Whilst there is plenty of historical information on the impacts and effects of the Tasman Bridge Disaster in 1975, there is a notable lack of technical information available on the disaster recovery works that followed.
Local Civil & Structural Engineer, Bill Lawson, is championing a project to keep the knowledge alive and ensure the next generation can learn from the unique challenges of the disaster.
We spoke to Bill Lawson about his career and his involvement in the Tasman Bridge Disaster:
What inspired you to become an engineer?
As a teenager, watching the Batman Bridge on the Tamar River near Launceston creep out from both sides of the river seemingly hanging from skyhooks seemed like magic to me!
I then went onto practice as a Civil and Structural Engineer for 43 years, retiring in 2013.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
I enjoyed how I could make things happen in all sorts of ways, both technically and sociologically.
As an engineer, I was confronted with a seemingly impossible situation of solving how to conduct the underwater debris survey of the Tasman Bridge Disaster.
Outside of engineering, I founded the now national not-for-profit organisation, The Beacon Foundation, to address and beat youth unemployment.
Most recently, I have been applying my ‘engineer’s outlook’ to the intractable issue of Indigenous disadvantage, taking over Fred Chaney’s seat on the Board of Reconciliation Australia after his retirement.
What has been your career highlight?
Most definitely, the highlight of my engineering career was my involvement in the Tasman Bridge Disaster Recovery Works.
What was your role in the Tasman Bridge Disaster Recovery Works?
My role was to conduct the underwater debris survey immediately after the bridge collapse. I had to use my problem solving skills and ‘think outside the box’, as I encountered challenges that had not happened before attempting to conduct the survey.
Why is this Tasman Bridge Disaster still relevant?
The disaster and reconstruction held many unique technical challenges unlike anything before. The way the engineers and technicians overcame these challenges is very interesting and inspiring, and resulted in many lessons learned. To ensure we are prepared for a similar event in the future, these challenges and lessons need to be understood by the next generation.
What were the technical engineering challenges involved in the recovery?
The technical challenges involved in the recovery and reconstruction works included:
- the underwater survey;
- and the reconstruction around debris and sunken ship.
This seemingly unsolvable problem which was totally frustrating the redesign efforts and infuriated the divided Hobart community for many weeks immediately after the disaster was in fact simply solved by the application of logic and technology – a real piece of ingenuity and a world first.
Why should engineers understand the technical side of the disaster recovery?
As engineers, we do not often confront such diverse and difficult challenges as these. To inspire the next generation that they can overcome seeming impossible tasks with their technical expertise and problem solving skills, these challenges and lessons need to be understood.
What is your current role with the Tasman Bridge Disaster?
I am involved in ensuring the technical side of the story is told and recorded for posterity.
This includes hosting a technical forum on the Tasman Bridge Disaster on 9 – 10 April at University of Tasmania’s Sandy Bay Campus. The forum is free to attend and will include presentations from personnel who worked on different aspects of the disaster recovery works. To learn more about the forum, click here.
And finally, through your diverse career, do you have any advice for young engineers just starting their career?
Get involved in activities outside of work such as volunteering for services groups or live theatre to develop interpersonal and other soft skills that are outside the scope of your engineering degree.