A leader in innovative river management has been recognised for 25 years making East Gippsland’s rivers healthier and its communities more resilient. 
The East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has congratulated long-time employee Rex Candy for being awarded the Public Service Medal in the Australia Day 2024 Honours List (Meritorious Awards) for his contributions to waterway management. 
After graduating from the University of Melbourne Rex commenced his career with the (former) State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, before bringing his passion for rivers and engineering together as a river engineering consultant. 
And for the past 25 years, Rex has led the change in waterway management practices during his career with the East Gippsland CMA.
He has strongly advocated for a new approach to river restoration and has been instrumental in a change that has made our rivers healthier. 
This has included flood and bushfire recovery, providing technical assessments on flood behaviour, and leading the stabilisation of rivers across the state. 
Highlights of his work include programs to rehabilitate the Snowy, Genoa and Cann Rivers in East Gippsland.

IMAGE: Rex Candy, a long-time employee at East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, has been awarded the Public Service Medal at the Australia Day 2024 Honours (Meritorious Awards) for his work in waterway management.