Content
Fraser Island Developing as a Major Study Centre
21 August 2004
Since the University commenced we have been consistently looking
at ways in which we can link with the region: its different
locations, its businesses, its institutions and generally consider
ways in which we can engage more people in education and the
University. For example, many academic degree programs now involve
experience with local firms. New education programs will have
significant school-based components. Facilities link and share
ideas and resources with other organisations such as the Department
of Primary Industries and Fisheries. Headstart programs give school
children opportunities to study units at the University to ease the
eventual transition to higher education. There is increasing
inter-sectoral cooperation with education providers.
One of the hardest requests to satisfy in our early years is to
have a 'base', a 'learning centre' or a 'campus' elsewhere in the
region. We have one such centre at Noosa, and we conduct some of
our nursing activities at hospitals in Nambour and Gympie.
The reason that it is so hard to respond is concerned with
resources. We still have some way to go before we can match the
resources available to larger universities with longer histories,
but we are, as Australia's fastest growing University, already
overtaking some, and that will become more obvious across the next
four or five strong growth years.
Students and staff of modern universities are justifiably more
demanding and once a 'base' is established, it requires more and
more resources, which can divert from building economies of scale
at the main campus. And it is the main campus that most students
want to attend because it has more interactions with staff and
other students, and it has more resources like the specialist
libraries and IT infrastructure.
Therefore we have had to be very cautious about dissipating our
resources by establishing bases around the region.
Over the last couple of years, however, we have been negotiating
bases on Fraser Island, which is a place of unique natural beauty
of world-class standard. We have been particularly interested in
establishing research facilities there, and with the help of
Kingfisher Bay Resort this has become possible.
Members of the Science Faculty, particularly Ron and Anne
Neller, have forged local links, led the research activity, and
have established agreements with universities associated with
research in other unique natural areas like Yosemite in the US and
Kruger in South Africa. There are enormous possibilities for
internationally significant research activity building up at
Fraser.
More recently the University has leased from the State
Government, the Dilli Village camp site on the ocean side of
Fraser, near the south of the Island.
When I saw the site eighteen months or so ago it was in a
dilapidated state but a University team led by Tony Short was based
at Dilli for some months earlier this year and have begun to
transform the site, which already has a growing number of bookings
from student groups, families and backpackers who can stay, for
modest prices.
It is a great base from which to study the Island, and we are
hoping to see this base grow rapidly as universities' and school
groups discover its huge potential. It will soon be further
improved and expanded and will hugely increase our store of
knowledge of this gem of an island. Students of a range of ages
will be fascinated by the study opportunities that will be opened
up by this facility of Dilli Village.
It is another example of the way in which the University is
having a positive impact across the whole region of the Sunshine
Coast.
Professor Paul Thomas is Vice-Chancellor of University of
the Sunshine Coast