Media release
Student Engineers Encouraged To 'Think Outside The Square'
23 April 2007
Final year civil engineering students at La Trobe University's Bendigo campus have been getting a first-hand look at innovative infrastructure projects being developed to address some of the most challenging issues facing Australia, including water shortages.
Students have been conducting field trips over the past four weeks including a two-day trip to the Coleambally Irrigation district in New South Wales, an area considered to be at the forefront of sustainable irrigation in Australia. The group also travelled to Goulburn-Murray Water at Tatura near Shepparton which is the largest rural water authority in Australia, managing water storages, delivery and drainage systems, involving 70% of Victoria's stored water.
Dr John Russell said the field trips formed part of a new unit of study called 'Sustainable Infrastructure' introduced to the Bachelor of Civil Engineering course this year.
"This is a great opportunity for students to see first-hand innovative projects and strategies that other regional communities are employing to solve salinity, use water more efficiently and address infrastructure challenges."
"We want to encourage students to 'think outside the square' in the way they approach engineering challenges."
"These students will be stepping into the role of engineers once they graduate at the end of this year and it is vital that they gain in-depth experience, understanding and appreciation of the importance of applying sustainable practices to all civil engineering principles."
La Trobe student Carey Ashby said the field trips were an opportunity to speak face-to-face with senior engineers, farmers and irrigators and to see projects and systems in action.
"The Coleambally irrigation area and the technology approaches being used there are eye opening. Coleambally Irrigation Co-operative Limited (CICL) is delivering 89% irrigation efficiency - which is believed to be a world record for an open channel system and more efficient than most urban piped systems."
During the visit to Goulburn-Murray Water, students saw irrigation delivery system technology which is providing significant water savings. G-M Water has significant resources and programs focusing on reducing water losses and optimising its delivery systems including re-configuring planning for large irrigation districts, installing plastic lining, pipelining and other leading industry asset management practices to ensure the economic and environmental sustainability of northern Victoria's irrigation industry.
Carey said the field trips also encouraged students to consider the future infrastructure issues of an organisation or community.
"We were required to conduct research on each organisation, their systems, practices and policies and then develop a template of what the organisation might look like in the year 2020 considering issues of sustainability - threats and opportunities."
Carey said he was looking forward to the next field trips where students will travel to Melbourne to see the Melbourne City Council's Innovative Tower, the '60L Green Building' in Carlton, as well as visiting the Building Commission.
The group will also tour the new Bendigo Bank headquarters in Bendigo currently under construction, which is considered to be one of the most environmentally-friendly buildings in regional Australia.
For more information on civil engineering programs offered at La Trobe University visit: www.latrobe.edu.au/ceps or phone the Course Administrator on (03) 54447805.
Karyn O'Brien, Media Consultant, 03 5622 1636, email