Water

G‑MW’s Holly Westbrook recognised for leadership

By Nicholas Spandler

Apr 14, 2026

Victorian new operator of the year Holly Westbrook, and president of the Institute of Water Administration, Rob Murphy.

Goulburn-Murray Water’s Holly Westbrook has received recognition for her contribution to reservoir management and safety, blazing a trail for more young women in the industry.

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Miss Westbrook was awarded the Operations Association of Australia’s ‘2026 Victorian New Operator of the Year’, at a recent awards event in Bendigo.

The award is given to an operator who has been in their role for less than 5 years, and shows excellence in performance, initiative, an all-round attention to detail.

Miss Westbrook, who is 24 years old, works as a senior storage officer at Cairn Curran Reservoir, overseeing operations and safety at six storages in central-north Victoria.

Miss Westbrook studied a bachelors of marine science in Geelong, before moving back to her hometown to work at G-MW two years ago.

Miss Westbrook has developed a skill-set with underwater and aerial drones, improving site inspections, safety, and maintenance capabilities.

She credited her success to her team.

“I'm just so thankful for all the people around me that helped me get to this point,” Miss Westbrook said.

“Without the support I've had, without the opportunities that G-MW has given me, I wouldn't have got there.”

Miss Westbrook hopes that her recognition will open doors and inspire other young women to enter the industry, which she said is still largely male dominated.

“When I first started, I was the only female storage officer within G-MW - That alone was very daunting at the time,” she said.

“I would love for more girls to see that I won an award in a male-dominated field and go ’hey maybe that could be me when I’m older’ or ‘this looks like a fun job I would like to try.’”

The award was sponsored by the Institute of Water Administration, and was presented by the Administrations’s president Rob Murphy.

“In just two years, Senior Storage Officer Holly Westbrook has made a significant impact across multiple water storages in north-central Victoria,” Mr Murphy said.

“Holly successfully managed environmental and infrastructure projects that significantly reduced health and safety risks, while also improving operational efficiency and lowering costs.”