Capability statement
Demonstration — contains sample data
ABN 53 613 360 348
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Evaluation and MER capability — Water
Cobalt59 designs monitoring, evaluation and reporting frameworks and delivers independent evaluation for complex programs. This statement summarises 10 water projects, the practitioners involved, and the firm's published methodological work.
The firm at a glance
- Legal entity
- Cobalt59 Pty Ltd
- ABN
- 53 613 360 348
- Structure
- Proprietary limited company
- Established
- 2016
- Team size
- 6 practitioners
- Location
- Earlwood NSW
Relevant experience
Catchment‑to‑Tap Risk Assessment
Clarence Valley Coffs Harbour Water Grid
The Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour Regional Water Supply Scheme is a major shared water infrastructure system linking the Nymboida River, Shannon Creek Dam and the bulk supply networks serving both council areas. As a long-life regional asset designed to secure water supply for a growing population, it required a structured risk assessment to identify operational, governance and system risks and support better joint decision-making across the scheme.
Water
Eurobodalla Shire Water Storage
Cost benefit analysis for new water storage
Cobalt59, with Clearwater and economist Rod McInnes, was commissioned by Eurobodalla Shire Council to do a cost benefit analysis for the new off stream southern water storage, drawing on storm flows from the Tuross River.
Water
Fish for the Future
Northern Basin Toolkit Feasibility (NSW Fisheries)
The Murray–Darling Basin Plan created a Northern Basin “toolkit” of non‑flow measures to complement water recovery and improve ecological outcomes, particularly for native fish. NSW Fisheries needed a feasibility proposal fora Fish for the Future Integrated Works Program that could secure Commonwealth investment by clearly demonstrating how a coordinated package of works would meet the Basin Plan’s environmental objectives and Northern Basin Review criteria.
Water · Environment
Murray Darling Basin Authority
Basin Plan Evaluation Framework and Program Logic
Following the Basin Plan’s commencement, the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) needed a coherent evaluation framework to assess whether the Plan was achieving its environmental, social and economic objectives under the Water Act 2007. The task was to translate the Plan’s Chapters, Schedule 12 “Matters for evaluation and reporting”, and statutory Key Evaluation Questions into a practical, Basin‑wide system of program logic, indicators, data and methods that could guide annual, five‑yearly and ten‑yearly evaluations.
Water · Environment
NSW Environmental Water Program
Evaluating the NSW EWMP
Cobalt59, with ARTD, were commissioned by The Department of Planning and Environment, Environment, Energy and Science to evaluate the NSW Government’s Environmental Water Management Program from 2014-2019.
Water · Environment
NSW Water for the Environment Program Evaluation
Systems evaluation environmental water management
The NSW Water for the Environment (WftE) Program manages environmental water across multiple river, wetland and floodplain systems to improve ecological condition, support regional livelihoods and uphold cultural values. After a decade of significant reform and two prior evaluations, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water needed an independent evaluation of the 2019–2024 period that could credibly assess efficiency, equity and outcomes in a complex social–ecological system, and provide clear recommendations for the next phase.
Water · Environment
Productive Use of Industrial Wastewater
Turning mill effluent into farm profit
An industrial paper mill near Albury needed a lessee for its Maryvale and Rosevale farms who could safely and productively use treated wastewater for irrigation. After treatment, this wastewater is high in nitrogen and phosphorous. It cannot be disposed in the Murray River because it accelerates algal growth, leading to oxygen crashes and fish kills. Irrigation use with a strict and supervised program of growth and crash feeding is very successful in the right hands.
Waste & circular economy · Water
Sydney Water's WaterFix® Program
Evaluating a water conservation program
Cobalt59 evaluated the WaterFix Residential Program for Sydney Water and the NSW Climate Change Fund. The fund gave money to Sydney Water to dramatically boost the program during a serious downturn in water inflows into the Sydney Drinking Water Catchment.
Water
WaterNSW
Audits of Sydney Water Catchment
The independent catchment audit report is direct to the responsible minister. It is designed to protect the health of the Sydney catchment to ensure reliable, quality drinking water for five million people of Sydney and the Illawarrra, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Goulburn and Shoalhaven regions. The audit seeks to understand land use, businesses, industries, community groups, and public authorities within the catchment – all of whose actions can affect water quality.
Water
Wonga Wetlands
From Waste to Resource: Environmental Benefits
Downstream of Albury, Wonga Wetlands were developed to receive treated effluent from the city’s wastewater treatment plant, polishing the water and providing habitat, education and recreation opportunities. The challenge was to manage this system so that wastewater reuse, agricultural production and wetland values all reinforced rather than undermined each other, and to demonstrate that a working agricultural landscape could sit comfortably beside a high‑value wetland complex.
Water · Waste & circular economy · Environment
Services applied
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER)
- Strategic Planning and Cost-Benefit Analysis
- Stakeholder Engagement and Co-Design
- Program and Policy Evaluation
Practitioners
- Brian Keogh — Director | Evaluation & Strategy · MEval, BSc; 20+ years evaluation practice
- Dr Kara Scally-Irvine — Evaluation Specialist | Systems & Impact · PhD; 20+ years research, monitoring and evaluation
- Rod McInnes — Senior Economist · MEc; 25+ years water and resource economics
- Sue Donnelly — Senior Consultant | Arts Leadership, Governance & Social Policy · BSW; 30+ years arts leadership and social policy
- Beth Medway — Principal Consultant | Environment · MEnvPlan; 25+ years environmental assessment and planning
- Julieanne Campbell — Director | Strategy, Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement · MBA; 25+ years not-for-profit leadership
Insurances
| Cover | Insurer | Limit | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional indemnity | Sample Insurance Australia | $10,000,000 any one claim | 30 June 2027 |
| Public and products liability | Sample Insurance Australia | $20,000,000 any one occurrence | 30 June 2027 |
| Workers compensation | icare NSW | As per NSW statutory requirement | 30 June 2027 |
Certificates of currency available on request.
Memberships and panels
- Australian Evaluation Society — organisational member
- Australian Water Association — corporate member
- NSW Government Performance and Management Services Scheme (SCM0005) — panel supplier
Capacity
Able to mobilise a three-person evaluation team within four weeks, with surge capacity through established associate arrangements.
Referees
- Sample Referee One — Director, Evaluation, Sample Government Agency · Available on request
- Sample Referee Two — Manager, Water Planning, Sample Water Utility · Available on request
Selected publications
- Scally-Irvine, K., Elliott, J., Hawkins, A. and Keogh, B. (2025), AES Systems Special Interest Group, June 2025.
- Keogh, B. and Maloney, J. (2025), Australian Evaluation Society International Conference, Canberra, September 2025.
- Elliott, J., Hawkins, A., Keogh, B. and Scally-Irvine, K. (2024), AES Systems Special Interest Group, February 2024.
- Renger, R., Keogh, B. and Atkinson, L. (2024), online workshop, Australian Evaluation Society.