WTSIP's team of extension officers and other delivery staff are based within different partner organisations.
See below for contact details:
0427 790389
Based in Terrain NRM's Cairns office.
Steve reports to the WTSIP Management Committee and has responsibility for implementing the Partnership’s goals and objectives, coordinating program resources and liaising with staff hosting organisations.
0404 787144
jordan.villaruz@terrain.org.au
Based in the Canegrowers Gordonvale office.
Jordan has worked in the cane industry for 14 years as a productivity officer in Tully, an extension officer for BSES (now SRA) and as a senior extension officer and team leader at TCPSL for 5-6 years.
07 4776 1808
Based in HCPSL
Jarrod grew up on a cane farm in Victoria Estate so he has been involved in the sugar industry from a young age.
After finishing high school in 2011 he enrolled in James Cook University to study a Bachelor of Geology and learnt about mineralogy, landform and digital mapping technology, bedrock/soil relationship, and hydrology.
In 2015 he began working with Sugar Research Australia in Mackay on adoption and extension efforts in Sarina and Proserpine. He worked in this role for 18 months before returning to the Wet Tropics in his current role as a WTSIP District Extension Officer.
0490 077 176
Based in HCPSL
Leanne grew up on a cane farm in the Herbert district and went on to gain a Bachelor of Agricultural Science specialising in agronomy from the University of Queensland in 1999.
She then worked at the Herbert Cane Productivity Services Ltd for seven years in the areas of field agronomy and pest and disease management and GIS applications.
In 2005 she ventured into passion fruit farming for 12 years and during this time she also did some extension and field work for BSES Ltd and HCPSL, including the first round of the Reef Rescue grants process.
0427 231 971
Based in Canegrowers Tully.
Alex grew up in Atherton and studied soil science and forestry at university in Canberra. He has worked in a range of industries and environments, mainly in northern Australia. Between 2012 and 2014 he was employed as an agronomist in the Mareeba area working with horticulturalists and cane growers, during which time he became accredited as a Fertcare advisor.
Alex enjoys working with growers to achieve the most efficient returns from their investment in fertiliser, particularly by developing site-specific nutrient management plans.
0472 869 659
joel_tierney@canegrowers.com.au
Based in Canegrowers Cairns Region
Joel started life on the Cassowary Coast so he grew up understanding the importance of the cane industry to the local area.
Previously he has worked in Kakadu National Park as well as with landholders in the Volcanic Plains and Otway-Coast regions of Victoria, where he worked on revegetation, erosion control and invasive weed projects. He then moved back to the Wet Tropics to work with WTSIP.
0436 678 800
peter_becke@canegrowers.com.au
Based in Canegrowers Innisfail.
Peter Becke grew up on a sugarcane farm in the Burdekin. After studying for a Bachelor of Applied Science (Plants major) at UQ Gatton, he worked as an agronomist in Mareeba for 4 years, mostly in horticulture.
He is very interested in Ag Tech and the potential opportunity it offers in further developing the sugar industry.
0418 733147
Based in CANEGROWERS, Innisfail.
Bob has a background in Agricultural Science and Agricultural Engineering.
He has worked in rice, irrigation and sewage and industrial waste water treatments in Malaysia. He was also a Technical Field Officer with CSR Ltd in Ingham (principally drainage) and Ayr (principally irrigation) for 12 years.
Bob also has a small sugarcane farm (17 ha) at Kairi near Lake Tinaroo.
0436 639948
marie_courteville@canegrowers.com.au
Based in Canegrowers Cairns Region
Originally from France, Marie has been living in Cairns for 3 years working as a ranger for QPWS and on the Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program. She has a masters in environmental engineering.
0488 004829
Based at Mossman Agricultural Services.
Kate grew up in Brisbane and completed a Bachelor of Environmental Management from the University of Queensland in 2016 before joining WTSIP as part of the QFF’s Reef Extension Training program.
0436 319279
laurent.verpeaux@mossag.com.au
Based in Mossman Agricultural Services.
Laurent grew up in Cameroon and France. Since arriving in Australia in 2007 he has worked at NQ Dry Tropics as a GIS Officer and Field Officer in sugar cane and horticulture delivering water quality grants and tenders.
He started his own venture growing gourmet mushrooms in 2015 on his farm south of Ingham, supplying high end restaurants and local markets from Townsville to Port Douglas.
0438 729179
Based in Terrain NRM's Gordonvale office.
