LATEST NEWS
Entura excellence recognised in Engineers Australia Excellence Awards
18 September, 2026
Two outstanding Entura engineers and an innovative hydropower infrastructure upgrade have been recognised as finalists in the 2026 Engineers Australia Excellence Awards (Tasmania).
Jaretha Lombaard has been awarded Emerging Professional Engineer of the Year, while Tim Griggs was a finalist for Professional Engineer of the Year, and the Trevallyn trash rack replacement was a finalist for Project of the Year.
The awards recognise engineers and projects that demonstrate outstanding technical achievement, leadership and contribution to society through engineering.
An emerging leader in dam engineering
Jaretha Lombaard’s award recognises the breadth of experience and responsibility she has taken on early in her career.
Before joining Entura, Jaretha worked on many dam and water infrastructure projects in southern Africa and Australia, including as assistant resident engineer on the challenging Corumana Dam Completion Works in Mozambique, which increased water storage capacity for the region. Her experience in design management, construction delivery, contract administration and stakeholder management on large and complex projects now informs her work on dam projects in Australia.
At Entura, Jaretha has become a trusted technical leader, taking on design management roles for projects including the Bradys and Meadowbank dam upgrades and contributing to the proposed Cethana Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project. She has also established a strong record of professional contribution through technical papers, conference presentations, dam safety training and mentoring.
In her acceptance speech, Jaretha said, “I’m excited about the future and the extraordinary opportunities it presents for engineers to address ever-changing challenges through innovation, technology and collaboration. The greatest legacy we can leave as engineers is not the infrastructure we build, but the positive impact we have on people and communities.”
Find out more about Jaretha in our podcast.
Practical engineering leadership
Tim Griggs’s nomination recognises a 30-year career spanning dams, hydropower and water infrastructure projects in Tasmania, across Australia and internationally. His work has included leadership roles on major projects such as Meander Dam, Enlarged Cotter Dam and significant dam upgrades, as well as pioneering work assessing pumped hydro opportunities in Tasmania.
A common theme throughout Tim’s career has been finding practical, safe and durable solutions to complex engineering challenges. His contributions have helped improve dam safety, strengthen water security, extend the life of critical infrastructure and support the development of future renewable energy projects. He has also contributed to industry guidance, technical publications, mentoring and knowledge sharing through ANCOLD and the broader engineering profession.
Find out more about Tim in our podcast.
A smart approach at Trevallyn
The Trevallyn trash rack replacement project was a finalist and recognised for solving an intricate engineering challenge without disrupting a critical shared community resource. The trash rack, located about 18 metres underwater, protects Tasmania’s Trevallyn Power Station from debris entering the intake and damaging equipment. With parts of the structure nearing 60 years old, replacement was essential, but draining the lake was not practical.
Entura’s team, including mechanical engineer Eli Pharaoh, developed an innovative solution that enabled the new structure to be installed underwater in stages. The design reduced the full power station outage from an estimated five weeks to about 10 days, while significantly reducing the amount of underwater assembly required. It also improved diver safety and allowed much of the work to be undertaken while the station remained partially operational.
Find out more about the Trevallyn trash rack project in our podcast.
Recognising engineering excellence
Entura General Manager Wayne Tucker said the three finalists reflect the depth of expertise across the organisation.
“Having two of our people and one of our projects recognised by Engineers Australia is a strong reflection of the capability, ingenuity and impact of our teams.
“Jaretha is an outstanding engineer who has made a significant contribution to her profession throughout her career to date, and it is wonderful to see this recognised by her industry.
“Likewise, accolades for Tim Griggs demonstrate the depth of contribution to engineering over his career, while the Trevallyn project highlights problem-solving and innovation that underpin successful engineering outcomes.
“We are proud to see their achievements recognised by the wider engineering community.”
Entura has a long history of recognition through Engineers Australia awards. Recent recipients have included Kate Hammerton, who won Emerging Professional Engineer of the Year in 2024, and Professional Engineer of the Year recipients David Gerke (2023), Paul Southcott (2021), Seth Langford (2020), Donald Vaughan (2018) and Richard Herweynen (2012).
These awards reflect the contribution Entura engineers continue to make to renewable energy, water infrastructure, dam safety and engineering practice in Tasmania, across Australia and internationally.
