Staff Contacts

Gemma Walker

  • Executive Officer
  • Ph: 08 9083 1134
  • Fax: 08 9083 1100
  • Mob: 0447 908311
  •  

Nigel Metz

  • Projects Coordinator
  • Ph: 08 9083 1115
  • Mob: 0447 631115
  •  

Bill Sharp

  • Trials Coordinator
  • Mob: 0428 711375
  •  

Julia Ashby

  • Media Officer
  • Ph: 08 9928 1112
  • Mob: 0427 792179
  •  

Jan Clawson

  • Bookkeeper
  • Mob: 0407 990497
  •  

Our Mission

"Promoting Profitable, Sustainable and Quality Grain Production in the Esperance Port Zone"

SEPWA Staff Members

SEPWA is based at the Department of Agriculture office at Esperance

Postal Address - PO Box 365 Esperance WA 6450

Gemma Walker
Executive Officer

Gemma Walker SEPWA Executive Officer

Gemma graduated from Muresk Institute of Agriculture, a branch of Curtin University of Technology, with a Bachelor of Agribusiness (1st class hons). Gemma commenced employment with SEPWA as its Executive Officer in November 2006.

Her role includes managing the SEPWA staff, negotiating sponsorship deals, arranging events and liaising with industry and SEPWA members. Gemma also enjoys working on the family farm at Munglinup and trekking in remote overseas destinations.

Nigel Metz
Project Officer

Nigel Metz SEPWA Project Officer

Nigel graduated from Muresk Institute of Agriculture, a branch of Curtin University of Technology, with a Bachelor of Agribusiness marketing.

Nigel is currently focusing on the Precision Agriculture project as well as the barley Variety Purity project. In the past Nigel specialised in harvest management for maximising grain quality and has also run the SEPWA trials program.

Bill Sharp
Trials Coordinator

Bill Sharp SEPWA Trials Coordinator

Bill worked with the Department of Agriculture for 25 years in Newdegate and Merredin before moving to Esperance in 1998 to take up role with Esperance District Office as Senior Technical and Certification Officer. In 1997 Bill entered the commercial seed industry and in 2004 formed his own seed production company.

Bills role will be as SEPWA Trials coordinator (Part Time) to liaise with breeding programs, seed companies and farmers in the Esperance Port Zone and to oversee the large scale demonstration trials. These trials will include Wheat, Barley and Canola.

Bill, unfortunately, also has the passion for the Fremantle Dockers.

Julia Ashby
Media Officer

Julia Ashby SEPWA Media Officer

Raised on a sheep station in the Goldfields, Julia went on to complete a Bachelor of Business in Agriculture at Muresk Institute of Agriculture before working with ABC Radio as a Rural Reporter for 6 years.

Julia works part time as the SEPWA Media Officer, juggling parenthood and work. Julia was SEPWA's first employee when she took on the role as the Group Development Officer in 2002.

Jan Clawson
Bookkeeper

Jan Clawson SEPWA Bookkeeper

Jan works part time as the SEPWA Bookkeeper. She is mother to three beautiful school aged children and when not working as a parent and a bookkeeper, enjoys teaching Games at the local Pony Club.

In the past, Jan has done the bookkeeping for a local livestock and grain transport company. Jan has also been a truckie which has seen her carting livestock around the Esperance region and around Australia.