Heather studied at the School of Mines and Ballarat College of Advanced Education and was awarded the Civil Engineering Scholarship in 1977. She graduated in 1978. Heather broke down barriers in engineering with an integrity that earned her tremendous respect and led to her becoming the first female Head of Engineering for the City of Ballarat. Heather pioneered sustainable design and was the first of a new breed of engineers to consider the urban water cycle in its entirety and not in isolated parts, a radical approach at the time. In her honour, the Pitman Benjamin Engineering Prize was founded, to recognise students like Heather, who have chosen not to accept the status quo, but instead to change the world to make it better for all.women of note, ballarat school of mines, ballarat college of advanced education, first female, head of engineering, city of ballarat, civil engineering scholarship, pioneered sustainable design, urban water cycle, pitman benjamin engineering scholarship

Heather Pitman studied at the School of Mines and Ballarat College of Advanced Education and was awarded the Civil Engineering Scholarship in 1977. Heather broke down barriers in engineering with an integrity that earned her tremendous respect in the sector and led to her becoming the first female Head of Engineering for the City of Ballarat. She was the first of a new breed of engineers to consider the urban water cycle in its entirety and not in isolated parts, a radical approach at the time. In her honour, the Pitman Benjamin Engineering Prize was founded, to recognise students like Heather, who have chosen not to accept the status quo, but instead to change the world to make it better for all. Heather died in 2005.heather pitman, engineer, alumni, ballarat school of mines, ballarat college of advanced education, civil engineering scholarship, first female head of engineering, city of ballarat, urban water cycle, pitman benjamin engineering scholarship

The Maribyrnong River flows through the former Shire of Keilor, Shire of Braybrook and the City of Sunshine and now the City of Brimbank. The river has a long history of flooding including the following events; 1906 – The largest flood on record - Highest recorded flood level: 4.50 m at the Chifley Drive gauge. This remains the benchmark flood for the Maribyrnong catchment. This flood washed away the Arundel Road Keilor timber bridge during its construction. 1916 – Early 20th‑century flood - Less documented than 1906 but included in the official count of major events. Occurred during a period of widespread Victorian flooding. 1934 – The Great Melbourne Flood - Part of the catastrophic 1934 state‑wide floods. Maribyrnong catchment experienced severe riverine overflow. This event reshaped early flood‑mitigation thinking across Melbourne. 1974 – Widespread metropolitan flooding - Heavy rainfall across Melbourne caused significant rises in the Maribyrnong. Often referenced in Melbourne Water’s long‑term flood modelling. 1983 – Ash Wednesday period flooding - Occurred during the same climatic cycle as the Ash Wednesday bushfires. Intense rainfall caused rapid rises in the Maribyrnong River. 2011 – La Niña flood cycle - Part of the broader 2010–2011 La Niña flooding across Victoria. Maribyrnong experienced moderate–major riverine flooding. 2022 – The most significant modern flood - One of the worst urban floods in Melbourne in decades. Hundreds of homes inundated; major damage in Maribyrnong, Kensington, Ascot Vale. Triggered a parliamentary inquiry, major insurance issues, and debate over the Flemington Racecourse floodwall. Officially counted as the seventh major flood since 1906.The Maribyrnong River 2022 flood was one of the most significant urban flood events in Melbourne in decades. On 14 October 2022, after days of record‑breaking rain across Victoria, the Maribyrnong River breached its banks, inundating large parts of Keilor, Braybrook, Maribyrnong, Kensington, Ascot Vale, and surrounding suburbs. Many houses and streets in Maribyrnong were flooded by the river including the Angler’s Tavern, Anglers Way, Maribyrnong which was inundated up to the second floor. The flood also damaged many upstream locations including the flat lands of the Maribyrnong Valley, Brimbank Park and washing away part of the historical Arundel Road timber bridge in Keilor, the second time in its 116 year old history.maribyrnong river, flood, angler’s tavern, anglers way, maribyrnong, arundel road bridge, keilor