Albert Tognolini AM
TOGNOLINI, Albert Henry, BE, HonFIEAust, FCIT, AM (1927 - )
Albert Tognolini achieved a distinguished career in the Western Australian Main Roads Department, including Commissioner from 1987 to 1990, and also made significant contributions to the Institution of Engineers and the Western Australian community. He was closely involved with the construction of the Newman to Port Hedland section of Great Northern Highway and in recognition of his contribution a ‘rest area’ overlooking the spectacular Munjina East Gorge was dedicated in his name on 17 August 2007.
Albert Henry Tognolini was born on 10 August 1927 at Armadale, Western Australia. From 1940 to 1944 he attended Perth Modern School and then studied engineering at the University of Western Australia from 1945 to 1949. As was usual practice at that time, the period between November 1947 to February 1949 was spent as an engineering student working in the Bunbury District of Main Roads. After completion of the course in October 1949, he graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering, Civil in 1950.
Mr Tognolini joined Main Roads on 13 February 1950 as an Assistant Engineer in Geraldton. In July 1957 he was appointed District Engineer Geraldton. With formation of a new Kimberley District in January 1960, Albert transferred to Derby with his young family with the task of establishing the new District and gearing up to undertake the Kimberley Beef Roads Scheme. This was a period of great activity with the recruitment of personnel and the establishment of offices, stores, workshops, laboratories, houses and radio communication.
In October 1961 the Western Australia Grant (Beef Cattle Roads) Act was approved by the Federal Parliament. Additional Commonwealth Government financial assistance was provided in subsequent years. Starting with little more than a five metres wide track in many places, the task was to upgrade the Great Northern Highway between Broome and Wyndham and improve the roads from Nicholson Station to Wyndham. This work in the East Kimberly included construction of a new alignment between Kununurra and Wyndham, including the construction of bridges over the Ord and Dunham rivers. Most difficult of all, works included construction of the Derby to Gibb River road across the King Leopold Ranges, later renamed the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges, to provide access to the North Kimberley.
In June 1964 Mr Tognolini transferred to Perth and in December 1969, after serving as Senior Divisional Engineer North and Deputy Chief Engineer, was appointed Assistant Commissioner Operations. As Assistant Commissioner Mr Tognolini was responsible for preparation of the Main Roads annual and five year works programs and for administrative control of all construction and maintenance operations.
On 8 December 1987 following the retirement of Mr Don Aitken, Mr Tognolini was appointed Commissioner and held this position until 7 December 1990. As described in Chapter 13 of ‘The Vital Link’ (p. 347 to 373), the period from 1987 to 1990 was about ‘Managing Change’. Construction funds were declining, there was a new focus on maintaining and managing existing roads, a trend towards ’smaller government’ and more use made of the private sector. As Commissioner, Albert Tognolini led the organisation through this change with a new and more complex focus on employees, corporate planning, quality management, project management, the environment, conservation, aboriginal sites and heritage. At his retirement function the new Commissioner Dr Ken Michael commented that Albert’s term as Commissioner had seen significant changes, but his ‘cool head and positive leadership had steered [Main Roads] through and left it on a positive path to the future’.
Associated with his career in the Main Roads, Mr Tognolini was a member of the following Committees:
- Deputy Chairman Austroads (1989 - 1990);
- Deputy Chairman of Australian Road Research Board (1989 - 1990);
- Member Engineering Advisory Committee, Engineering Faculty UWA (1981 - 1990);
- Member Standing Committee of Convocation UWA (1975 - 1981); and
- Member Traffic Board Western Australia (1987 - 1990).
During his career in Main Roads Albert was present at a number of very significant transport milestones. For example, Mr Tognolini was present when:
- the last section of the Eyre Highway in Western Australia was sealed on 17 October 1967;
- the Narrows interchange was opened on 30 November 1973; and
- the sealing of Highway 1 around Australia was completed West of Halls Creek on 7 September 1986.
Mr Tognolini was also closely involved with the planning, investigation, route selection and construction of the Newman to Port Hedland section of the Great Northern Highway. He was Commissioner when this nationally significant bitumen sealing project was opened on 16 December 1989. He and his family were subsequently present when a rest area and lookout over the Munjina East George section were named in his honour during a ceremony on 17 August 2007.
In addition to his Main Roads activities, Mr Tognolini’s contribution to the Institution of Engineers, Australia included Chairman of the Western Australian Division in 1975, National Vice President in 1979 and National President in 1984. While National President, Mr Tognolini led a delegation from the Institution of Engineers to China. This early initiative in Australia China relations achieved the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Institution and the China Association of Science and Technology.
In June 1986, Albert Tognolini was awarded a member of the Order of Australia for service to engineering, particularly with the Main Roads Department of Western Australia.
In November 1990 Albert Tognolini accepted an invitation from the then Minister for the Environment Bob Pearce to join the Kings Park Board of Management. With the resignation of the then President in February 1991, the Minister appointed Mr Tognolini as President during a very challenging period of building a new restaurant in an iconic location. Mr Tognolini’s term as President of the Kings Park Board ended in mid 1994.
Publications:
Development of Kimberley Roads, Kimberley Society, 2017
Sources:
Edmonds, Leigh, The Vital Link – A History of Main Roads Western Australia 1926 – 1996, University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands W.A., 1997.
Monument Australia, Albert Tognolini, [website], https://monumentaustralia.org.au/display/109367-albert-tognolini, (accessed 6 January 2022)
Engineers Australia Magazine, 6 April 1984.
Tognolini, Albert, personal Email communication dated 18 April 2019 and 9 July 2024.
Achievements:
Civil Engineer
WA Division Chairman 1975
IEAust National President 1984
Commissioner MRD 1987-1990
Honorary Fellow 1989
President Kings Park Board 1991-1994
First prepared by Mike Taylor for the centenary book 'Anything is possible' in April 2019. Edited 11 July 2024
