Aurecon

Running the Surf Coast Century to raise funds for WaterAid's Pari Village project in Papua New Guinea

The event is on 12 September, 100km trail run along the Great Ocean Road, starting and finishing at Anglesea

• As a water engineer, I spend my career designing safe water and wastewater systems here in Australia, so this cause hits close to home

Why this matters to me:

• Pari Village is home to over 4,500 Motu Koitabu people, minutes from Port Moresby, yet families still can't access safe water

• Women and children bear the brunt, spending hours each day queuing or fetching water instead of school, work, or rest

• Good water infrastructure and governance can do wonders for a community's health, dignity and opportunity, and the impacts are felt hard when it's not there

What's already been done:

• WaterAid, the Motu Koita Assembly and Water PNG have laid the groundwork: a community-run water business (Pari Water Services) and an initial deep borehole

• It's a solid, scalable model, community-run kiosks, fair pricing, metered connections, strong governance, but the system is at a tipping point without further investment

What your donation funds:

• A second borehole, upgraded pipes, and expanded community kiosks

• Metered household connections so every home gets fair, reliable access

• Strengthened local governance to keep the system running long-term

Call to action:

• Safe water infrastructure means everything for a community. Help fund it for Pari Village

• Every dollar gets them closer to safe water for good

Thanks for digging deep and supporting me and I will update this page when I finish!

Why am I taking part in the Victoria Countdown to Clean Water?

I’m taking part in the Victoria Countdown to Clean Water to help bring safe water to communities that need it most. This year, funds raised will support WaterAid’s work in Pari Village, Papua New Guinea, where many families still struggle to access reliable, affordable clean water every day.

I’d love your support. Every donation, no matter the size, will help WaterAid and its partners expand sustainable water services and create lasting change for the community.

If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing my fundraising page with your friends, family and colleagues. Together, we can make a real difference and help bring clean water to more people.

Thank you for your support and generosity. It truly means a lot.

For more information visit: https://fundraise.wateraid.org.au/event/vic-wateraid-gala-ball