Our Team

Meet the SpraySMART team.

Dan Austin

Company Director/Head Trainer

Bernadette Crouch

Company Director/Enrolment Centre Manager

Graham Matthews

Trainer/Assessor

Peter Ellmer

Trainer/Assessor

Sasha Ford

Trainer/Assessor

Mark Allan

Trainer/Assessor

Mike Wright

Trainer/Assessor

Reg Kidd

Trainer/Assessor

Steven Noakes

Trainer/Assessor

Damian Minehan

Trainer/Assessor

Robin Drew

Trainer/Assessor

Andrew Blades

Trainer/Assessor

Liz Martin

Administration & Marketing

Mikayla Barlow

Administration

Karen Pawsey

Administration

Dear Dan,

Many thanks for your succinct and entertaining SpraySMART Course Delivery.
Speaking to attendees afterwards, there was mountains of praise for your professionalism, and your user-friendly approach :).

Much appreciated by the Webers,

Kindest Regards,
Weber Family

Weber Family

Course Completed: AQF3 Chemical Accreditation

 

Occupation: Farmer

 
testimonials

What Our Students Are Saying

Dear Dan,

Many thanks for your succinct and entertaining SpraySMART Course Delivery.
Speaking to attendees afterwards, there was mountains of praise for your professionalism, and your user-friendly approach :).

Much appreciated by the Webers,

Kindest Regards,
Weber Family

Very clear info and very easy to follow and keep up. The best council course I’ve done so far!

Council Feedback

Course Completed: AQF 3 Chemical Accreditation

 

Occupation: Council Employee

 
testimonials

What Our Students Are Saying

Very clear info and very easy to follow and keep up. The best council course I’ve done so far!

The interactive calibration calculations we did

Molong

Course Completed: AQF 3 Chemical Accreditation

 

Occupation: Farmer

 
testimonials

What Our Students Are Saying

The interactive calibration calculations we did

Very good trainers with obvious practical experience

Evaluation Armidable

Course Completed: AQF 3 Chemical Accreditation

 

Occupation: CSIRO

 
testimonials

What Our Students Are Saying

Very good trainers with obvious practical experience

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Dan Austin

Company Director/Head Trainer

A professional weed agronomist with over 30 years of experience in vegetation management. Previously owned and operated Sydney Weed & Pest Management Pty Ltd and Sydney Feral Animal Control Pty Ltd. Providing training in chemical safety since 1998, working for ChemCert, TAFE, SMARTrain, Tocal Ag College, and Department of Primary Industries. Also provides training in chainsaw safety, machinery hygiene, restricted use chemicals and quad bike safety.

 

Bernadette Crouch

Company Director/Enrolment Centre Manager

25 years’ experience in the Training Industry, Bernadette along with Dan Austin founded SpraySMART in 2014. Bernadette solely co-ordinates all training activities, schedules and communicates with all relevant departments to ensure SpraySMART delivers quality training outcomes.

 

Graham Matthews

Trainer/Assessor

Over 30 years experience in agribusiness including cattle production and vegetation management.

 

Peter Ellmer

Trainer/Assessor

Over 25 years in experience in vegetation management. Peter owns and operates his own contracting business Total Weed Control. Training provider for over 10 years with TAFE NSW, SMARTtrain and Tocal Ag College providing training in AQF 3 Chemical Safety.

 

Sasha Ford

Trainer/Assessor

Administration and Online Trainer and Assessor.

 Sasha has 9 years experience as a Trainer and Assessor and is based in our Richmond office 

 

Mark Allan

Trainer/Assessor

 Over 30 years of experience in the Horticultural and Sports Turf Management industries. Mark owns and operates his own consulting and contracting business. Training provider for over 20+ years with TAFE NSW. 7 years various education and training providers and disability services. Mark has worked with SpraySmart since 2017.

 

Mike Wright

Trainer/Assessor

Over 25 years of experience in vegetation management. Training provider for over 15 years with SMARTrain, Department of Primary Industries and Tocal Ag College providing training in Chemical/Pesticide Safety. Mike was the manager for SMARTtrain for many years and travelled all over Australia training and managing their trainers.

 

Reg Kidd

Trainer/Assessor

Reg joined the SpraySMART team in 2024 as a Trainer for the Central West NSW.
Aside from many years delivering Chemical Accreditation Training, Reg has been involved with numerous community organisations including 50 years of volunteering for the Australian National Field Days. Reg is also chairman of the Noxious Weeds Advisory Council and a member of the Catchment Management Authority.

 

Steven Noakes

Trainer/Assessor

Steven has 30 years of education and VET training experience. He has trained Certificate II in Agriculture and Horticulture courses including Chemical Application and Safety and Weed control.  Steven currently owns and has operated 2 commercial macadamia farms since 2012.

 

Damian Minehan

Trainer/Assessor

Damian is trained in Diploma of Agriculture and Advanced Diploma in Conservation and Land Management. Damian has 22 years experience as a Weeds County Council Manager, 5 years in ownership/operation of a hand spraying business, and 5 years as manager of Rural Ag Business (Thompsons Rural & Nutrien).

 

Robin Drew

Trainer/Assessor

Robin has worked in the urban pest management industry for over 30 years. Since 1999 he has taught Urban Pest Management, Fumigation and chemical application for a range of Training Organisations throughout Australia and Internationally. He currently owns and works in a pest management business that operates in Sydney and surrounds.

 

Andrew Blades

Trainer/Assessor

Andrew has worked a range of risk roles with a strong focus on occupational and community safety.   His chemical safety experience ranges from training staff in reading and applying safety data sheets to safe surface transport of chemicals.  He has trained staff in spill response and exercised spill response plans for transport companies.

 

Liz Martin

Administration & Marketing

Casual Marketing assistant, 30 years experience in Sales and Marketing.

 

Mikayla Barlow

Administration

 4 years with SpraySMART, Mikayla heads our Wagga Wagga Office,

Managing Policies and Procedures. Mikayla also undertakes training coordination and Online support

 

Karen Pawsey

Administration

Qualification processing officer. Karen has been with SpraySMART for 4 years.

 

Our Team