Rubicon Water was formed in Shepparton to address Australia’s water issues during the Millennium Drought. A naturally dry climate and rising demand were straining the nation’s systems. By the mid-1990s, population growth, expanding agriculture and new industries were stretching supplied to their limits.
Amid this backdrop, the Victorian Government moved to establish independent rural water authorities, disbanding the Rural Water Corporation (RWC) in 1994. The shift opened the door to innovation. Out of this change, a group of five engineers seized the opportunity to transform irrigation.
In 1995, Bruce Rodgerson, Trevor Tennant, Gino Ciavarella, Tony Oakes and David Aughton founded Rubicon Water in Shepparton. Their mission: to replace inefficient, manually operated channels with automated, digital networks delivering water quickly, accurately and reliably.
Just three years later, a partnership with the University of Melbourne combined engineering and academic expertise to create a breakthrough: Total Channel Control (TCC). By integrating automated gates, flow meters, software and communications, TCC made near on-demand water delivery possible.
Once seen as radical, TCC is now a global benchmark. It achieves distribution efficiencies above 90 per cent — a leap for sustainable water management in Australia and abroad. With Australia holding less than one per cent of the world’s irrigated land, Rubicon’s impact has spread far beyond local borders.
That reach continues to grow. The company has hosted delegates from countries including Italy and Chile, where major projects are underway. In Italy’s Pontine Marshes, Rubicon is helping tackle water management issues dating back to Roman times.
The challenges remain pressing. Worldwide demand for water is climbing due to population growth, climate change and the need to produce more food with fewer resources. Agriculture consumes about 70 per cent of global freshwater, yet more than half is lost before reaching crops due to outdated systems.
Looking ahead to 2050, forecasts warn of even greater pressure on water and food supplies. Rubicon is part of the solution — its technology, now operating in more than 20 countries, is conserving water, reducing losses and helping irrigators do more with less.
From its beginnings in Shepparton to its role as a global leader, Rubicon Water is celebrating 30 years of innovation, collaboration and impact.
