Cameron Costello
A proud Quandamooka Traditional Owner
Tuesday 26 May
Cameron Costello, a proud Quandamooka Traditional Owner from Moreton Bay, will open the day by sharing Indigenous perspectives on Country. Through his experience and consultancy work across business, government, and community, Cameron will explore how cultural knowledge systems and place-based decision-making can strengthen stewardship, resilience, and long-term planning. His keynote encourages delegates to reconnect with the landscapes they serve and consider how traditional knowledge can inform future water solutions.
Dr Margaret Cook
Australian Research Council Fellow at the Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University
Tuesday 26 May
In her keynote, Dr Margaret Cook, will explore how history shapes our relationship with water. Drawing on her acclaimed book, A River with a City Problem, Margaret will examine flood risk, resilience, and urban planning, highlighting lessons from past decisions and the urgent need for proactive climate preparedness. Her keynote challenges the sector to rethink how we plan, build, and live with water for a more resilient future.
Tammy Falconer
KPMG
Wednesday 27 May
In a world of rapid growth and rising service expectations, AI and data infrastructure are becoming essential tools for enabling efficiency, resilience and scalability. Tammy Falconer from KPMG brings a pragmatic, real-world perspective on how organisations are embedding AI into core business, not as an experiment, but as an operational necessity. She’ll explore how AI, digital transformation, data centres and intelligent systems can support sustainable housing growth and drive better outcomes across the water cycle.
Paul Chatterton
Landscape Finance Lab
Wednesday 27 May
Paul Chatterton, Founder of the Landscape Finance Lab, brings global expertise in land use, climate finance and sustainable investment. Paul will unpack the economic and environmental drivers shaping future investment in water and explore new financial models that can strengthen resilience, unlock restoration and ensure long-term sustainability.
Arnold Dix
Thursday 28 May
Closing Ozwater’26 is internationally renowned keynote speaker Professor Arnold Dix,widely recognised as the hero of the 2023 Silkyara-Barkot Tunnel rescue in India, where 41 workers were trapped underground for 17 days. His leadership, courage, and expertise in tunnel safety and crisis management helped turn a potential tragedy into one of the world’s most remarkable rescue stories.
A barrister, geologist, engineer, and globally respected tunnelling expert, Professor Dix is known internationally as “the tunnel guy” the person called when situations are at their most difficult and complex. Combining extraordinary technical expertise with compassion, humanity, and calm leadership, his story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of immense challenge, hope, teamwork, and determination can achieve the impossible.