Peter De Roma

Since completing my Civil Engineering degree with Honours at James Cook University in Townsville in 1988, I moved to Cairns to begin my career as a Professional Civil Engineer. After 6 years of practice in national engineering firms, I moved to a firm predominantly working in rural and remote areas of the Cape and Torres Strait on small and large scale infrastructure projects. Since then I have continued to work in these communities as well as throughout all of Queensland delivering critical infrastructure projects such as water, sewerage, waste, structures, roads, drainage, airports and marine.

In 1999 I established an engineering consultancy practice (PDR Engineers) initially based in Thursday Island which was strongly focused on local government and community infrastructure. The firm encompassed the disciplines of civil, structural, geotechnical and mining and expanded into the Cairns region in 2006. The firm quickly gained a reputation for being at the forefront leading major infrastructure programs on behalf of the State and Federal Governments and performing difficult and complex engineering projects. I performed the role of Program Director for the Major Infrastructure Program in the Torres Strait on behalf of the State and Federal Governments for 8 years. I also performed the role of Program Director for 5 years for the State and Federal Government Seawalls program addressing seawater rise and coastal inundation on the island communities of the Torres Strait.

PDR Engineers was renowned throughout Far North Queensland for providing specialised engineering services and to that end PDR Engineers was acquired by SMEC in 2017, one of Australia’s leading infrastructure Engineering consultancies.

More recently and in partnership with Chris Taifalos, we have established an exciting new engineering consultancy to better service the needs of our well established client base.

Career Highlights:

Principal Design Engineer and Project Manager – Proficient in the design of Structures, water/sewer, urban land development, landfill, marine and heavy foundations which is deep rooted in 33 years of professional engineering practice.

Strategic Expertise in Large Scale Infrastructure Programs – Since 1998, the Australian and Queensland Governments have jointly invested $234 million in the Major Infrastructure Program (MIP). This partnership has successfully delivered more than 100 critical environmental health infrastructure projects (water, waste/water, sanitation, solid waste, housing link infrastructure, roads and drainage) transforming the 23 remote Indigenous Island and mainland communities in Australia’s northern-most Region. I was the Program Manager responsible for delivery of the program and have performed the role since 2013. In particular a major focus is to also improve indigenous employment, training and engagement with indigenous businesses.  This, in some respects, is just as important as the hard infrastructure as it improves social wellbeing within remote communities.

Corporate Governance and Commercial Experience – Principal/Director of OSE Group, Managing Director of PDR Engineers Pty Ltd (20 years) and Catholic School Board member (10 years).  Local Group Chairman of Engineers Australia and office bearer for 3 years presiding over a highly successful Northern Engineering Conference.  Project governance committee member senior technical advisor to State and Federal Governments for a number of large infrastructure programs.

Statutory Governance – Extensive experience in statutory approval requirements for any form of development.  Familiar with Indigenous Land Use Agreements and the required process for Native title/cultural heritage approvals.  Undertaken many expert witness reports on behalf of Cairns Regional Council with respect to planning and environment court appeals.

Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity – Worked for many years in indigenous communities delivering infrastructure projects, negotiating with Traditional Land Owners and managed a local government indigenous workforce in my role as Torres Shire Council Shire Engineer from 1999-2004. Able to respectfully communicate within complex cross-cultural settings.  

Accounting, Finance and Legal – Principal/Director of OSE Group, Managing Director for PDR Engineers dealing with all finances, insurances, legal and acquisition of the business to SMEC.