Harold Sternbeck Medal
Recognising outstanding presentation excellence at the FMA National Conference.
Established in 2000, the Harold Sternbeck Medal honours the extensive contribution of Harold Sternbeck AM to Floodplain Management Australia and his renowned ability as a persuasive public speaker.
About the Medal
Harold Sternbeck was active in FMA from 1972, served as Chairman from 1991 to 1999, and later as Deputy Chairman from 2003 to 2004.
In recognition of his extensive service to Floodplain Management Australia and his prowess as a persuasive public speaker, FMA established the Harold Sternbeck Medal in 2000.
The Medal is awarded to an outstanding presenter at the Annual FMA Conference, recognising presentation excellence of the highest order.
Harold Sternbeck Medal Recipients
Recent Medal recipients and Highly Commended presentations are listed below.
2026
Medal Recipient Chrisy Clay Beyond the Ribbon-Cutting - Lessons from a Century of Flood Mitigation on the Richmond River
Highly Commended Richard Crowder Flood AI For Flood Resilience - Making Every Second and Decision Count
Highly Commended Juliette Murphy Operational Impact-Based Forecasting During a Nocturnal Flash Flood in Texas - Lessons for Australia
Highly Commended Nicole Prentice Planning for Flood Hazard - Effective Risk-Informed Decision Making
2025
Medal Recipient Daniel Sheehy Floodways and Flooded Roads - Are we sending mixed messages to drivers?
Highly Commended Doug Bellamo Hurricane Helene - Impacts, Challenges, and Breaking the Damage Rebuild Cycle
Highly Commended Sam Bowstead and Vina Varsani Enduring Resilience for Queenslanders - The Resilient Homes Fund
Highly Commended Sharyn Westlake Transforming Te Awa Kairangi / Hutt River - More than Meets the Eyes
2024
Medal Recipient Willow Forsyth 'Know Your Flood Risk' - Simple Advice for a Profoundly Misunderstood Learning Context
Highly Commended Stephen Yeo Hawkesbury-Nepean River Flood Study - Key Features and Findings
Highly Commended Mark Babister Impacts of the New ARR Climate Change Factors on Flood Planning Levels
2023
Medal Recipient Jonah Chorley A Thousand Gauges - Using Personal Weather Stations to Hindcast Extreme Weather Forecasts
Highly Commended Alex Nero Catastrophes, Conversations and Classrooms - Empowering Children to Lead Community Flood Resilience
Highly Commended Danny Rose Five Years Between Major Floods: What's Changed?
2022
Medal Recipient Alex Nero Mental Health and Extreme Weather Events - Considering the Connections, Impacts and Risks
Highly Commended Cath Walker Getting the Most Out of Flood Studies - Connecting Consultants, Councils and Classrooms
Highly Commended David Tetley How Vegetation Changes Have Altered Flood Levels in the Hawkesbury Nepean
Highly Commended Ella Harrison The Future of Flood Risk Management in Queensland
Past Recipients
2021 Prawi Woods Rehydrating the Floodplain to Save the Endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog
2021 · Highly Commended Claire Turrell Aboriginal Storytelling of Flooding in the Hunter Valley Catchment, NSW
2019 Chris Gooch FloodSmart Parramatta - A Total Flood Warning Service
2019 · Highly Commended Kara Agllias Mainstream Technology Trends - Identifying New Vulnerabilities and Opportunities in Flood Emergency Management
2019 · Highly Commended Philip Conway Regional Sensitivity of Flood Risk to Climate Drivers
2018 Michael McMahon Harvey, Irma, Maria, Debbie, Marcia and Yasi - A Dysfunctional Cyclone Family
2018 · Highly Commended Rhys Thomson Show Me the Money! Economic Analysis in Floodplain Management
2017 Dr Raymond Laine Bring the Marshmallows - New Engagement Technologies Stoking Flood Conversations
2017 · Highly Commended Sarah U'Brien Dungog 2015 Floods - A Case Study of Community Led Recovery
2017 · Highly Commended Grantley Smith Vehicle Stability Testing for Flood Flows
2016 Allan Gear Of Doubts and Flooded Drains: The Artistry in Defining an Urban Overland Flowpath
2016 · Highly Commended Andrew Gissing An analysis of human fatalities from flood hazards in Australia 1900-2014
2016 · Highly Commended Thelma Marr and Stephen Yeo Plans Schmans? How Caravan Parks Responded to the August 2015 Sussex Inlet and Conjola Lake Floods
2015 · Highly Commended Grantley Smith Delineating Hazardous Flood Conditions to People and Property
2014 Dr. Hamid Mirfenderesk Flood Mitigation Works and Planning Levels: A Policy Rethink? The Gold Coast Experience.
2014 · Highly Commended Andrew Sheehan Creating Communication Pathways to Help Incorporate Local Knowledge into Emergency Management and Decision Making.
2014 · Highly Commended David Tetley Emergency Response Planning Classification at Sub-precinct Scales.
2014 · Highly Commended Jessica Walker Increasing the Resilience of Horticultural and Agricultural Systems to Future Flood Events in the Highly Productive Laidley Creek Valley
2013 Drew Bewsher Hawkesbury’s Flood Risk Management Plan: 15 Years in the Making.
2012 Greg Rogencamp The Lockyer Creek Flood of January 2011: What happened and how should we manage large floods?
2011 Steve Opper Community Safety Decision Making in Flash Flood Environments
2010 Chris Thomas Procedures for Floodway Definition – Is There a Uniform Approach?
2009 Amy Smith Flood Risk to People – Towards a Framework for Incorporating Life Safety Risk in Australian Floodplain Management
2008 Sue Ribbons Overland Flooding Problems in Your Local Area? ... No money, no time, no data? ... No worries ...
2006 Kristy Stratford, Toong Chin Between Tidal Barrage and a Hard Place - Developing a Management Plan for the Tuckombil Canal, North Eastern NSW
2005 Louise Howells Downstream Boundary Conditions for Flood Studies in Coastal Environments to Effectively Manage Risk and Uncertainty
2003 Sally Benham Applications of 2D Flood Models with 1D Drainage Elements
2001 John Maddocks Have We Forgotten About Flooding on the Georges River?
Harold Sternbeck AM
Harold Sternbeck AM
FMA Chairman 1991–1999
First FMA Life Member
Harold J Sternbeck was a Cessnock businessman, well-known auctioneer and principal of a Real Estate and Stock & Station business. He owned grazing properties at Wollombi and Mount View in the Hunter Valley.
He was active in many organisations including the Real Estate Institute of NSW, where he served as Chairman of the Hunter Valley Branch Newcastle Division, the Hunter Water Corporation’s Consultative Forum and the Cessnock Lions’ Club, where he received the Melvyn Jones Fellow Award from the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
H J Sternbeck Lions’ Park was officially opened in Cessnock to recognise Harold’s contribution to his community. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to conservation and Local Government through the Hunter Valley Conservation Trust, Hunter Catchment Management Trust and Cessnock City Council.
Local Government Service
Harold served as an Alderman of Cessnock City Council from 1962 until 1987, and as a Councillor of Northumberland County Council (Planning) and Hunter Valley County Council (Electricity).
In 1968 he was elected as a Local Government Trustee of the Hunter Valley Conservation Trust, which later became the Hunter Catchment Management Trust. He was elected Deputy Chairman in October 1972 and served continuously in that role until becoming Chairman from 1 January 1990 until the Trust was reformed as the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority in January 2004.
The Hunter Valley Conservation Trust was a major NSW government authority responsible for land, water and soil conservation, catchment management and flood mitigation in the Hunter Valley. It was the first such organisation in NSW and served as a model for others.
In 2003 Harold accepted the International River Symposium’s Thiess National Riverprize on behalf of the Trust for its achievements in coordinating catchment and river improvements throughout the Hunter.
Service to Floodplain Management Australia
Harold was a member of the Executive of the NSW Floodplain Mitigation Authorities, now Floodplain Management Australia, from 1972 until 2009. He served as Chairman from 1991 until 1999 and Deputy Chairman from 2003 to 2004.
As FMA Chairman, Harold led many deputations advocating to Federal and State Government ministers for improved floodplain management funding. During this period, FMA expanded from 39 to more than 60 member Authorities, while Commonwealth and State Government funding increased from $5.6 million to $10 million per year.
In 2005 Harold was appointed the first Life Member of FMA. He continued contributing to local, state and national floodplain management issues until shortly before his passing.