Mark

Mark’s father was a builder, building some 50 homes a year on the Sunshine Coast. Mark laid the slabs and footings, and when the concreting side was quiet, he was also grabbed by other tradespeople. As Mark’s father progressed to development in the late 1970’s, Mark was then employed to the mid 80’s by Antipest Australia Pty Ltd (a division of Elders/IXL) through Elders bigger years.

At that time Elders had substantial interests in the beef industry in Australia, and had branches in all the major country towns. Elders had abattoirs west of Toowoomba, and in Cairns and Townsville. They added a feedlot at Mungindi, approximately 100 miles west south west of Goondiwindi. At this time, Elders also bought Carlton United Breweries, and Antipest had some 300 hotels throughout Queensland to inspect for termites, and treat as necessary, as far south west as Cunnamulla, as far north west as Julia Creek, and all the major towns between there and the eastern coast.

In Australia, we have northern and southern groups of termites (loosely separated by the Tropic of Capricorn). Both groups work differently, depending on whether they’re in moist coastal conditions, or dry arid conditions. Through the Antipest experience, Mark was able to work with all 4 groups of termites. It really was experience you just couldn’t buy. In July, 1985, Elders sold Antipest to Rentokil, and Mark worked with Rentokil for a short period before leaving.

The following years provided great experience in termite inspections and treatments, fumigation, and commercial pest control. Environpest were DPI – Forestry fumigators for the West Indian Drywood termite fumigating some 60 buildings in Brisbane, Bundaberg and Thursday Island. Quarantine fumigation and treatments became a big part of our business, and to this day Mark is still an AQIS (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) registered stakeholder.

Since 2006, Mark’s been sitting on the Australian Standards Committees in the termite issue on behalf of Master Builders Queensland, and since 2011, on behalf of Master Builders Australia in Canberra. The Australian Standards Committee meetings are held in Sydney. In 2014, Australian Standards AS3660.1-2014 (Termites – new buildings) and AS3660.3-2014 (Assessment criteria for termite management systems) were published. Australian Standard AS3660.2-2017 (Termite management – In and around existing buildings and structures) was published .

The mindset in what we do is pretty straightforward. We have to do our inspections well, and if there are treatments required as a result of inspections, then those treatments must also be done properly, to produce a long term result for our clients. A simple question we ask with every recommendation we make is: “Knowing what we know, what would we do if this were our own home?” It’s a pretty hard to get that wrong! We always look at a property from our clients’ perspective.

Environpest are not the cheapest timber pest inspection company you’ll find, (and we’re not the most expensive) but as you might have gathered browsing our web site, given what we provide in our inspections and advice, you’ll find we’re incredibly good value. The value of the honest advice you get here will be remembered long after you’ve forgotten the price!

If we can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to call Leeanne at Environpest on (07) 3219 2777, or e-mail Environpest at info@environpest.com.au.