Dridan, Julian Randal (1901 - 1982)

Summary

Julian Dridan, CMG BE DipMechE FSASM FIEAust, was the Director and Engineer-in-Chief, Engineering and Water Supply Department, South Australia from 1949 until he retired in 1966. He was in charge of a large Department which controlled all water supply and sewerage services in South Australia, and carried out the engineering work of the River Murray Commission and the South Eastern Drainage Board, and for Government irrigation projects. Major projects during this period included: the Mannum to Adelaide pipeline; the Bolivar Sewage Treatment Works; the dams at South Para, and Myponga; the planning of the dams at Middle River and Chowilla; and the pipelines from Swan Reach to near Stockwell, and from Murray Bridge to Adelaide. Earlier in his career he was associated with the construction of three Locks on the Murray River, and the construction of the Morgan-Whyalla pipeline.

During his career, he was also Commissioner representing South Australia, on the River Murray Commission, and a member of the Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD). After he retired, he was appointed Deputy Chairman, and later Chairman, South Australian Electricity Trust.

Dridan's distinguished engineering and public service career was recognised when he was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1955, was awarded the Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal in 1969, and the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977.

Details

Chronology

1919

Career event - Student Member (StudIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

c. 1920

Education - Diploma of Mechanical Engineerng (DipMechE), South Australian School of Mines and Industries (FSASM)

1921

Career position - Engineering assistant, Irrigation Department, at Berri

1922

Education - Diploma in Applied Science, University of Adelaide

1922

Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE), University of Adelaide

1923 - 1929

Career position - Assistant engineer, River Murray works, Engineering and Water Supply Department, South Australia [Construction of Lock No. 5, Lock No. 9]

1927

Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1930 - 1933

Career position - Resident engineer, River Murray Works, Engineering and Water Supply Department, South Australia [Construction of Lock No.8]

1935 - 1936

Career position - Resident engineer, Western District, Engineer-in-Chief's Department, South Australia

1937 - 1944

Career position - Resident engineer, Northern District, Engineer-in-Chief's Department, South Australia [Superintended the construction of a 50-mile section of the Morgan-Whyalla pipeline]

1944 - c. 1945

Career position - Inspecting Engineer, Engineering and Water Supply Department, South Australia [at Head Office, Adelaide]

c. 1945 - 1946

Career position - Engineer for Water Supply, Engineering and Water Supply Department, South Australia

1946 - 1949

Career position - Deputy Engineer-in-Chief, Engineering and Water Supply Department, South Australia

1947 - 1950+

Career position - Commissioner representing South Australia, River Murray Commission

1949 - 1965

Career position - Engineer-in-Chief, Engineering and Water Supply Department, South Australia

1952 - 1965

Career position - Member for Engineering & Water Supply Department, Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD)

1953 -

Career position - Member of the Electricity Trust of South Australia

1953

Career event - Overseas visit on behalf of the Government, to England, Europe and the United States [to investigate water supply and dam construction]

1955

Award - Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) - in recognition of service as the Engineer-in-Chief of the South Australian Water Supply Department

1958

Career event - Member of Commonwealth Government group to visit Japan, as guests of Japanese major industries

1959

Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1960

Career position - Chairman, Adelaide Division, Institution of Engineers Australia

1961 - 1965

Career position - Senior Vice-chairman, Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD)

1965

Career event - Attended Executive Meeting of the International Commission of Large Dams (ICOLD) and to investigate options for the Chowilla project for the River Murray Commission

1965 - 1966

Career event - Director and Engineer-in-Chief, Engineering and Water Supply Department, South Australia [Position retitled]

1965 - c. 1969

Career position - Deputy Chairman, Electricity Trust of South Australia

1966 -

Career position - Chairman, South Australian Housing Trust

1966

Life event - Retired

1968

Career event - Fellow (FIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia [Former Members were designated Fellows on this date.]

1969

Award - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal - Career Achievement Award in Engineering. Institution of Engineers Australia

c. 1969 - c. 1974

Career position - Chairman, Electricity Trust of South Australia

1977

Award - Silver Jubilee Medal

Related entries

Published resources

Conference Papers

• Dridan, J. R., 'Thermal power resources - Gas', in Conference on Energy Resources for Electric Power Generation: Melbourne, October 29-31, 1974 (1974), pp. 23-30.. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal: 1969 Award [Mr J R Dridan, CMG BE FIEAust]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 42 (1-2) (1970), N11. Details
• Dridan, J. R., 'Developing South Australia's water resources, with special reference to the River Murray', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 27 (1955), 47-, https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.581664870980395. Details

See also

• Institution of Engineers Australia, Fiftieth Annual Report [1969] (1970), 14 pp. 'Prizes - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal (1969 Award), to Mr J R Dridan, CMG BE DipMechE FSASM FIEAust', p.3. Details