Key Staff

Norm Gardner

Managing Director

Norm set up a Territory business that operates Tiltup construction, concrete supply, quarrying, crushing and screening. Through this company over the past 20 years Norm has worked with significant mining projects in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia, including the backfill plant at the Granites Gold Mine in the Tanami.

He has also been involved in several successful property developments and served as the Director of other mining companies such as Thor.

Graham Bubner

Executive Director

Graham graduated from Adelaide University with a double geology/geophysics degree in 1976 and a first class Honours degree in geophysics the following year. He explored for multiple commodities including base metals, precious metals, uranium, diamonds, iron ore and coal throughout west-central Australia with CRA Exploration for 16 years, taking part in major discoveries, such as diamonds at Argyle and uranium at Kintyre. During four years at Middleback Ranges in South Australia with BHP Billiton Limited and Onesteel Limited, he gained experience in iron ore exploration Since then he has serviced many local, national and international companies through his exploration consultancy, AsIs International.
He has spent time in Saudi Arabia, Canada and South Korea. Graham brings to the company broad exploration experience, particularly in uranium, gold and iron oxide systems, and access to extensive geoscience libraries for new project generation.

He is a member of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Society of Economic Geologists and Australian Institute of Geoscientists.

Andy Bennett

Exploration Manager

Andy started his working career as a musician, winning scholarships to study at the Canberra School of Music in 1984 and 1988 then teaching oboe in 1992 to 1993 while finishing his Bachelor of Science degree at the Australian National University. He studied his Honours in Geology at LaTrobe University in Melbourne.
Andy has worked as a student geologist with BP, a Project Geologist with WMC Exploration based in Kalgoorlie, as an exploration geologist with Olympic Dam and WMC, then Chief Geologist with BHP Billiton. He worked as a consulting geologist for Uranium Equities Limited before joining Western Desert Resources.

Laurie Ackroyd

Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary

Laurie was appointed as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary in April 2009. Laurie is an accountant with over 45 years experience in the building services, manufacturing and transportation industries where he has held senior financial executive and company secretarial positions.

Claude Severino

Project Manager - Iron Ore

Claude is a civil engineer with 25 years' experience in major civil construction projects including roads, dams and bridges. Claude will be construction manager for the Roper Bar iron ore project with responsibility for engineering management and procurement.

Chris Gaughan

Senior Geologist

Chris has worked for a range of mining companies around Australia, Indonesia and Mongolia including Southern Gold, as Exploration Manager with Centrex Metals, as Senior Project Geologist with Onesteel and as Project Geologist with Indochina Goldfields Ltd/Ivanhoe Mines. He has also worked around Australia and in Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand with ACS Laboratories.
Chris has a B.App.Sc in Geology from the University of Southern Queensland, a B.SC (Hons) in Petroleum Geology and Geophysics from the University of Adelaide and has part-completed a Master of Economic Geology at the University of Tasmania.

Gavin Otto

Senior Geologist

Before joining Western Desert Resources, Gavin had worked for Cameco Australia for 13 years on uranium projects throughout Australia with the last position held of Senior Project Geologist. Gavin has also worked at Rustlers Roost Gold Mine in NT as a Mine Geologist, also at Unions Reef Gold Mine in NT and as an Exploration Geologist in coal exploration with Advanced Queensland Resources and Mining in Queensland.

Gavin has a Grad.Dip.Sc. Geology from the University of New England and a B.App.Sc in Geology from the University of Southern Queensland.

Patrick Collins

Northern Territory General Manager

Patrick has worked as Manager of Community Relations for the McArthur River Mine, then as General Manager, Corporate Affairs and Community Relations for Xstrata Zinc Australia. After leaving Xstrata in 2009, he worked as a consultant with several Northern Territory companies before joining Western Desert Resources in November 2011.

Patrick is based in Darwin.

Graham Younge

Mining Engineering Manager

Mr Younge is a mining engineer with 22 years’ experience of underground and open cut mining. He recently helped deliver the Integra Randells Gold project on time and on budget. Mr Younge will develop and implement safe and efficient processes to ensure the Roper iron ore mine achieves its production targets.