From Landfill to Learning Lab: HydroTerra hosts Environmental Monitoring field day for RMIT Students

Darebin Parklands, once the site of the Alphington Landfill, is now a thriving green space in Melbourne, thanks to extensive environmental rehabilitation efforts. Recently, HydroTerra (Richard Campbell), in partnership with Darebin City Council (Dinesh Nadarajah – Principal Environment Risk Officer), the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria, and the Darebin Creek Management Committee (Peter Wiltshire – Senior Ranger), hosted an environmental monitoring field day for RMIT Environmental Engineering students.

The event provided a comprehensive learning experience, starting with informational sessions where experts from HydroTerra, the EPA, and Darebin Council shared insights on landfill management, including site selection, groundwater and landfill gas monitoring, and the complexities of managing closed landfills. Peter Wiltshire also highlighted his innovative leachate containment system, which filters leachate through a series of wetlands, ultimately discharging into a duck pond, showcasing a practical solution to landfill-related environmental challenges. 

Following the sessions, HydroTerra led the students through practical demonstrations of groundwater sampling techniques and landfill gas sampling equipment. This hands-on experience allowed the students to apply what they had learned and gain valuable insights into real-world environmental monitoring practices. The day was both educational and engaging, highlighting the importance of sustainable landfill management and demonstrating how innovative approaches can successfully transform former waste sites into valuable community assets. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See more about our available courses via our HydroTerra Training Courses site