Simon Leake CPSS providing guidance to attendees during a private tour at Sydney’s Barangaroo Reserve.
As a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS), long-term member of Soil Science Australia (SSA) and founder of SESL Australia, Simon Leake has spent more than four decades showing how soil science can shape healthier urban landscapes. Since establishing SESL in 1984, he has guided projects that turn difficult, disturbed soils into systems that can sustain vegetation and endure the pressures of urban life.
Designing soils that work
Simon is well known for his expertise in creating engineered soil blends that behave like natural profiles. Urban development sites rarely come with intact topsoil, and need artificial soil profiles installed. Simon has developed ways to combine materials like crushed sandstone, sandy loams, and composted organics to produce soil profiles that drain well, resist compaction, and provide nutrients and organic matter for plant growth.
In 2024, Simon’s remarkable work earned him SSA NSW Branch’s inaugural Soil Consultants Award. The award recognised his leadership on international projects such as soil design and development for the King Salman Park project in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He has also worked on other high-profile projects, including the redevelopment of Sydney’s Homebush precinct in preparation for the 2020 Olympics and Barangaroo Reserve, for which he received the 2015 Horticulturalist of the Year award from the Australian Institute of Horticulture.
His co-authored book Soils for Landscape Development: Selection, Specification and Validation with Elke Haege has become a reference point for landscape architects and contractors. The book sets out how to investigate and recover site soils, specify and test soils based on measurable properties such as infiltration, nutrient-holding capacity, and compaction resistance. By providing clear templates, case studies, and practical guidance, this book is helping professionals turn what was once an intuitive process into a more consistent and reliable practice.
Barangaroo Reserve: soil science in action
A recent demonstration of his work in transforming an industrial port to a world-class urban park is Barangaroo Reserve on Sydney Harbour. The project required the replacement of a concrete container terminal with a headland park planted with native Sydney flora. Working with landscape architect Stuart Pittendrigh, Simon designed soil profiles that mirrored the natural Hawkesbury sandstone ecosystems of the region.
The solution involved crushed sandstone mixed with sand and small amounts of green-waste compost, creating a low-nutrient, free-draining soil system. These soils now support thousands of native plants, resist erosion, and maintain stable groundcover without the heavy fertiliser inputs typical of many urban landscapes. The technical precision of these mixes has allowed the Reserve to flourish as a resilient and self-sustaining environment.
Sharing knowledge and building standards
Simon’s work has always extended beyond project delivery. He regularly shares his expertise through teaching, mentoring, and public engagement, helping to inspire the next generation of soil scientists and landscape professionals. One of the standout ways he does this is through SESL’s Barangaroo Reserve tours, where participants can see soil science principles applied in a real-world urban landscape.
During these tours, Simon guides attendees through the Reserve’s transformation, explaining how soil blends were carefully designed to provide just the right nutrient levels to support native vegetation, manage drainage, and maintain long-term landscape resilience. Participants also get an inside look at the testing, validation, and monitoring techniques used to ensure that the soils perform as intended. Tour participants who hold accreditations with SSA can claim two professional learning hours towards their ongoing professional development requirements. The tours are also approved by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, making them a valuable opportunity for both soil scientists and landscape professionals to combine practical learning with professional development.
Learn more and book to attend the Barangaroo Reserve tour here.
An exemplary professional
Simon’s longstanding involvement with SSA and the CPSS program reflects his commitment to raising standards across the profession. The CPSS program provides independent recognition of a soil scientist’s skills, knowledge, and professionalism, ensuring that soil science advice is evidence-based, accountable, and of high quality.
CPSS accreditation recognises high-level professional competence in soil science and management, derived from a broad soil science knowledge base. CPSS accreditation holders are employed as consultants, or work in utilities, in local, state and federal government policy and planning, and in research and academia.
CPSS accreditation and its specialties are part of SSA’s accreditation framework, which includes Registered Soil Practitioner accreditation and a range of specialties.
Find out more about the SSA’s accreditation framework here.
Healthy soils for healthy cities
Given Simon’s experience, expertise and credentials, SSA is pleased to announce he will be delivering a feature presentation for a webinar we are hosting on World Soil Day, 5 December. The cost to attend the webinar is $14.95 (inc GST) for SSA members who register through our member portal, and $59.95 (inc GST) for non-members.
World Soil Day, an international day recognised by the United Nations, focuses attention on the importance of healthy soil for food security, human well-being, and environmental sustainability. The theme for 2025 is ‘Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities’ and during this webinar Simon will take us on a virtual tour of Barangaroo Reserve and provide insights into innovative soil science techniques used for ecological restoration and landscape resilience of the Reserve.