Development and Buildingin Bushfire Prone Areas
A five-day program to enhance understanding and skills for assessing bushfire attack levels and controlling development and building in bushfire prone areas
Supported and Endorsed by the Tasmania Fire Service
25th – 29thMay2015, Riverside (Launceston)
UTS: Professional Development
UTS Centre for Local Government
Why Undertake this Program?
This course is designed to provide building, planning and development professionals, particularly those working in local government and private practice, with the necessary skills and understanding to apply the relevant requirements of the Building Act 2000, Building Regulations 2004, Building Code of Australia / National Construction Code, AS 3959: Construction in Bushfire Prone Areas,Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 and E1.0Bushfire-Prone Areas Code (Planning Directive 5, 2012).This will produce quality outcomes for residents as well as help protect against claims of negligence in exercising their development control functions.
The disastrous fires of 7 February 2009in Victoria as well as those in Tasmania in January 2013 highlight the importance of ensuring that development in bushfire prone areas is carefully planned and controlled to maximise safety.
The course will be of value to planners, building surveyors, subdivision engineers, bushfire control personnel, architects and others responsible for the design and control of planning and/or building approvals. The course is based on a program that has operated successfully in New South Wales and Victoria and which has been reworked to address the Tasmanian context and the recommendations of the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.
This course is recognised by the Tasmania Fire Service as a pathway to becoming accredited under Part 4A of the Fire Services Act 1979 to perform Bushfire Attack Level Assessments and to certify Bushfire Hazard Management Plans.
Program Content
The program includes a mix of lectures, workshop sessions and a field trip. It will be taught interactively, with ample opportunity for discussion.
Day One / Introduction and Legal FrameworkCourse overview. Royal Commission findings. Bushfire behaviour. A multi-faceted approach to bushfire protection. Provisions of the Building Act 2000, Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 and planning and biodiversity issues.
Day Two / Planning framework
Bushfire attack mechanisms. Ground surveys.Siting and design principles.Subdivisions for residential purposes. Non residential buildings (eg nursing homes, schools, child care etc.).
Day Three / Bushfire and building regulation
Building Regulations and bushfire. Requirements of AS 3959 (Construction in Bushfire Prone Areas).
Day Four / Field trip and practice workshop
Vegetation and slope assessments. Site visits.
Day Five / Undertaking Bushfire Planning Reports
Practice Workshop: Working through subdivision and building proposals. Assessment tasks. Undertaking BAL assessment reports.
Policy issues
Implementation and the need for effective policy and integrated fire management frameworks in local government. Legal issues.
UTS Centre for Local Government
Presenters
This course is presented and coordinated by a team of highly qualified and experienced professionals. In addition, guest presenters may provide case studies or other specialist input.
Grahame Douglas is recently retired from the NSW Rural Fire Service and teaches in the bushfire program at the University of Western Sydney. He was the architect of amendments to NSW legislation concerning development in bushfire prone areas and also prepared the ‘Planning for Bushfire Protection’ manual. He assisted Standards Committee FP-20 in the development of site assessment for the Australian Standard AS3959-2009.
Colin Wood holds degrees in Building Surveying and Environmental Health. He is Building Approvals Coordinator at Penrith City Council in outer Sydney. He represents the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS) on Standards Committee FP-20 which developed AS3959-2009.
Both Grahame and Colin have played leading roles in developing and delivering a similar program at the University of Technology, Sydney over the past decade.
Assessment
The program includes optional written assignments. A Certificate of Successful Completion will be issued if the assignments are satisfactory. Alternatively, participants may receive a Certificate of Attendance. This course is recognised as a component for the purposes of professional accreditation in Tasmania (with additional elements). Eligible participants may receive financial support from the Tasmanian Building and Construction Industry Training Board.
Postgraduate Degree Opportunities
Successful completion of this short course may count towards the UTS Centre’s Graduate Diploma in Local Government Management or Graduate Certificate in Development Assessment. For further details contact or go to
In addition, those who successfully complete the assessments in this course may,in conjunction with other evidence of necessary prior learning (such asbuilding surveying or planning),gain advanced standing in the University of Western Sydney’s Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate in Bushfire Protection. For further information go to
About the UTS Centre
The UTS Centre for Local Government was established in 1991 as a cross-faculty centre of excellence within the University of Technology, Sydney. Its mission is to support the advancement and improvement of Australian local government through leadership in education and research, and by providing specialist consultancy services. The Centre works collaboratively with local government organisations, State and Commonwealth agencies, and international partners. It offers a wide range of professional development and graduate programs, and is also the lead partner in the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government. Full coverage of all the Centre’s activities can be found at
REGISTRATION FORM ABN: 68 039 681 690
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Registration and Enquiries / Cancellation PolicyTASMANIA FIRE SERVICE
GPO Box 1526
HOBART TAS 7001
Attn: Mark Chladil
Tel: 03 6230 8615 Fax: 03 6234 6647
Email: / Should a registered participant be unable to attend a course, s/he can defer or a substitute may attend in their place. Otherwise a refund of 90% of the fee will be paid for cancellations received up to five working days prior to course commencement, or a 50% refund for cancellations received within five working days or less.
Please note that the Tasmania Fire Service reserves the right to cancel or postpone a course if there are insufficient registrations, in which case a full refund will be offered.
VENUE
WEST TAMAR COUNCIL
Eden St
RIVERSIDE
(Opposite the public pool)