Macartney Engineering Consultants (MEC) opened for business in North Sydney in 2002. Our goal was to create a boutique structural engineering consultancy that appealed to clients seeking hands-on involvement at the senior level throughout a building project. In this phase of the practice, we achieved significant success and attracted a large number of clients with diverse requirements.

In 2013 we altered the business model to focus on more specialist work served exclusively by John Macartney. This has appealed to clients seeking an integrated range of skills through a single individual for all stages of a project.

Having been a valued client for several years, Steve Fitzhenry joined our office in 2008, significantly expanding our capabilities in maritime engineering. Steve subsequently decided to start his own business, Land & Marine Engineering Consulting Pty Ltd, and we continue to collaborate regularly on maritime projects.

Our office has recently moved to the Wollongong area. We look to broaden our work base here as we continue to serve our Sydney clients.

For more information about our capabilities, services and project records please refer to CAPABILITY & PROJECTS.

KEY PERSONNEL

John Macartney 

Principal

BE 1970, University of Western Australia, FIEAust, CPEng, NER, D&BPA

Following graduation John worked with multi-disciplinary architectural and engineering practices in both London and Australia where, when with CCN, he moved to Canberra as the structural engineer in charge for the Belconnen Mall shopping centre.

In 1981 he joined Irwin Consult, the structural engineers for Australia’s New Parliament House, and over a period of 5 years led design teams for several areas of this major public building. He then moved to Sydney to open the office of Irwin Consult and over the following 10 years was responsible for the structural engineering on a range of building projects including John Morony Correctional Centre and The Goldsbrough Mort Building redevelopment in Pyrmont. This was followed by 6 years with BG&E in their Sydney office where he established the office quality management system and led teams on a number of projects including Regatta Wharf, Pyrmont and the new administrative building for Edith Cowan University in Joondalup W.A.

Since starting Macartney Engineering Consultants in Sydney in 2002 John has maintained a hands-on role in a range of retail, residential and school projects. He also spent an extended period travelling to Dubai assisting the main contractor for a major shopping centre with the resolution of serious deficiencies in the installation of the in situ concrete post tensioned floors.

John’s interest in the concept of tensegrity  led to his development of the long span, light weight space structural system called MacroSpan. Concepts for projects incorporating the system have been developed. An adaptation of the system called MacroSpan Transformer aimed at providing shelter in remote locations has also been developed.

Steve Fitzhenry

Specialist consultant maritime

BE 1993, University of Sydney, MIEAust

Steve has worked for a diverse range of private companies, public sector entities as well as establishing his own consulting business. He has a broad range of skills encompassing the fields of maritime and civil/ structural engineering, asset development and maintenance, project management, business management, public sector management as well as significant people and negotiating skills.

For the first six years of Steve’s professional career he was engaged with Land & Marine Pty Ltd in oceanographic studies and consulting. This included work on the Sydney Ocean Outfalls Project and hydro studies for the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. He then broadened this experience during four years with Scott Wilson Irwin Johnston, working on a range of maritime, bridge and building projects as a design engineer before returning to consulting engineering work with Land & Marine where he was engaged mainly in maritime work within Sydney Harbour.

For six years from 2003 Steve was Facilities and Assets Manager for Sydney Ferries Corporation. His responsibilities were wide ranging and included strategic planning, resourcing and implementation of major capital works initiatives by the NSW State Government as well as helping to develop SFC’s Total Asset Management Plan. These projects developed Steve’s skills in funding submissions, project management, life cycle maintenance and resourcing, as well as recurrent budget maintenance and capital works development.

This experience has acquitted Steve well for his ongoing work as a consulting maritime engineer responsible for such projects as the new jetties for Sydney Ferries at their Balmain shipyard, Birkenhead Point marina, Opera Australia Stage at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and Sydney Boathouse Super Yacht Marina.