After falling from the roof while cleaning his gutters in the 1970s, the concept for a fully enclosed surface tension gutter protection system was born. His innovative design allowed rainwater to flow into the gutter while leaves and debris simply fall away.

In 1979, he created his first design and won first place on ABC’s The Inventors.

Richard’s gutter guard quickly gained traction, with Monier marketing the product and installations taking place on homes across Australia. While the system worked well, he realised that pine needles could still find their way into the gutter.

Determined to solve this problem, Richard continued refining the design to improve its effectiveness. His updated system returned to television in 2004 on The New Inventors, demonstrating the evolution of his idea.

Since 2005, the improved Leaf Safe Gutters® system made from durable Colorbond® steel has been manufactured and installed on homes throughout Australia, delivering a smarter, more reliable approach to gutter protection.