Join Matt and Conrad as they address questions from the ATS Systems, Operations, and Maintenance Group, focusing on the surety of Fixed Fire-Fighting System (FFFS) activation in the Heysen Tunnels.

Given that the Heysen Tunnels Safety Upgrade and Refurbishment Project was brownfield exercise with unique challenges, South Australia’s DIT recognised that a bespoke engineering approach was required rather than recycling a prior tunnel design.

This presentation will offer insights into their philosophical approach for brownfield tunnel refurbishment, specifically detailing the innovative design of the flame-sensing camera supervision and explaining the absence of (traditional) linear heat detectors in the Heysen Tunnels.

While the misting system installation was a significant undertaking in the Heysen Tunnels, that topic was comprehensively covered in the previous ATS seminar in Adelaide back in February 2025 and will not be treated in detail here.  This presentation focuses on topics distinct from the paper planned for the Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2025 (ATC2025) in Perth this November.

The Presenters

Matthew Taylor

As a Chartered Electrical Engineer, Matthew has over 35 years of experience within the electrical, mechanical, control and communications systems engineering fields within underground transport infrastructure project delivery environment within the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

A recognised innovator in the design, installation, testing, commissioning and the ongoing operation and maintenance of the technology that drives modern transportation systems, Matthew has played pivotal roles in the delivery of several of Australia’s largest projects since his migration from the UK in July 1997.

Conrad Stacey

Dr Conrad Stacey is a Director of leading underground ventilation and fire safety consultants Stacey Agnew.  Conrad’s credits include seminal reports on livestock shipping heat stress risk, and co-authorship of a paper on the gravitational energy drivers for the geodynamo.  He has worked on hypersonic upper atmospheric flight and river and flood plain hydraulics.  A common thread through Conrad’s work in varied areas is a core focus on the fundamental physics and the engineering thought involved, all within the big picture of the community interest.  He will talk about the fire engineering basis for decisions during tunnel refurbishments.

Chair Diane Mather

Diane Mather is Senior Design Manager at Queensland Hydro, with over 25 years of experience on major projects, including Clem7 (NSBT), Airport Link, City Rail Link, WestConnex M5 East, West Gate, Sydney Metro, Melbourne Metro, Brisbane Cross River Rail, Inland Rail, and now Borumba Pumped Hydro.

In 2021, Diane was honoured as the inaugural winner of the Women in Tunnelling Outstanding Achievement Award by the Australian Tunnelling Society.  Diane is a dedicated role model, mentor, and advocate for attracting and retaining women in engineering.

The eVENT Space

The seminar will be onsite at the eVENT Space in Stacey Agnew’s offices, and online.  Catering for those networking onsite after the eVENT will be by Yim Thai restaurant Middle Park, which is why registration includes dietary requirements.