In Episode 7, Matt sits down with Matthew Burke, a leading timber designer and founder of his own specialist consultancy. Matt’s journey didn’t start in a corporate office: it started as a surfer in Newcastle with a passion for carpentry.
This conversation tracks Matt’s evolution from a Newcastle surf rat to the engineer behind some of Australia's most iconic structures. We move past the sustainability buzzwords to look at how timber actually solves complex site constraints. From the massive wave roof of the Sydney Fish Markets to vertical extensions in Queensland, Matt explains why he is often the first person to say when timber is not the right option and how he bridges the gap between tradie intuition and high-level engineering.
Timestamps
[00:00:00] From the Surf to the Site: Introducing Matthew Burke and his early days in Newcastle.
[00:04:00] The University Pivot: Why seeing 65 year old tradies still lugging hammers pushed Matt toward a double degree.
[00:08:00] The Tradie Edge: Why putting trade experience on a resume is more powerful than a high GPA.
[00:11:00] Newcastle vs Sydney: The culture shock of moving from a family style office to the hustle of Martin Place.
[00:15:00] The Pivot to Mass Timber: Leaving traditional structures for the technical unknown.
[00:18:00] CLT vs Concrete: The engineering breakthrough that allowed timber to act like a concrete slab.
[00:21:00] The Commercial Reality: Why developers are finally paying attention to wood for more than just green points.
[00:25:00] Iconic Projects: Lessons learned from the Barangaroo International House build.
[00:29:00] The Sydney Fish Markets Roof: Solving a geometric nightmare with massive timber joints.
[00:34:00] Building Up: How timber’s light weight makes vertical extensions possible on old buildings.
[00:38:00] The Consultant’s Edge: Why telling a client no builds more trust than saying yes.
[00:42:00] Logistics and Fabrication: Getting massive timber panels from Europe to Australia on time.
[00:48:00] Short Term Durability: Managing timber on site when it starts to rain.
[00:52:00] Building Your Own Luck: Why success in engineering comes down to preparation and the extra 10 percent effort.
[00:58:00] The Bamboo Frontier: Exploring the potential of grass based materials and their incredible regeneration speed.
[01:06:00] Closing Thoughts: Matt wraps up the episode with a Full Send engineering t-shirt for guest Matt Burke.
Additional Resources
- Website: fullsendengineering.com
- Email Matt: matt@fullsendengineering.com
- Connect with Matthew Burke
Are you seeing more timber on your sites, or is it still too hard for most developers? Join the conversation in the comments!
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, subscribe, and share to help us keep sending it.
