It’s been 44 years since Ray Hussey got his first summer construction job with his local shire.
In addition to seeing the Windouran shire amalgamate with the now Conargo shire that he continues to work for, Mr. Hussey has been at the centre of history, watching road construction techniques modernise in Australia.
“My first job was driving a tractor that was towing a roller,” he says. “Since then I’ve done everything from patching roads to driving graders and trucks. I was even the noxious weed inspector for a while.”
For the past 20 years, Mr. Hussey has been the Works Overseer for the Conargo Shire, a job that requires he stay on top on the latest road maintenance and construction techniques. So when his Director of Engineering emailed him about a Pavement Recycling and In-situ Stabilisation course in Wagga Wagga this past March, he took up the opportunity.
Mr. Hussey happened to be the 1000th student to take part in the course, a joint project by AustStab and the Centre for Pavement Engineering and Education (CPEE). The course offers a review of the types of stabilisation, as well as more detailed presentations on types of binders, material characteristics, and design and mix detailing. It offers sessions on specifying and case studies for practical outcomes.
Mr. Hussey says the course was not only engaging, but delivered content he was able to apply immediately. He’s currently overseeing a project that involves linking up a gravel road with an adjoining shire, and sealing it up to where it meets the Victorian border.
He says the course was great, not only because of the information provided via the course, but also from what he learnt by meeting with staff from other shires to compare notes.
“You meet other people and learn about what they’re doing, and what you can bring back home,” he says.
Mr. Hussey says a major advantage of the course was its location in Wagga Wagga. He says often he needs to travel to Darwin or other major cities to attend these courses, making it a burden on the council.
Mr. Hussey certainly recommends the course to other professionals involved in road maintenance.
“Even if you just take away 50 per cent of what’s offered, it’s still a lot,” he says. “People should take advantage of learning more about the technology that’sout there.”