INCIDENT SENSING AND FIRE SAFETY IN HEYSEN TUNNELS

Join Matt and Conrad as they address questions from the ATS Systems, Operations, and Maintenance Group, focusing on the surety of Fixed Fire-Fighting System (FFFS) activation in the Heysen Tunnels.

Given that the Heysen Tunnels Safety Upgrade and Refurbishment Project was brownfield exercise with unique challenges, South Australia's DIT recognised that a bespoke engineering approach was required rather than recycling a prior tunnel design.

This presentation will offer insights into their philosophical approach for brownfield tunnel refurbishment, specifically detailing the innovative design of the flame-sensing camera supervision and explaining the absence of (traditional) linear heat detectors in the Heysen Tunnels.

While the misting system installation was a significant undertaking in the Heysen Tunnels, that topic was comprehensively covered in the previous ATS seminar in Adelaide back in February 2025 and will not be treated in detail here. This presentation focuses on topics distinct from the paper planned for the Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2025 (ATC2025) in Perth this November.

The Presenters

Matthew Taylor

As a Chartered Electrical Engineer, Matthew has over 35 years of experience within the electrical, mechanical, control and communications systems engineering fields within underground transport infrastructure project delivery environment within the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

A recognised innovator in the design, installation, testing, commissioning and the ongoing operation and maintenance of the technology that drives modern transportation systems, Matthew has played pivotal roles in the delivery of several of Australia’s largest projects since his migration from the UK in July 1997.

Conrad Stacey

Dr Conrad Stacey is a Director of leading underground ventilation and fire safety consultants Stacey Agnew. Conrad’s credits include seminal reports on livestock shipping heat stress risk, and co-authorship of a paper on the gravitational energy drivers for the geodynamo. He has worked on hypersonic upper atmospheric flight and river and flood plain hydraulics. A common thread through Conrad’s work in varied areas is a core focus on the fundamental physics and the engineering thought involved, all within the big picture of the community interest. He will talk about the fire engineering basis for decisions during tunnel refurbishments.

Chair Natalija Beslic

A mechanical engineer, Natalija knows the Heysen Tunnels, having been involved in commissioning the upgraded ventilation on site with Matt and Conrad, and analysing the performance of the ventilation and the cross passage pressurisation and door opening.

The eVENT Space

The seminar will be onsite at the eVENT Space in Stacey Agnew’s offices, and online. Catering for those networking onsite after the eVENT will be by Yim Thai restaurant Middle Park, which is why registration includes dietary requirements.

Event details:

Date: 21st August 2025

Time: 5 pm AEST, followed by refreshments and erudite discussion till late.

Cost: Free in person, also free on-line, but you don’t get any post-event refreshments or erudite discussion that way.

Location: eVENT Space, 4/35 Limestone St, Darra, Queensland, 4076. On-street parking is available. eVENT Space is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the Darra train station, which has direct services from the city and indirect services from Brisbane airport, with transfer at one city station.

The session is supported by the Australian Tunnelling Society. It is sponsored by Stacey Agnew through their eVENT Space.

To register your interest to attend, please fill out the form above.