About

Tony Overman

Tony founded Encader Consulting (now known as TOSustainability) in 2017 after an extensive career in environmental, natural resources management and sustainability.

Tony began his career in 1989 as a Fisheries and Wildlife Officer in Melbourne, then became an investigator with Victoria’s Wildlife Investigations Unit. In 1993, he travelled through Asia and Europe for a year with his wife, Cath, and on returning moved to Horsham, where he led biodiversity conservation programs across the Wimmera and Grampians

In 1997, Tony joined the newly formed Wimmera Catchment Management Authority and led the establishment of waterway health, floodplain and rural drainage functions across the region. In 2000, the family (with two boys and one to come) moved to Moriac, in the Surf Coast Shire, where Tony led waterway health and later biodiversity programs in the Corangamite CMA.

Tony first started consulting in 2004, when he joined the consulting firm SKM, leading sustainability and NRM projects for clients across south-east Australia. In 2008, he joined Barwon Water, where he led the organisation's sustainability and strategy efforts.

Whilst at Barwon Water, Tony’s leadership in the emerging field of Integrated Water Management (IWM saw him engaged by several other water agencies to undertake IWM Strategies and Plans. On the strength of his communication and facilitation skills, he was asked in 2015 to undertake the role of Stakeholder Engagement Manager for the development of Water For Victoria, the State’s new long-term water resources strategy.

In 2017, Tony left Barwon Water to become a full-time consultant serving multiple clients across Victoria and South Australia. Since then, his business has helped more than thirty organisations tackle complex challenges involving multiple stakeholders.

Tony specialises in facilitating collaborative processes that bring people together to identify issues, understand problems, agree on goals, explore options, and co-design practical solutions. These processes help build strong foundations for shared commitment to achieving collective impact on challenges that are well beyond the remit of any single entity.

As an experienced consultant with a practical working knowledge of most environmental and sustainability matters, Tony offers an objective, adaptable and efficient approach. He is expert in leveraging the knowledge, skills and experience of stakeholders, forging a collective sense of ownership.

Tony has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours), a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Development and a Diploma in Business Management. He is a former Chair of the G21 Environment Pillar and the Barwon Coast Committee of Management.

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