Board Snapshot

As a Committee of Management, the Board members of the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee are appointed under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 for a term of three years by the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, and are selected through a public, skills-based Expression of Interest process.

The 12 Board members of the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee meet regularly to oversee and provide strategic direction to the organisation.

The Board’s powers are set out in Section 15 of the Act, and are summarised in the Committee of Management Responsibilities and Good Practice Guidelines 2003 as follows:

• manage, improve, maintain and control the land for the purposes for which it is reserved
• report on its finances and other issues as directed by the Department of  Environment, Land, Water and Planning
• maintain records and administer its affairs as a public body
• exercise all such powers, functions and authorities and carry out all such duties as are conferred or imposed on it by any regulations, and
• carry out works and improvements on the land.

Under the Act, the Board also has the authority to:

• undertake financial transactions, including borrowing money (with Treasurer’s consent) and entering contracts
• enter tenure arrangements such as leasing and licensing for part or all of the reserve, subject to Minister’s approval
• effect and enforce any regulations, and
• employ staff to manage the land.

Find out more about the skills and experience of each Board member below.

Ken Northwood (Chair)

Bachelor of Commerce, Diploma of Town and Regional Planning, and a Master of Urban Planning

Ken is an experienced strategic, business and urban planner. He has worked in local government for 15 years prior to forming his own successful consulting firm in 1992.  He works on major infrastructure and strategic projects throughout Victoria.  Ken and his family have a home in Lorne, and have enjoyed lifelong connections with the Surf Coast.

Daniel Marquet

Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor Science

Daniel is a partner of leading national law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth and practices in the areas of litigation, insurance and trade practices law. He has a particular interest in insurance and risk issues relating to the management of public land. Daniel and his family have a house at Lorne where he surfs as often as possible.

Helen Gwilliam

Bachelor of Laws and a Graduate Diploma in Journalism

Helen lives in Melbourne and is General Manager at Women with Disabilities Victoria, which  works with community services and all levels of government to ensure they are inclusive of women with disabilities.

Helen has more than a decade of experience in Crown land management in Victoria, with a particular interest in sustainable tourism and recreation uses of public lands.  Helen is also a committed community radio volunteer, with a focus on increasing media representation by people with disability.

Jo Stevens

Bachelor of Business, Masters of Change Leadership and Organisation Dynamics

Jo is a Change Management Consultant, whose experience includes the design and delivery of major corporate change transformation programs (including a global transformation program), cultural and behavioural change programs, training, project management and business process improvement initiatives. She has held a role on a Victorian Public Hospital Board for 6 years, with strong corporate and board governance skills. Jo is a keen surfer and mountain biker.

Ros Williamson

Bachelor of Science (Hons in Microbiology), Bachelor of Education, Masters in Business (Human Resource Management), Graduate Certificate Applied Science (Organisation Dynamics)

Ros has extensive experience designing and delivering HR/organisational development strategies in public and private sector organisations including CSL, Telstra, TAFE NSW, EPA and Melbourne Health. Ros held executive HR/Organisational Development positions in a number of organisations and recently, as a Prosci qualified Change Management Consultant, assisted a number of organisations plan and manage large scale organisational change. Ros has a particular interest in enabling individuals to actively manage their careers in the face of continuous organisational change.

Ros relocated to Ocean Grove with her husband in 2017 from Melbourne to be closer to her daughter and young grandchildren and to enjoy all that life in this coastal community offers including body boarding all year round.  In addition to working on short term contracts, Ros is enjoying volunteering on the Board of Ocean Grove Surf Lifesaving Club and the Bellarine Community Support Register as well as serving as a Community Visitor with Victorian Office of the Public Advocate.

Kylie Warne

Master of Marketing, Bachelor of Arts, FAMI, GAICD

Kylie is a strategic marketing and communication professional who founded her consultancy, Brand Bureau, in 2006, and marketing technology startup, GetSetGo, in 2018. She is a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute.

A keen advocate for local communities, Kylie is Chair of the Barwon Regional Partnership, a member of the Regional Development Advisory Committee, a member of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Council and the longest-serving President of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce.

Kylie lives in Bannockburn with her family and enjoys swimming, surfing and camping along our beautiful coastline.

Kylie Steel (Deputy Chair)

Bachelor of Science (Hons), Graduate Cert Business, Gradate Diploma Bushfire Planning and Design, GAICD

Kylie is an accomplished business professional and currently consults in the fields of Bushfire Science and Climate Change. She has worked as a Marine Biologist in the Western Australian Pearling Industry and has been the director of a construction company specialising in the implementation of sustainable water solutions across Australia. Kylie lives in Torquay with her family is a keen runner, mountain biker rider and loves to spend time sailing the Australian coastline.

Ian Coles

Bachelor of Engineer (Hons), Graduate Diploma Business Administration.

Ian is a professional company director and consultant, working with and on Boards in the public and private sectors.  He has a wealth of experience as a senior manager, delivering and managing practical environmental management programs and projects.  Ian was Chief Executive Officer of EcoRecycle Victoria for nine year,  and was a member of the EPA Victoria Risk and Audit Committee.

Rebecca Hull

Bachelor Landscape Architecture (Hons)

Rebecca is a Registered Landscape Architect and the Principal of Loci, a Jan Juc based design studio. Over the past 15 years, she has worked in the Surf Coast region, Melbourne and overseas, with a focus on public spaces, community places and coastal environments. Rebecca has established local connections through her involvement in community projects and groups including Jan Juc Coast Action.

Shaun Cumming

Bachelor in Environmental Engineering, Bachelor of Science and a Masters of Business Administration

Shaun is General Manager Infrastructure and Technology at Barwon Water, with extensive experience in operations, asset management, project delivery, business development and transformation.  Shaun has a young family, and enjoys surfing, bike riding, running and walking along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world.

Sam Noelker

Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Hons), Member of the Institute of Engineers Australia

Sam is a qualified Senior Maritime Engineer working for AW Maritime Pty Ltd in Port Melbourne and a Member of the Institute of Engineers Australia. He brings insights to the challenges associated with coastal adaptation and the phases for successful infrastructure delivery. Sam and his family are frequent users of the Victorian coastline.

John Gavens

Bachelor of Commerce (Hons), Master of Arts (Accounting), MAICD

John is a Partner in Crowe Horwath Melbourne’s Audit & Assurance Division and has more than 28 years’ experience in the provision of internal and external audit, assurance, strategic, risk management, probity, compliance, fraud and governance advice.  John provides strong strategic thinking capability combined with sound technical skills.

John has been responsible for audits across many sectors with particular emphasis on public sector agencies, local government and not-for-profits.  John has been an approved service provider to the Victorian Auditor General for over 20 years. In addition, he has recently completed 7 years as a member of the Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board.

John is a board member of a disability support organisation and water corporation and is a member of the audit committee for several organisations.