Stormwater Australia 2027 Practical Stormwater Engineering Masterclass Series

Stormwater Australia and Quilty Engineering Hub are excited to provide the inaugural Practical Stormwater Engineering Masterclass Series in 2027.

The series is the first national series of practical stormwater engineering masterclasses for engineers, councils, consultants, developers and design reviewers – focusing on the real world challenges engineers face when designing, reviewing and approving stormwater infrastructure. Rather than duplicating existing theory based training, software training or guideline based courses, these masterclasses will help participants strengthen their engineering judgement, identify common design risks, review work with greater confidence and make better decisions in practice.

Overview

Dates (in 2027): 

• Masterclass 1: Stormwater Drainage Design Mistakes:  Feb 5, 12 & 19

• Masterclass 2: Detention Systems - Common Failures and Better Solutions:  April 16, 23 & 30

• Masterclass 3: Stormwater Design Review and Certification: June 18 & 25, & July 2

• Masterclass 4: Scour Protection and Erosion Risk in Channels and Pipe Outlets: August 27, & Sep 3 & 10

Time:  10am to 12pm (AEST) (on Fridays)

Location:  Online

Format:  3 x 2-hour modules per Masterclass (+ course material & resources)

Cost:  Members* price: $795 (incl GST) for one Masterclass. Non-members price: $895 (incl GST) for one Masterclass. 25% discount (i.e. one free Masterclass) when registering for all Masterclasses.

Lead Presenter:  Sean Quilty (Director, Quilty Engineering Hub).

*: Members rates exclusively available to members of Stormwater Australia (and Stormwater Queensland, Stormwater NSW, Stormwater Victoria, Stormwater SA and Stormwater WA).

Further details are provided below.

The Challenges

Stormwater design is becoming increasingly complex. Stormwater professionals are expected to balance technical compliance, flood risk, constructability, maintenance, cost, public safety, approval requirements and professional liability. While many stormwater professionals understand the theory behind stormwater design, there is often a gap between knowing the guidelines and applying sound judgement to real projects.

Common industry challenges include:

• Designs that technically meet minimum criteria but still carry practical risk

• Over-reliance on software outputs without sufficient engineering review

• Pit and pipe networks that are inefficient, costly or difficult to construct

• Tailwater and hydraulic grade line assumptions that are not properly tested

• Detention systems that fail to achieve their intended performance

• Major flow paths, maintenance access and overflow risks being overlooked

• Inconsistent review processes across councils, consultants and approving authorities

The Series

The series is designed around practical design review, engineering judgement, common mistakes, risk mitigation and lessons learned from real projects. 

Participants will learn how to identify risks, review designs, avoid costly mistakes and make better engineering decisions. This series is intentionally different from traditional training. The masterclasses are not software training, modelling training or introductory theory training. Instead, they will focus on how experienced stormwater professionals should think, review, challenge assumptions and make decisions when the answer is not always obvious.

The Series consists of four (4) “Masterclasses”.  Each masterclass will be provided as three (3) x 2-hour online sessions, allowing participants to engage with the content in manageable blocks while still providing enough time for technical discussion, examples and interactive review exercises.

Each session will include technical presentation, real-world examples, facilitated discussion, design review exercises and Q&A.

Attendees can participate in any one (or all) of the Masterclasses.

Masterclass 1: Stormwater Drainage Design Mistakes

This Masterclass will explore common mistakes in pit and pipe drainage design and how experienced reviewers identify design risks before they become costly problems.

Key focus areas will include:

• Common pit and pipe design errors

• Tailwater and hydraulic grade line oversights

• Inefficient pit spacing and over-design

• Major flow pathway issues

• Constructability and maintenance considerations

• Practical design review techniques.

Masterclass 2: Detention Systems - Common Failures and Better Solutions

This Masterclass will focus on common detention system issues, including why some systems fail to achieve their intended outcomes and how to review them more effectively.

Key focus areas will include:

• Detention systems that do not perform as intended

• Outlet sizing mistakes

• Storage volume misconceptions

• Emergency overflow risks

• Underground tank and basin review considerations

• Maintenance and operational issues

• Practical review techniques for detention systems.

Masterclass 3: Stormwater Design Review and Certification

This Masterclass will provide a practical framework for reviewing stormwater designs, identifying hidden risks and improving consistency before approval or certification.

Key focus areas will include:

• How experienced engineers review stormwater designs

• Critical checks before approval

• Sensitivity testing and assumption checking

• Identifying hidden design risks

• Managing professional liability

• Improving review efficiency and consistency.

Masterclass 4: Scour Protection and Erosion Risk in Channels and Pipe Outlets

This Masterclass will focus on the practical risks associated with erosion, scour and poorly performing outlet protection in stormwater infrastructure. It would help participants understand what to look for when reviewing channel linings, rock protection, culvert outlets, pipe outlets, transitions and overland flow paths.

Key focus areas will include:

• Identifying erosion and scour risks around pipe outlets, culverts, headwalls, channels and flow transitions

• Understanding why outlet protection fails, including poor rock sizing, insufficient apron length, inadequate thickness, poor detailing and lack of edge restraint

• Recognising high-risk locations such as bends, drops, steep channels, transitions, concentrated flow paths and areas affected by tailwater

• Using engineering judgement to determine when standard details are not enough and further assessment or specialist input is required.

Dates/ times

Each session will be held on a Friday, from 10am to 12pm (AEST) on the dates outlined below.

• Masterclass 1: Stormwater Drainage Design Mistakes:  Feb 5, 12 & 19

• Masterclass 2: Detention Systems - Common Failures and Better Solutions:  April 16, 23 & 30

• Masterclass 3: Stormwater Design Review and Certification: June 18 & 25, & July 2

• Masterclass 4: Scour Protection and Erosion Risk in Channels and Pipe Outlets: August 27, & Sep 3 & 10

All sessions will be recorded and made available to registrants for thirty (30) days following session.

Prior Knowledge

To excel in this masterclass, participants require a baseline understanding of hydrology and hydraulics, and be familiar with Manning’s Equation, the Rational Method, and hydrograph analysis. Basic proficiency in engineering software like MUSIC, CAD or GIS platforms is also highly recommended.

Continual Professional Development

Certificate(s) of CPD will be provided to all attendees.

Collaboration

The Masterclass series is a collaboration between Stormwater Australia and Quilty Engineering Hub (QEH), with QEH’s Sean Quilty as lead presenter for all sessions (with special guests). 

Quilty Engineering Hub specialises in practical civil engineering education that helps individuals and organisations move beyond theory and into confident, real world capability.  QEH is led by Sean Quilty, a Chartered Civil Engineer with over 20 years of experience across residential and industrial subdivisions, municipal infrastructure, roadworks, stormwater management, master planning, feasibility and complex civil projects. Sean also brings more than a decade of teaching experience, including his previous role as a TAFE lecturer and recognition as TAFE QLD Brisbane’s 2019 Educator of the Year. This combination of technical experience and education experience is what makes QEH different. QEH’s training is not designed to simply explain guidelines or repeat textbook theory. It is designed to help engineers understand how experienced practitioners think, how to identify design risks, how to challenge assumptions and how to make better decisions on real projects.

The sessions will be practical, engaging and discussion led - combining technical foundations, real project examples, common design review issues and facilitated industry discussion. This will allows participants to learn not only from the presenter, but also from the experience and questions of the broader professional group.