Land and Water Link

16 - May 2004

Griffith Lab launch

Minister McGauran told the audience of more than 150 people (including new CLW Chief Rob Vertessy, past staff members and local school students) that the commitment to the new facilities was a significant investment in the Riverina region.

‘CSIRO’s long history of collaboration with the rural and irrigation industries here in Griffith has ensured that research remains relevant to real needs and provides practical, on-ground solutions’, the Minister said.

The new facilities include eight purpose-built laboratories and a major refurbishment of existing facilities – a big improvement on the early research station detailed in a 1926 report: ‘The building equipment is very meagre and consists of a four-roomed bungalow used as a laboratory, office and living quarters for the staff.’

The first facility was opened with the help of a promised 1000 pounds for the first year of operation and the allocation of an experimental area worth 1500 pounds. Since its inception, the Griffith laboratory has nurtured strong relationships with local industry, irrigators and other farmers.

Its location has a unique appeal for Sustainable River and Irrigation Hydrology Research Director Dr Shahbaz Khan. ‘It is challenging in terms of being close to the stakeholders you’ll be working for – there are a lot of similarities to the other semi-arid areas of the world, which means you can compare and see how this area can be managed more sustainably than the others and whether we can transfer these ideas across to those other areas,’ Dr Khan said.

‘It is a completely different landscape here, because of the irrigation – it is like heaven, as compared to a desert. And you can’t get things wrong – if you want to stay in business you have to get it right, because the people you are working with and for are right there with you.’

CSIRO Contact:
Dr Shahbaz Khan
Ph: +61-2-6960 1578

www.clw.csiro.au/research/irrigation/irrigation/