran Wright, Yarra Ranges Shire Council)

Ø Management plan for Minak Reserve, Selby
(Client: Ally Egan-Jones, Shire of Yarra Ranges)

Ø Management plan for Glenfern Valley Bushland, Upwey
(Client: Lorraine Marshall, DSE)

Ø Management plan for Emu Plains Recreation Reserve, Balnarring
(Client: Kim Soo, DSE, and CoM)

Ø Master plan for Truganina Explosives Reserve, Altona
(Client: Andrew Shannon, Hobsons Bay Council)

Ø Management plan for Horseshoe Bend, Ivanhoe - Development of an alternative roosting site for the Grey-headed Flying-fox. (Client: Simon Toop, Robert Begg, NRE)

Ø Management plan for Cobbledicks Ford Reserve, Werribee (with Connell Wagner)
(Client: Cecelia Brady, Wyndham City)

Ø Management plan for Mathison Park, Churchill
(Client: David Martyn, Latrobe City)

Ø Concept plan for Crusoe Reservoir and catchment, Bendigo
(Client: Peter Davies, City of Greater Bendigo)

Ø Management plans for Kennington Reservoir, and Spring Gully Creek Reserve
(Client: Anthony Sheean, City of Greater Bendigo)

Ø Management plan for Leaghur State Park

(Clients: Phil Hamer, David Major, Parks Victoria)

Ø Draft management plan for Kara Kara State Park. (Client: Parks Victoria)

Open space strategies / trails strategies

Ø Open space strategy for Surf Coast Shire Council
(Client: Surf Coast Shire Council)

Ø Open space strategy for Knox City Council
(Clients: Justin O’Meara, Jacqui Monie, Knox City Council)

Ø Open space strategy for Wellington Shire Council and leisure plan for Rosedale (with HM Leisure Planning)
(Client: Liz Clay, Wellington Shire Council)

Ø Open space strategy for Frankston City Council
(Clients: Liz Beardall, Lynda Counsell, Frankston City Council)

Ø Open space strategy for Macedon Ranges Shire Council
(Client: Rod Clough, Macedon Ranges Shire Council)

Ø Open space strategy for City of Whittlesea (with Context Pty Ltd et al).

(Client: Ruth Spielman, City of Whittlesea)

Ø Regional Trails Strategy – SW Victoria (with Inspiring Place)

Ø Bicycle strategy for the Bass Coast Shire (with Parklinks).

Ø Two Town Trails plan, Warragul (with Miles Civil Design)

Ø Strategy plan for the Great Southern Rail Trail (with Parklinks).
(Client: Committee of Management and NRE)

Coastal plans / strategies

Ø Coastal Management Plan for Otway Coast (Apollo Bay-Wye River)
(Client: Gary McPike, Otway Coast Committee)

Ø Coastal Management Plan for Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale; and Master Plan for Queenscliff Recreation Reserve Precinct
(Client: Natalie Walker, Borough of Queenscliffe)

Ø Environment and Land Management Plan for Torquay-Lorne Coast
(Client: David Clarke, GORCC)

Ø Project management of integrated coastal planning project in Gippsland including Coastal Action Plan for Gippsland coast.
(Client: Gippsland Coastal Board)

Ø Management plan for Mornington Peninsula National Park (with Biosis Research) - the most heavily visited national park in Victoria.

(Client: Tony Varcoe, Parks Victoria)

Ø Draft management plan for Phillip Island Nature Park (with Biosis Research).
(Client: Ray Leivers, PINP)

Ø Foreshore management plan for Point Leo
(Client: Foreshore Committee and Liz Patterson, NRE)

Ø Foreshore management plan for Stony Point to Hastings
(Client: Peter Smith, NRE)

Ø Foreshore management plan for Whitecliffs to Camerons Bight, Blairgowrie
(Client: Peter Smith, NRE)

Ø Foreshore strategy plans for Sandringham and Sandy Point (with Jill Orr-Young)
(Clients: Bayside and Hobsons Bay City Councils)

Ø Foreshore management plan for Walkerville; and Foreshore strategy plan for Waratah Bay
(Clients Bill Bray, WFRCoM; Robyn Cooney, South Gippsland Shire Council

Ø Strategy plans for Tankerton Foreshore, French Island and San Remo Park
(Client: Bob Brinkman, Parks Victoria)

Project management systems

Ø Development of a comprehensive project planning and management system for the Museum of Victoria, and support for a similar system in Melbourne Water.
(Client Graham Morris, Director Museum of Victoria)

Other achievements

Ø Effective on-ground management and development of major urban parks including Werribee Park, Point Cook Park, Westgate Park and Brimbank Park (annual budget: $6m).

Ø Facilitation of business plans for the Waterways and Parks Division in Melbourne Water, the Marketing Department at the Museum of Victoria and a range of foreshore reserves.

Ø Facilitation of workshops on Alpine Resorts, and Public Land Licensing - for DSE.

Ø Leadership of award-winning interpretive displays, visitor centres, publications and programs in Victoria’s national parks.

Ø Success in obtaining Coast Action grants and managing community grant projects.

Contact network, professional associations, articles

Ø Robin Crocker & Associates has a wide network of contacts in government agencies and consulting groups and keeps abreast of planning and management issues. We regularly put together expert teams with the skills needed to successfully complete specific projects.

Ø Robin is a member of Parks and Leisure Australia, the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association, Interpretation Australia, Victorian National Parks Association and National Trust Australia (Vic). He regularly participates in conferences and seminars and travels interstate and overseas assessing issues and trends.

Ø Robin is a current member of the Walkerville Foreshore Reserve CoM, member of the Heritage Council’s Landscape Advisory Committee, and former Chair of the National Trust Aust. (Vic) Landscape Advisory Committee.

Ø Published articles by Robin Crocker include:

‘Aesthetics: the underrated value in parks and leisure’, Australasian Parks and Leisure, vol 14, no 2, 2011, pp. 34-36

‘Memories of the land, memories of people’, Interpreting Australia, No. 38, Summer 2008, pp. 12-13

‘New Scottish National Parks’, Parkwatch no. 233, June 2008

'Cape Liptrap Coastal Park: landscape delight', Parkwatch no. 217, June 2004

'Achieving successful interpretation: lessons learned from overseas', Australian Parks & Recreation, vol. 6, no. 4, summer 2003 pp. 10-13

‘Visitor experience at Melbourne’s cultural and natural heritage sites – a critical appraisal’, Interpretation Australia Association Conference Proceedings, Melbourne, 2003

‘Exploring Park and Heritage Sites in Ireland’, Parkwatch no. 214, Sept 2003

'Enhancing Visitor Experiences at Heritage Sites', Parkwatch no. 197, June 1999

'Lessons from Europe: Enhancing Visitor Experiences', Australian Parks & Recreation, vol. 3, no. 4, summer 1997/1998 pp. 45-47

Client comments

We regularly ask our clients to rate each component of our project work and identify opportunities for improvement. Some recent comments:

“Thanks Robin, great to work with, informative and helpful … Committee feedback has been very positive – find plan helpful. Onsite meetings particularly positive impact. I would certainly recommend your group to others.” (DSE planner)

“Considering the high demands and very tight timelines, the outcome was excellent and resulted in the production of a quality, working document.” (DSE project manager)

“Overall we are very happy with the plan. It provides a very useful management tool and has been very helpful in setting priorities and as supporting information for funding applications and also as a guide to Council’s Parks dept.” (City of Greater Bendigo coordinator)

‘Strategy plan has been of great assistance, accepted by community therefore implementation has been relatively easy.” (South Gippsland Shire manager)

“I found you to be very responsive to client needs, easy to get along with and professional enough to develop a credible profile with stakeholders.” (Parks Victoria ranger)

“Excellent project planning … the study team was well skilled and most competent.” (Dept Environment and Heritage office[B1] .

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[B1]