This page brings together a chronological overview of publications that document a long-term exploration of water, soil, irrigation, and sustainability. Spanning more than two decades, these works trace the development of practical ideas, experimental technologies, and policy critiques aimed at solving water scarcity, improving food production, and managing natural resources more intelligently. Together, they show an evolving journey from technical irrigation scheduling through to broader systems thinking about water, soil, climate, and society.
Publications Overview
The following publications reflect a sustained effort to understand and respond to Australia’s water challenges. They include books, manuals, training materials, policy papers, DVDs, and experimental works that combine engineering, agriculture, and systems thinking. While the themes vary, a common thread runs through all of them: water must be managed as a finite, living resource, closely linked to soil health, food production, and long-term environmental stability.
Major Water Crisis Volumes
Resolving the Water Crisis Vol 1 (2012)
This volume introduces the core ideas behind rethinking water management. It challenges conventional assumptions about scarcity and focuses on evaporation, inefficiency, and system design rather than rainfall alone.
Resolving the Water Crisis Vol 2 (2012)
Building on the first volume, this work explores practical technologies and management strategies, with particular attention to irrigation, storage, and local water harvesting.
Resolving the Water Crisis Vol 3 (2012)
The third volume expands the discussion to include policy, adoption barriers, and the social and institutional challenges that prevent effective solutions from being widely implemented.
Creative and Narrative Works
00 and the Soil Princess (2012)
A James Bond–style thriller that uses fiction to communicate serious ideas about soil health and sustainability. The story format allows complex environmental themes to reach a broader audience.
Water, Climate, and Public Awareness
Water and the Whistle Blower (2007)
This publication examines water management in the context of global warming, highlighting uncomfortable truths and overlooked data.
Katie Keeps Her Cool (2007)
A more accessible work that links wicking beds with global warming, using simple language to explain how better soil and water systems can help communities adapt.
Irrigation Scheduling and Technology
Anticipatory Irrigation by Adaptive Scheduling (2006)
Focuses on scheduling irrigation based on plant needs and soil behaviour rather than fixed calendars, reducing waste and improving efficiency.
Solving the Water Crisis (DVD, 2005)
A visual series designed to challenge how people think about water, combining explanation, case studies, and practical demonstrations.
Water, Wit and Wisdom – The Search for the Solution to the Water Crisis (2004)
A book that blends technical insight with broader reflection on how societies approach water problems. ISBN 06463814-X.
Food, Soil, and Sustainability
Myths and Fantasies of Sustainable Food Production in Australia (2003)
A critical examination of popular sustainability claims, questioning whether current practices truly protect soil and water in the long term.
Manuals, Guides, and Training Materials
Irrigation Scheduling (2003)
A practical scheduling manual aimed at farmers and water managers.
Making the Most of Water – Micro Flood Operating Manual (2003)
A user guide explaining how micro-flood systems can improve efficiency while reducing losses.
Sensor Based Irrigation Scheduling (2002)
A training course introducing the use of sensors to guide irrigation decisions.
Reaping the Benefits of Water Saving Technology (2002)
Focuses on the implementation of water-saving technologies and the real-world challenges of adoption.
Policy and Systems Thinking
Water, Technology and Policy Interactions (2002)
Explores how technology choices are shaped by policy, and how policy can either enable or block innovation.
Water Right – The New Thinking on Irrigation Scheduling (2001)
Introduces adaptive scheduling concepts that respond to changing conditions rather than fixed rules.
Vision for the Bush (2000)
Addresses broader natural resource management issues affecting rural Australia.
Earlier Foundational Works
Irrigation Scheduling (2000)
A guide focused on practical scheduling methods for irrigators.
Agriflow – Making Water Go Further (1999)
Examines alternatives to traditional flood irrigation and the potential for more efficient systems.
The Murray Darling Basin – A Technological Solution (1997)
Proposes technical approaches to addressing water problems in one of Australia’s most important river systems.
Soil Moisture Interpretation Made Easy (1997)
A guide designed to help farmers understand and use soil moisture data effectively.
Intelligent Irrigation (1996)
One of the earliest works in this collection, focusing on closed-loop control of irrigation systems and laying the groundwork for later developments.
Closing Perspective
Taken together, these publications document a long and evolving effort to rethink how water is managed. They show a progression from technical problem-solving toward a more integrated view that connects water, soil, food, policy, and human behaviour. Rather than offering a single solution, the body of work encourages ongoing learning, adaptation, and a willingness to question established practices.
