Leisa Prowse Consulting delivered community and stakeholder engagement for the detailed environmental investigation into the presence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on and in the vicinity of Lavarack Barracks in Townsville
Situation Explained
Photo of Ross River taken by Leisa Prowse
The Department of Defence is undertaking a national program to review, investigate and implement a comprehensive approach to manage the impacts of PFAS on and around some of its Australian bases.
In October 2017, Defence commenced a detailed environmental investigation at Lavarack Barracks to identify the nature and extent of PFAS in the environment and any exposure risks to human health or ecosystems.
The findings of this investigation have informed the development of the PFAS Management Area Plan (PMAP). This plan informs the activities Defence will undertake to manage, monitor and reduce the risks of PFAS exposure on, and around, the Base.
Our Approach
Leisa Prowse Consulting was engaged (as a subconsultant to RPS) to deliver the community and stakeholder engagement process for the Lavarack Barracks PFAS detailed environmental investigation.
The engagement process included:
- developing and distributing a Water Use Survey designed to capture information to inform the investigation about how the local community uses, or has used, bore water and surface water in the area around the Barracks
- organising and staffing Community Walk-in sessions in the area around the Barracks
- coordinating the collection of bore and surface water, and soil and biota samples which were taken to determine levels of PFAS
- preparing collateral to provide updates to the community and stakeholder updates on the investigation process
- managing contact points, including staffing a project hotline and email address
- coordinating the distribution of health advisory information including installing signage.
The activities provided opportunities for interested community members to learn more about the environmental investigation process and have conversations with technical experts.
Results
We organised and staffed six Community Walk-in sessions in suburbs around Lavarack Barracks. Given the levels of community interest in the project, the approach to these sessions continually evolved and ultimately included:
- online advertising in the Townsville Bulletin coupled with traditional advertising in the print edition
- holding Community Walk-in sessions in the local shopping centre to encourage participation