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WAGGA WAGGA
Home > Regional News > Wagga Wagga
Herbicide resistance spreads in southern NSW
25 Nov 2008
 Annual ryegrass with herbicide resistance is now common in southern NSW, according to collaborative research between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) recently completed at the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation. In studies conducted from Dubbo in the state’s central west, to the Victorian border in the south, and east-west between the Hume and Newell highways, researchers Mr John Broster and Mr Eric Koetz have found high levels of resistance in ryegrass to widely used herbicides. Director of the EH Graham Centre, Professor Deirdre Lemerle, said these findings show a large increase since the last thorough survey was conducted in 1991. “Around 80 per cent of paddocks surveyed in 2007 had significant levels of resistance to Group A ‘fops’ herbicides, while resistance to Group B ‘SU’ herbicides are in 65 to 70 per cent of paddocks.” Professor Lemerle said 17 years ago, only 10 to 15 per cent of paddocks had ryegrass with resistance to these herbicides. “These high levels of resistance reinforce the importance of developing and introducing new non-chemical weed control techniques into our weed management strategies,” she said. The research is part of a larger survey across the wheat-belt, funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
Media Note: To arrange an interview, contact Director of the EH Graham Centre, Professor Deirdre Lemerle on 0419 816 267. Professor Lemerle is based in Wagga Wagga. Print this story Australian artists give to CSU
25 Nov 2008
 Two Australian artists have donated almost 50 prints to the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Art Collection. The artists, Dr Guy Warren from Sydney, and Ms Chayni Henry from Milner near Darwin, donated the prints to the University through the Commonwealth's Committee on Taxation Incentives for the Arts. The works will hang in the 2009 exhibitions, Mono Uno: Monotype mark making within the CSU Art Collection and More Beasties, helping to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of CSU in 2009. Dr Warren donated two traditional 1958 oil monotypes and 14 watercolour monotypes from the early 1980s and seven related prints. Ms Henry has donated the entire Rona Green-curated print portfolio Beasties 2005/6. The portfolio includes the work of printmakers Rosalind Atkins, Milan Milojevic, Rew Hanks, Rebecca Mayo, Stephen Spurrier and Murray Walker. “The gifts, valued at almost $60 000, are a timely contemporary injection to the University’s Art Collection which already holds the minutea print exchange portfolio curated by Ms Green in 2000,” said CSU Art Curator Mr Thomas Middlemost.
Media Note: Further information is available from CSU Art Curator Mr Thomas Middlemost. Print this story Gold medal for CSU top drop
18 Nov 2008
 The Charles Sturt University (CSU) 2007 Shiraz was one of only four wines to be awarded a Gold Medal in the 2007 Shiraz class at the 2008 Royal Melbourne Wine Show on Thursday 13 November and has now been released through the Cellar Door. The CSU 2007 Shiraz was produced with grapes from the University’s vineyard in Orange and was the only NSW wine to be nominated for this year’s Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show. The wine had already been awarded bronze medals at the Orange Wine Show in October and the Riverina Wine Show in September. “The University is delighted with the gold medal in recognition of the quality of our 2007 Shiraz,” said winemaker, Mr Andrew Drumm. “It was also a great achievement to be among the small number of red wines nominated from 660 other Australian one year old red wines for the Jimmy Watson Trophy.”
Media Note: Contact CSU Media for interviews. Print this story Sneaking a peek at new student accommodation
18 Nov 2008
.jpg) Construction of the new 200-bed residential development for Charles Sturt University (CSU) students is nearly complete on the University’s Thurgoona site, and CSU students and staff will be able to inspect some of the new facilities on Thursday 20 November. On completion, ten modular concrete and corrugated iron buildings will each house 20 students in self-catering accommodation. The development will include ‘open plan’ kitchens and living areas in each block, with two buildings enclosing an open courtyard. The corrugated iron, which is light, strong, adaptable and durable, shields the internal concrete walls from the summer heat, enabling the buildings to maintain a more constant temperature without the use of expensive air conditioning. Rainwater collected from roofs will be used to flush toilets, while wastewater, or ‘grey water’, from kitchens and bathrooms will be pumped into the existing grey water treatment ponds on the Thurgoona site. Three buildings totalling 120 beds will be completed by the start of the academic year in February 2009, with a further 80 beds to be ready by April.
Media Note: Media will be able to tour the new student facilities at 10.30am on Thursday 20 November. Meet at the CSU Media office, Gordon Beavan building, Leahy St, Thurgoona to take a tour. Print this story Educational opportunities in Griffith
18 Nov 2008
An information session will be held in Griffith on Thursday 20 November by TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Griffith City Council for those interested in studying the integrated Diploma to Degree program. The three year program is currently offered through Riverina Institute’s Griffith Campus. Combining university and TAFE studies, the program enables students to gain a Bachelor of Business Studies through CSU as well as three further nationally recognised qualifications including a Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Management and a Certificate IV in Frontline Management through Riverina Institute. “Students benefit from expert tuition from both TAFE and university lecturers and have access to the resources and facilities of both institutions,” explained Riverina Institute’s Head of Griffith Campus, Mr Tony McBride. “The integrated program is proving an excellent model for delivering high quality education and student support,” said CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Ross Chambers.
Media Note: The information session will be held this Thursday 20 November from 6pm at the Gemini Hotel, Banna Avenue, Griffith. Further information is available from Ms Anne Lyons on 02 6962 0456. Print this story Social development in Asia-Pacific
18 Nov 2008
 Increasing awareness of the social development needs of the Asia-Pacific region is one of the aims of an international conference being co-organised by Associate Professor Manohar Pawar from Charles Sturt University (CSU). The conference, which will be held in Nepal from Tuesday 25 to Friday 28 November, is held biennially by the International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD). Professor Pawar, from the CSU Institute for Land, Water and Society, is president of the ICSD Asia-Pacific branch. “This conference, with its themes of social development, transition and local partnerships, is being held at a time of international financial uncertainty,” said Professor Pawar. “Some world leaders have responded by pleading for global partnership and cooperation to deal with the financial crisis, though the whole world may not be responsible for such a crisis. Similar to the financial crisis, the world is experiencing severe and intensive crises such as poverty and hunger, climate change, disasters and drought, war and violence, and mass displacement of people. It is also timely to call for global partnership and cooperation to attack these crises.”
Media Note: The conference, Social Development and Transition: Paths for Global Local Partnerships will be held at the Dhulikhel Lodge Resort in Kathmandu, Nepal. The program can be found here ( CMS/document store/ISCD speakers program .doc ). Further information about the International Consortium for Social Development Asia Pacific branch can be found here. Conference co-organiser, Associate Professor Manohar Pawar will depart CSU at Wagga Wagga for Nepal on Friday 21 November. Among the guest speakers for the three day event is social activist, Ms Medha Patkar, from India. Her awards include the Right Livelihood Award, the Green Ribbon Award from the BBC, and Amnesty International Award for Human Rights Defenders. Print this story New scholarships for regional learning
18 Nov 2008
 Charles Sturt University (CSU) will offer 20 scholarships that encourage joint studies between the University and TAFE colleges. The CSU Rural Learning Partnership Scholarships, each worth $2 000 for one year, are aimed at full-time students in need of financial assistance who are completing such courses such as the Bachelor of Business Studies in Griffith. Students with disabilities, from non-English speaking backgrounds or who are Indigenous are encouraged to apply for the competitive grants which can pay for accommodation, tuition fees, books and computers. CSU’s Head of School of Business and Information Studies, Associate Professor John Atkinson, said the Rural Learning Partnership Scholarships aim to redress some of the current financial inequities of tertiary study in regional Australia by helping students with genuine financial difficulties. The scholarships will be launched in Griffith on Thursday 20 November by CSU and NSW TAFE Riverina Institute at an integrated Business program information session.
Media Note: For interviews with Head of the School of Business and Information Studies, Associate Professor John Atkinson, contact CSU Media. The integrated Business program information session will be held at the Gemini Hotel, Griffith, from 6 to 7pm on Thursday 20 November. Print this story Ten years for Indigenous education expo
11 Nov 2008
 Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Murray School of Education will celebrate ten years of providing Indigenous educational experiences for its early childhood education students in Lavington on Wednesday 12 November. The CSU students will provide 400 primary school students from Albury and Wodonga with a bush-tucker barbeque, face painting, boomerang making, clap-stick and bandana painting, cave construction, dance, music and storytelling, all based on Indigenous cultures. Wiradjuri spokesperson and CSU education lecturer, Yalmambirra, said the subject gave many students their first hands-on experiences of Indigenous cultures and that these were important for educating future teachers. The Indigenous cultural education day will be held between 9am and 2.30pm at Mirrambeena Community Centre, Martha Mews, Lavington (opposite the North Albury swimming pool).
Media Note: For pictures and interviews with CSU education lecturer Yalmambirra, contact CSU Media.
Print this story Big electricity bills motivate users to switch off
11 Nov 2008
2.jpg){kind=small} An initial survey of NSW households by a Charles Sturt University researcher has found most householders are looking at ways to become more energy efficient by using less electricity. However, while environmental concern is one reason people aim to reduce their usage, according to CSU postgraduate student Ms Jodie Kleinschafer it is the “larger than expected electricity bill” that is the more immediate motivator. “When ‘average’ householders get larger than expected electricity bills, they start to look for ways to reduce the electricity they use,” said Mrs Kleinschafer, who is undertaking a three year, $100 000 research project funded by Country Energy. So far, Mrs Kleinschafer has surveyed 80 households, and in conjunction with Country Energy will survey a further 4 000 regional NSW households in the next two months. She said the findings of her research would enable electricity retailers to manage increasing electricity demand in a way that still satisfies the needs of residential electricity consumers.
Media Note: For interviews contact the Media Office. Print this story Awards for CSU's Veterinary Clinical Centre
11 Nov 2008
 Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Veterinary Science Clinical Building at Wagga Wagga has received two awards this month for its construction and innovative design. Joss Constructions won the Master Builders Association of NSW ‘Excellence in Construction Award’ in the Tertiary Buildings category valued under $10 million. The Australian Steel Institute of NSW and ACT awarded a high recommendation in the ‘Architectural Steel Design Award’ to Merat Architects, Wood and Grieve Engineers, Joss Constructions and Southern Central Engineering. The clinic includes modern surgical facilities for large and small animals, diagnostic imaging and reproduction services for horses. Fourth year veterinary science students are the first CSU students to benefit from the clinic which was officially opened in July 2008.
Media Note: For interviews contact CSU Media. Print this story |
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