John Sayers - Director

John Sayers is desendent from the Bundawang (Yuin) Mob. Yuin is the name referred to for the Aboriginal Tribal group occupying the coastal area between Jervis Bay and Twofold Bay. The Budawang tribe were the Aboriginals to be sighted by Captain Cook in 1770, on Koorbrua beach at Murramarang. The tribal area of Budawang is from Conjola in the north, Lake George in the West, and the Moruya (Deua) River in the south. John is a passionate and successful businessman having previously owned such businesses as Rex Airlines and Ocean Earth, developed major parcels of land in Eastern Australia. John brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership, and mentoring to the 18FiFTY3 Group team. He is passionate about indigenous employment and training, creating jobs for those in remote areas across Australia. John wants to join modern technology, Aboriginal culture, and land management skills to drive solutions for training and employment in remote Australia.

Ben Surwaski - General Manager

Ben Surawski’s business and commercial management career has led him to learn the finer points of networking, stakeholder engagement, and contract management in a range of areas throughout Australia and internationally. He is proficient in delivering value and operational efficiency through the design and implementation of comprehensive people practices, strategies that drive engagement, and tools to keep costs in check. His background includes 5 years in the Australian Army, time as a commercial helicopter pilot, firefighting, and operating in high-paced environments such as the Queensland floods of 2012, while also driving quality and safety as a lead auditor in company safety programs.

Peter Chia

Peter Chia has working within the construction, civil and landscape sector over a 32 year career, working across NSW. Key projects include the Sydney Olympics, Eastern Distributor Upgrade, Sydney Airport Domestic Terminal Upgrade, Sydney Ports Corporation, Garden Island remediation, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, Sydney Zoo Construction, Western Sydney Parklands, National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW Dept Education Building Education Revolution (BER) Program, Penrith Lakes Development Corporation mine closure amongst others. Peter advised on the Aboriginal Procurement Policy (APP) with Office of Prime and Cabinet in 2012 to 2013 and launched the policy with Prime Minister’s Office, as CEO from Muru Mittigar Western Sydney resulting in over 75 FTE jobs for local Aboriginal community over a 9 year tenure.

Richard Baker

Richard Baker, an indigenous man from Borroloola, is a trained Northern Territory National Park Ranger and Commercial Helicopter Pilot with over 5000 flight hours. With help from 18FiFTY3 Group's Ben Surawski, Richard completed his Cert IV (Commercial Helicopter Pilot) and was named NT Aboriginal Trainee of the Year. As an owner of 18FiFTY3 Group, Richard musters cattle on Aboriginal properties in Far North Queensland and the NT. He plans to start his own helicopter mustering company and supports environmental programs on Aboriginal Lands. Since receiving a grant, Richard has contributed to the Borroloola and Normanton communities, purchased assets, and paid taxes. He is well-positioned to manage teams, guide Aboriginal students, and work with the government to close educational and employment gaps.

Isobel Bender

Isobel Bender is a distinguished environmental specialist with a comprehensive background in policy analysis, science communication, and on-ground conservation. Educated at the Australian National University, Isobel holds a degree in Environmental Studies and Biodiversity Conservation Management, complemented by a Certificate 3 in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. Her academic contributions to water policy and biodiversity offset policy are well-regarded, with several published papers to her name. Isobel excels in translating complex scientific information into accessible knowledge, particularly in the water sector for government agencies. Her practical experience includes over four years dedicated to riparian restoration and regenerative agriculture projects, as well as involvement in the carbon market and collaborative work with the Ngunnawal peoples. Passionate about climate change adaptation and conservation management, she brings a unique blend of academic research and field expertise to our team.

Niño Sturgeon - Lands Manager

Captain Niño has over 25 years of experience in Landcare projects. He has worked all across Australia for clients such as Defence, NT Government, and Rio Tinto on a wide range of grounds management and Landcare projects. Niño specialises in weed control and management, and has planned, implemented, and delivered multiple high-quality projects including weed control, weed eradication, Indigenous flora & bush regeneration, and various other holistic Landcare management projects. His dedication to delivering high- quality, efficient, and safe outcomes, makes Niño a valuable asset to the 18fifty3 team.

Danny McClelland - Civil Manager

With over 17 years of experience in universal civil works ranging from Lismore QLD to regional NSW & ACT. Operating and managing contracts in the high millions, Danny’s extensive experience has shaped his professional path in the civil industry. Danny leads his projects with a distinctive approach to success while keeping client satisfaction and safety as a top priority.

Mark Radford - Safety/Project Manager

Mark is a Veteran having served in the Australian Army including in the SAS Regiment. He is a qualified ships captain and served for 20 years managing large fleets of survey vessels around the world. Mark leads the training and safety of 18fifty3 Groups projects and is a project leadwhen required. Mark has managed projects over $50m and maintains the company safety app and reporting systems.

Andrew Scheiffers - General Manager Aviaiton

Andrew’s military background gives him the ability to have a long story about everything aviation and beyond – while wearing sunglasses. Andrew flies everything from Bristells to Blackhawks and can’t wait to bring you into the Aviation community. Andrew went solo in an Aeroplane before he had a drivers licence. He served 20 years in the Army flying Blackhawks and Kiowa Warriors in Pakistan, East Timor, Afghanistan, PNG and throughout Australia. He is a CFI for RAAus as well as having CASA instructor ratings for Airplanes and Helicopters including at night, Night Vision Goggles and instruments. He has an extensive aviation experience in helicopters and planes that covers SAR, Medevac, charter, fire, instructing, aerobatics and formation. He has been the Chief Pilot of a charter operator so he knows what skills you need for your first job.