Narrabri is now home to the largest regionally based grains research facility in Australia.
This week, the University of Sydney announced the purchase of Ron and Gloria Campey’s farm L’lara, a 1838 hectare property adjacent to the I.A. Watson Grains Research Institute.
“This acquisition will effectively treble our acreage and open up significantly expanded capability for our research programs,” said Institute Director, Professor Richard Trethowan.
The expansion of the Institute’s land is complemented by the expansion of research programs now underway and planned, and in the increasing number of researchers based at the Institute joined by visiting scientists and PhD students.
I.A. Watson Grains Research Institute Associate Professor Richard Heath said the acquisition of L’lara by the University of Sydney was ‘a purchase for the industry.’
“This will be the biggest regionally based grains research facility in Australia, in area, value of research and personnel.
“We have six full time academics, six full time technical staff, the same in part time technical staff and about 15 post graduate students who work here.
“That will also grow with the new research that will come on line with the additional land now available.
“We are the only university in Australia that is actually expanding its faculty of agriculture in this way” said Prof Heath.
”It is quite significant in the Australian university environment.
“The Institute works on winter cereals, but also a significant program in pulse research, faba beans and field peas particularly.
The research programs are focused on the needs of the northern grains industry, but some programs have international focus.
“The sky is the limit now” said Prof Trethowan. “It gives us so much more scope for research. Our primary aim is to do the research that underpins the grains industry in the north and we have always previously been constrained by the size of the property.”
Ron and Gloria Campey have also significantly boosted research into grain growing in the north-west slopes region by gifting $400,000 to the faculty of Agriculture and Environment at the University of Sydney.
The money will be used to support vital grains research through scholarships for research students.
The property is to be renamed Campey Farm in recognition of the Campey family’s gift.
The University of Sydney is undertaking a long-term, coordinated research program in the region, with the aim of increasing and improving grain production and ensuring sustainability of production, explained Professor Mark Adams, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment.
“The scholarships made possible by Ron and Gloria Campey are incredibly important as they will enable talented students to undertake research that could inform the future of grain growing,” Professor Adams said.
“The donation will bolster existing support for research in the area, including commitments from the University, the Wheat Research Foundation (WRF), and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) to the new infrastructure at the IA Watson Research Station in recent years.”
The University of Sydney has strengthened its position in the region with the purchase of L’lara, Professor Adams said.
“This investment is further evidence of the deep commitment of the University of Sydney to the grains industry and to the region.”
Narrabri Ruralco Property agent, Michael Guest, who acted on behalf of the Campey family during the sale, is enthusiastic about the future of grains research in the Narrabri area.
“This expansion of the University of Sydney footprint not only recognises the importance of the north-west as the focal centre of grain growing in Australia, but will also provide tremendous opportunities for the University and its partner organisations to further develop their programs,” he said.