Current practice

Chloe is a special counsel in the Perth Projects group. She advises in respect of all aspects of major infrastructure and resource developments and specialises in the area of Indigenous affairs.

She has advised mining and petroleum companies, government departments and instrumentalities in relation to infrastructure development, land access, approvals, risk management, state agreements, project structuring, government liaison, due diligence, native title matters and Indigenous site protection issues.

Industry experience

Energy, resources and infrastructure projects

• Adviser to AGL in relation to the Moranbah acquisition of a share in the Moranbah Gas Project.
• Adviser in relation to the drafting of a project agreement for indigenous issues for the Boddington Gold Mine.
• Adviser to a bidder for the Aurukun Project in relation to native title issues. 
• Adviser to Argyle Diamond Mines on the negotiation, registration and implementation of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement with traditional owners.
• Adviser on land access and approvals issues for the PNG gas pipeline.
• Adviser on land access and approvals issues, and the negotiation of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement for the development of an LNG facility and pipeline in Western Australia.
• Adviser to Wesfarmers Energy for its bid for Western Power’s SWIS Power Procurement.
• Advised Tata Iron & Steel Co Ltd on native title issues in respect of a Queensland coal mining project.
• Adviser to the Water Corporation on the Perth Desalination Project.
• Adviser to the Water Corporation in respect of water trades in the Harvey Irrigation District.
• Adviser to Babcock & Brown on native title aspects of the acquisition of the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal.
• Adviser to Placer Dome in relation to the expansion of the Granny Smith Gold Mine including the development of the Wallaby Project Native Title Agreement and regional heritage agreements.
• Adviser to financiers, including  ANZ and BankWest, in relation to the financing of resource projects across Australia.
• Adviser to Water Corporation in respect of land access, native title and Aboriginal heritage issues associated with the construction of the Harvey Dam and Stirling to Perth Water Pipeline.
• Acted for numerous resource companies in major native title litigation including the Ward, and Wongatha cases.
• Adviser to Alcoa, Worlsey, Tiwest, Santos, Rio Tinto, Placer Dome, Multiplex, and Water Corporation, on native title and Indigenous heritage issues.
• Advised on the native title issues associated with infrastructure developments on the Burrup Peninsula.
• Advised on native title and Aboriginal heritage issues on the Perth Swan Brewery and Raffles Hotel developments.
• Acted for the Water Corporation on the negotiation of a native title and land access agreement for the Coral Bay Waste Water Treatment Plant.
• Acted on applications for judicial review under the Aboriginal Heritage Act (WA) and applications for declarations under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (Cth).
• Advised on native title issues in relation to 14 ports in 4 States.

Professional background

Chloe graduated from the University of Western Australia with degrees of Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Political Science) in 1997. She was employed in the Legal Research Unit of the National Native Title Tribunal from November 1995 until joining Freehills.

Chloe was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in March 1999, the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia in August 2000 and the Supreme Court of Queensland in February 2002. Chloe has worked in both our Perth and Brisbane offices.

She is a member of the Australian Water Association and sits on the Water Issues Committee of the Western Australian Chamber of Minerals and Energy, and the Indigenous Relations Working Group of the Minerals Council of Australia.

She joined Freehills in March 1998 and was made a special counsel in June 2006.