Vol. 19 No. 3
FREE PUBLICATION
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Australian Editorial Award 2016
THERE SHE FLOWS: Katherine Hollaway of Horsham and her labradoodle Pepe pause at Horsham weir during a walk along Yanga Track on the Wimmera River. Run-off in the catchment from winter rain has led to the best flow in the river in four years. Story, page 3. Picture: DEAN LAWSON
Bonus in science A
BY DEAN LAWSON
Wimmera development leader has spoken of the potential flow-on benefits a ground-breaking international research laboratory in Stawell will have on the region.
Wimmera Development Association executive director Ralph Kenyon said the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory at Stawell Gold Mine would send the region onto a fresh path of scientific relevance and significance. He said the project would expand the region’s intellectual workforce, already globally prominent through agricultural science at institutions such as Grains Innovation Park in Horsham. “The research project at Stawell is certainly of regional, state, national
and international significance,” he said. “While we have a unique situation with the availability of Stawell Gold Mine as a venue for this type of one-off project, there is no doubting the influence the number of highly educated scientists from around the world will have on Stawell and the broader region. “It will provide a critical intellectual base and open a door to other scientificbased research potential and capabilities.” Victorian Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford joined Northern Grampians Shire Council, Melbourne University and Stawell Gold Mine representatives last week for an official project launch and signing of a memorandum of understanding. Construction has started on the deep underground
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laboratory, the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, where scientists involved in a global partnership will explore the mysteries of ‘dark matter’. “One of the most exciting things about the project is the growth of the scientific community in the region. This is adding to and expanding our intellectual foundations and really, when it comes to the future, we are only limited by our imagination,” Mr Kenyon said. “The challenge is before us to gain leverage from this type of opportunity to explore what else we could achieve. “We have the resources and assets, so the question is: how do we best use them and what opportunities does development create for us? We only have to look at another project about to start that includes bringing four PHD
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students to Federation University’s Horsham campus to see there is a groundswell of high-level research growth in the region.” Mr Kenyon said the Stawell project provided an example of why it was important the region continued to explore diversity in development. “The more we test our thinking, the more ideas and opportunities will evolve in the future,” he said. “We saw in the 10-year and also the recent drought that everybody suffers when the crops aren’t growing. We need to explore other opportunities that can generate community income and ultimately growth. “Are there things we can do to extend ourselves to look beyond the farm gate, to see what else is out there?”
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