Shearwater Associates Pty Ltd is a small consultancy firm based in Metung. It provides advice on environmental management, strategic planning and heritage.

Shearwater Associates, through Helen Martin, managed the East Gippsland Heritage Gaps study on behalf of East Gippsland Shire (reported 2005) and is still the repository for much of the hard-copy material collected during those investigations. Helen also attracted funding for and oversaw several Public Heritage Grants Program projects in East Gippsland Shire, as well as an artefact conservation project in Omeo.
Brian Martin is a specialist in maritime heritage and has provided advice on conservation of several significant historic vessels in Victoria, including the Lady Harriet’s barge at Lakes Entrance.

These days, our main heritage work is in preparing funding applications and managing studies. This has included working with East Gippsland Shire on a successful Living Heritage Program application for conservation of the Omeo courthouses and on other projects.

We also work on a voluntary basis with local heritage and community groups, assisting with project development, funding applications and management of studies. Examples include: a socio-economic study for restoration of the Snowy River floodplain rail viaduct and its incorporation in the East Gippsland Rail Trail (for Friends of the East Gippsland Rail Trail), which was instrumental in attracting a $3.5 million Victorian Government grant for implementation; and a significance assessment of the book and document collection in the 1893 Omeo courthouse (for Omeo Historical Society).

Shearwater Associates has been an associate member of Heritage Network East Gippsland since 2003 and for a several years provided pro bono secretariat services for the Network.