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ALBURY-WODONGA
Home > Regional News > Albury-Wodonga
Bioblitz focuses on the rare
15 May 2012
Are you passionate about our local native animals and wonder how scientists research and monitor our wildlife? Border residents can take part in monitoring our local endangered animals in the upcoming Thurgoona Bioblitz 2012, a community wildlife event to be held on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 May in and around Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga. These free events will involve wildlife surveys to be conducted around Thurgoona, including spotlighting nest boxes for Squirrel Gliders, trapping bats and small animals, bird watching, identifying frog calls, and searching for lizards. The surveys will be led by expert ecologists from CSU and other organisations, and the collected data will be added to the Atlas of Living Australia, an online national database of Australia’s flora and fauna. Organised by the Slopes2Summit partnership, which includes CSU, and the Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group, the Friday event will be for school students, while events scheduled for Friday evening and Saturday will involve the wider community. Slopes2Summit facilitator Mr Sam Niedra said the Bioblitz allows schools and the general community to experience and learn about Thurgoona’s rich diversity of animal species, while collecting records “to improve our knowledge of what’s happening in the Thurgoona landscape, and be better informed about how these animals can be conserved into the future”.
Media Note: For more information and to register for Thurgoona Bioblitz 2012, contact Slopes2Summit facilitator Mr Sam Niedra on (02) 6051 9924, mobile 0448 806 256, or send an email. sam@nct.org.au
A marquee will be on the CSU campus at Thurgoona over the two-day event. Buses will help transport groups to and from survey sites. People wanting to find out more and register to help with the surveys should first visit the marquee. Note the school event is full and will include students from Tabletop, Thurgoona and Burrumbuttock Public Schools, Trinity Anglican College, NSW TAFE’s National Environment Centre, and CSU.
The event is funded through the federal government’s Caring For Our Country program, and supported by the NSW Environmental Trust, Albury Conservation Company, Atlas of Living Australia, Nature Conservation Trust, CSU, Australian National University, Murray Catchment Management Authority, TAFE NSW’s National Environment Centre, Albury City Council, NSW Department of Primary Industries, and NSW Livestock Health and Pest Authority.
Print this story Kids benefit from collaboration
15 May 2012
Murray Children’s Centre shares the new purpose-built early childhood building at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga with Aspire Support Services, formerly Woodstock Early Intervention. Dr Sydnye Allen, Murray Children’s Centre director, and Ms Rachael Webb, early intervention manager at Aspire, work collaboratively to provide professional and practical support to CSU and Aspire. “Families of young children benefit from having convenient access to high-quality early childhood education and early intervention specialists located in one building,” Dr Allen said. CSU early childhood education students participate in placements with Murray Children’s Centre and Aspire, with three education students currently working in the infant and toddler classrooms. “For many Charles Sturt University students, this may be their first opportunity to work with children with learning difficulties,” Ms Webb said. Dr Allen and Ms Webb are also engaged in a research project on transitions in early childhood environments, with Dr Laura Piazza from CSU’s School of Education and pre-school teacher and Murray Children’s Centre assistant director, Ms Michelle Smith.
Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Dr Sydnye Allen and Ms Rachel Webb at 10.30am on Thursday 17 May in the Murray Children’s Centre, CSU in Albury-Wodonga, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona. Print this story Addressing the accounting shortage
08 May 2012
Addressing the on-going shortage of professional accountants in regional Australia is the goal of a collaborative project based on the Border involving Charles Sturt University (CSU), Albury Wodonga Careers Advisors Association, the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA), the Murray Industry and Community Education Employment Partnership and the North East Local Learning and Employment Network. Dean of CSU’s Faculty of Business, Professor Lesley White will officially launch a structured high school work experience program for budding accounting students titled Reaping what we sow. The project was developed as part of ICAA-funded research by CSU academics Mr Daniel Murphy and Dr Dianne McGrath, based on the Albury-Wodonga Campus. “The project allows local Year 10 and 11 students to get work experience at accounting firms to understand what the job really involves, and the range and diversity of careers open to accounting graduates,” Mr Murphy said. Supply Finance Manager, Australia New Zealand with Mars Petcare, Mr Nathan Quinlivan, a CSU accounting graduate, will be guest speaker at the event on behalf of ICAA. The launch will start at 12.30pm on Thursday 10 May at La Maison Café, Wodonga.
Media Note: For interviews on the Reaping what we sow project with program coordinator Mr Danny Murphy, contact CSU Media. Professor Lesley White will also be available for interviews from 12.45pm on Thursday 10 May at La Maison Café, Lincoln Causeway, Wodonga. Print this story A walk to inspire
08 May 2012
Charles Sturt University’s new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Vann, will officially open an interpretive walk around Australia’s first environmentally friendly university campus this week in Albury. “The Albury-Wodonga Campus is a developing, dynamic model of how communities can address environmental concerns and create sustainable environments,” Professor Vann said. Among the features of the campus are rammed earth buildings, ‘natural’ air conditioning, composting toilets, and an award winning, six green star energy rated building. “Hundreds of people visit the campus each year to learn about these features and we have responded by putting up signs that help explain these sustainable design principles,” he said. The opening and initial walk will commence at 2.45pm on Wednesday 9 May in the Gums Café, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona.
Media Note: Interviews and pictures with Professor Andrew Vann will be available through th CSU Media. This is Professor Vann’s first official visit to CSU in Albury-Wodonga since he commenced as Vice-Chancellor early in 2012. Associate Head of CSU’s School of Environmental Sciences, Dr Jonathon Howard, will be available at 12noon for earlier interviews regarding the interpretive walk. Print this story CSU in Wangaratta
03 May 2012
Charles Sturt University (CSU) is continuing to make tertiary education more available in regional Australia when it opens its latest Regional University Centre in collaboration with Goulburn Ovens TAFE (GOTAFE) in 2013. Head of CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Ms Sue Moloney, will formally announce the expansion today, Thursday 3 May, during the release of the Rural City of Wangaratta's South Wangaratta Urban Renewal Strategy at 10am during a Special Council meeting at the Council Chamber, Wangaratta Government Centre. “This initiative recognises the complementary and combined strengths of Charles Sturt University and GOTAFE, particularly in agriculture. Initially, students undertaking a GOTAFE diploma in dairy management can continue their studies with credits from their GOTAFE course to gain a CSU degree in agricultural business management. We are also looking to offer further opportunities for CSU courses through the Wangaratta centre, including postgraduate agriculture studies as well as nursing,” Ms Moloney said. The CSU Regional University Centre at Wangaratta will be established by CSU in collaboration with GOTAFE with the support of a Commonwealth Structural Adjustment Fund grant of over $7m.
Media Note: Contact Head of CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Ms Sue Moloney, on mobile 0400 304 433. . Background notes on CSU in Wangaratta are available here.
Print this story Parasitic plants boost biodiversity
01 May 2012
 At first glance mistletoe might seem to be a destructive weed but Charles Sturt University (CSU) ecologist Associate Professor David Watson will explore the role the parasitic plant plays in promoting biodiversity at a seminar in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 2 May. The National Wine and Grape Industry Centre at CSU in Wagga Wagga will host the seminar titled, Parasitic plants as drivers of ecological communities: patterns, predictions, processes. In his presentation, Professor Watson will pull together a decade of research on mistletoe ecology in southern Australia. “The word parasite has nasty connotations to it but rather than being negative or even neutral, in natural systems parasitic plants may be disproportionately important to biodiversity,” he said. “This may provide land managers with a new tool to boost the value of remnant habitats for wildlife and maximise ecosystem functionality in modified landscapes.”
Media Note: Contact CSU Media for interviews or to attend the seminar between 2pm to 3pm on Wednesday 2 May 2012 in the Ron Potter Centre seminar room, building 412 off McKeown Drive at CSU in Wagga Wagga.
The National Wine and Grape Industry Centre is an alliance between CSU, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and the NSW Wine Industry Association.
Print this story Help with electronic research at CSU
01 May 2012
 A Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher has been appointed to a new position to help her colleagues tackle the world of electronic research. Ms Penny Cooke is the University’s new eResearch Analyst for Intersect, the peak body in NSW to coordinate expertise in electronic Research for NSW universities and public and private sector research agencies. In the increasingly globalised world of research, Intersect aims to increase the quality, efficiency and visibility of NSW based research. CSU joined Intersect in early 2012. Director of Research at CSU, Associate Professor Andrea Bishop said, "Charles Sturt University is keen to deepen its relationship with Intersect, particularly to pursue larger collaborative projects that address the needs of rural and regional researchers. As our eResearch Analyst, Penny is now the primary link between Charles Sturt University and Intersect.” Ms Cooke’s role includes advice and support for CSU researchers using eResearch; access to Intersect services; and access to and advocacy in the various national eResearch bodies.
Media Note: eResearch Analyst for Intersect, Ms Penny Cooke is based at CSU in Albury-Wodonga. She is available on 02 6051 9846 or 02 8079 2570 or by email. Director of Research at CSU Associate Professor Andrea Bishop is based at CSU in Wagga Wagga. She is available for interview about CSU’s involvement in Intersect as is Director, Enterprise Architecture at Intersect Ms Di Ireland. Over the past decade, Ms Cooke has worked as a researcher in CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS) and lecturer in the School of Environmental Sciences at CSU in Albury-Wodonga. She has submitted her PhD in the social construction of informal adult learning at CSU. Print this story CSU alumni gather in Albury
01 May 2012
Past graduates of Charles Sturt University (CSU) who live in Albury, Wodonga and surrounding areas are invited to an informal gathering in Albury on Monday evening 14 May. Alumni of all ages and backgrounds can attend a cocktail evening to catch up with friends and possibly make new contacts, while also hearing from three accomplished CSU alumni and staff:
Media Note: For interviews on this event with CSU alumnus and Head of CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Ms Sue Moloney, contact CSU Media. Print this story Science hero champions Australian rivers
24 Apr 2012
 A Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic has been named one of four heroes of science in a new book promoting various fields of science to Australian school students. Former CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Kath Bowmer, has been recognised for her work in improving the management of water flows through inland rivers to improve water quality, particularly in the Murray Darling Basin. Her work was particularly important in addressing the blue-green algae scares in the Darling River during the 1990s, and in developing Australia’s first water sharing plan along the Murrumbidgee River in the 2000s. “The books have been written to encourage children to take an interest in science. I was amazed by being included in a book on the Heroes of Australian Science, and slightly astounded when I saw that the other three scientists featured in the book included former Australian of the Year and leading environmentalist Professor Tim Flannery.” The book was written by Ms Jane Fitzpatrick and published by Macmillan Education.
Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Profssor Kath Bowmer. Professor Bowmer is curently adjunct Professor of Water Policy with CSU’s School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, and an Honorary Fellow with CSIRO Land and Water in Canberra. Read more on the six-book Heroes of Australian Science series here. Print this story Placing community in the Basin water plan
17 Apr 2012
A public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange will shed light on the nature of the trade-offs involved in the proposed transfer of water to the environment in the Murray Darling Basin. Professor Kevin Parton a lecturer and researcher at the CSU School of Marketing and Management, is an expert commentator on the economic and social effects of the water transfer. His presentation is at 6pm Friday 20 April, and he believes there will need to be trade-offs between economic, social and environmental objectives when increasing the flows of water in the Murray-Darling system, which is Australia’s largest river system. “The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has proposed to transfer 2 750 gigalitres per year from irrigation to environmental flows,” he said. “Many farmers consider the costs of even the smallest transfer to be prohibitive, while many conservationists regard anything less than 4 000 gigalitres per year as insufficient to capture any significant environmental benefits.” Professor Parton will consider a number of findings from preliminary research in this controversial topic, including the costs to irrigation farmers, the amounts of environmental water needed, gains for Murray-Darling communities from the plan, and the effects on losers from the plan.
Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Professor Kevin Parton. The lecture will be held in Lecture Theatre 3 at CSU in Orange, between 6 and 8pm on Friday 20 April 2012. CSU wines and cheeses will be served following the lecture. Print this story |
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