Our Story

About Waterline

Our mission is to be the cornerstone of the Queensland Resources Industry, by delivering tailored solutions for our clients’ engineering projects. This is underpinned by our business purpose of partnering with Australian Industry to provide safe and sustainable resources to the world. We provide decision makers with pragmatic approaches that drive success in every project engagement we are a part of, because we are driven to deliver mutual success. 

Our focus spans advisory, capital, and site engineering projects, ensuring comprehensive support through all phases. Our team of experienced engineers are supported by our project management team, who bring their site-experience to our clients’ engagements, consistently striving for excellence and efficiency. We bring an owner’s mindset to every engagement, treating each project as if we were investing our own funds and resources.

We believe in strong leadership and effective communication, vital to understanding and meeting our clients’ needs. Our client-centric approach ensures each project delivers optimal results.

By partnering with Waterline, clients receive reliable, high-quality outcomes that exceed expectations. Our commitment to excellence and integrity drives us to succeed in every project, reinforcing our reputation as a trusted partner in the industry.

Who we are

We support and deliver client projects that increase the value of asset owners’ operations, while improving reliability, productivity, safety and compliance with industry regulations. We understand mining operations and focus our support in three key areas.

We currently support all underground coal mines in QLD, and a significant number of open cuts.

Founded in 2011 by entrepreneur Randall Makin, Waterline is an engineering consultancy based in Brisbane and Mackay that supports the Queensland Resources Industry. Through Randall’s passion for engineering excellence, we have grown and become a trusted partner for many asset owners, providing multi-discipline engineering services.

Our team includes a diverse mix of skilled engineers, technical experts, design and drafters, project engineers and project managers, bringing a wealth of experience and a commitment to delivering high-quality engineering solutions. We pride ourselves on our collaborative approach and ability to understand and address our clients’ unique challenges.

What we do

We offer a comprehensive suite of engineering services tailored to meet the unique needs of the Queensland Resources Industry.

Investor Services

Project Services

Asset Services

Supporting Queensland’s mining industry since 2011

  • Randall Makin and Wayne Gerard founded Waterline (WL)
  • Registered WL on 26th May 2011
  • Opened office in Bowen
2011
  • Grew to 6 employees
  • Established a Waterline spin-off, RedEye (born from Waterline)
2012
  • 6 employees
  • Steven Cheyne Joined Waterline
  • We grew to 9 employees + Randall
2017
  • 14 employees
  • Mechanical Business Unit established
  • Randall became Waterline’s first CEO
  • Tim Strong joined in June
  • Expanded our services from electrical engineering and design to multi-discipline when Tim started (the Mechanical discipline was born)
2018
  • 24 employees
  • Design & Drafting Business Unit established
  • Operational Support Business Unit established
  • Civil & Structural Business Unit established
  • WL had two Operations Managers—Tim Strong and Steve Cheyne
2019
  • 42 employees
  • Marketing & Communications Business Unit established

Key projects:

  • Oaky Capital Projects 2019-2020
  • Goonyella Riverside Mine stacker and reclaimer works 2019-2020
  • 2020 Oaky Creek Coal Mine gas drainage bridge
2020
  • 50+ employees
  • Relocated to 133 Mary St
2021
  •  70+ employees
  • 26 July, Tim Strong became CEO and Randall took a leave of absence to run RedEye in the capacity of CEO
  • Strategic Growth Business Unit established
  • Engineering Business Unit established
  • Business Support Business Unit established
  • Mackay office opened
  • Business purpose launched
  • Values evolution: Driven | Authentic | Empathetic | Supportive

Key projects:

  • IPL turnaround project 2021-2022
2022
  • 80+ employees
  • Waterline wins Stanmore Resources South Walker Creek’s MIA project
2023+

Why mine sites across Queensland & New South Wales trust us

We are a people-driven business. Choosing Waterline means partnering with a team that prioritises your needs and delivers exceptional results. Our site experience and expertise allow us to professionally handle complex engineering projects.

Clients benefit from direct access to senior leaders, ensuring a personalised approach and quick decision-making. Our expertise is highly sought after and while we specialise in providing engineering services to the Queensland and New South Wales Resources Industry, our support also extends to NSW and other areas of Australia.

Our commitment to quality, agility, and client satisfaction sets us apart from competitors. We focus on building long-term relationships, making us a reliable partner for all your engineering needs. We believe that if our clients are successful, our people are also successful.

We treat your projects like our own.

At Waterline, we offer “practical, owner-minded solutions,” and tackle each project as if we were the owner. This approach ensures that our solutions are technically robust and realistically implementable, focusing on cost-efficiency, effectiveness, and your project’s long-term viability.

We manage every initiative with a clear understanding of your operational goals and limitations, striving to deliver outcomes that would benefit us if we made decisions for our assets.

Where We Work

With offices in Brisbane and Mackay, we support clients across Queensland where our majority of our clients’ operations are based, as well as New South Wales for our clients whose operations are located south of the border.

Our clients

Our clients include some of the leading asset owners in the Queensland Resources Industry, such as Anglo American, BMA, and Glencore.

We also work with other asset owners such as Stanmore, Whitehaven, Fitzroy Resources, Incitec Pivot Ltd, and Stanwell Corporation. Our long-term relationships with these clients are built on trust, reliability, and our ability to deliver tailored engineering solutions that meet their needs.

Our clients appreciate having direct access to senior leaders, Waterline’s practical site experience, and commitment to quality and efficiency.

Sustainability and community

We are committed to supporting the communities we serve. Our team actively participates in local initiatives, supporting various causes and contributing to the development of our community. We strive to create a positive impact beyond our engineering projects by prioritising community engagement, because we want to see these communities flourish. We welcome and consider requests that benefit the communities where we work.

If you would like for us to consider your request, please read this guide and if your request meets our criteria, please submit your request here ensuring you address the criteria.

Words from our clients

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Collaborate with engineers who treat your assets like their own

Discover how Waterline’s solutions can bring precision and expertise to your engineering projects.