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The
Environmental Technology Centre (ETC) at Murdoch University was established
in 1992, and officially inaugurated in 1994 during the National Conference
on Technology Transfer in Remote Communities. The ETC was established
by the Remote Area Developments Group of the Institute for Environmental
Sciences at Murdoch University. The RADG was established in the
Institute
for Environmental Sciences at Murdoch University in 1985. The RADG
and the ETC are key components of the Murdoch University-based
Institute
for Environmental Science, which was set up in 1977 to foster links
between university research initiatives and industry. The Institute
is based in the Division of Science and Engineering at Murdoch University
alongside the School of Environmental Science, one of the few
schools
nationally to focus specifically on teaching and research in environmental
science.
The
RADG had established a small fenced compound near the air pollution
research facility in 1988. After 12 months of operation it soon became
apparent that this site would be too small with an experimental ablution
facility and solar powered desalination system occupying most of the
area.
The
group officially requested some land from the university in 1989 and
the following year the university announced it would provide 1.7 hectares.
A lot was chosen in the current location based on the original land
title divisions.
Staff
and students of RADG commenced development of the site in 1992 with
establishment of permaculture trial gardens at the base of the hill.
In
this same year the university provided funds to enable the site to be
fenced and a limestone road put through the centre of the site to the
top of the hill. The School of Environmental Science provided funds
to allow the site hut and dry compost toilets to be installed at the
top of the hill. Water and power connection were also provided. Staff
and students of RADG and community volunteers then commenced development
of permaculture gardens around the site hut. ETC/RADG site manager Don
Harrison along with colleagues PB and Martin Anda then commenced development
of other site infrastructure including water tank, wind turbines, bores
and solar pumps. In 1996 the climate-sensible classroom at the front
of the site was built.
Over
this time a very strong support group of staff, students and community
volunteers had formed which continued to develop the permaculture landscape
of the site as well as to conduct bush regeneration activities on 2
key areas. This group then officially established MUPETS which was subsequently
recognised by the Guild. The Murdoch University Permaculture and Environmental
Technology Society (MUPETS) formed in October 1996 aims to:
-
promote
the principles of Permaculture, and
-
encourage participation in the site development of the Environmental
Technology Centre as a case of sustainable development.
Also in 1996
the ETC commenced hosting Community-based Workers Orders from the
Ministry of Justice 3 days per week to assist in site maintenance
and development of the increasing amount of infrastructure and growing
landscape.
Up until this
point much of the landscape development and maintenance had been done
by weekend busy bees on the solstices and equinoxes. As the landscape
became larger and more intensive to manage the LEAP program workers
became critical participants in site work. With a change in Federal
Government the Work for the Dole program was introduced and ETC soon
became host to regular contingent of 5 to 15 workers 2 days per week.
This program also paid for site supervisors. Thus site maintenance
and development moved from a system almost wholly dependent on volunteers
to one now based on paid supervisors and unemployed people on an ETC
program providing new opportunities.
In December 1997,
at the ETC's International Conference on Environmental Technologies
for Wastewater Management, the United Nations Environmental Programme's
(UNEP) International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC) announced
that the Murdoch ETC would be recognised as a focal point of activities
for the Asia-Pacific region, conditional upon upgrading its facilities
to provide the required services.
In 1999 the ETC
was selected as a Centre of Excellence for Industry-focussed Research
& Development in Environmental Technology by the Government of
Western Australia. Consequently, with the associated funding and industry
support, it was able to construct state-of-art environmentally sound
office and laboratory buildings in 2000/01.
In 2001, with
these facilities in place, ETC was confirmed as the UNEP-IETC Cooperation
Centre for the Asia-Pacific region.
In January, 2002
the Premier officially announced the support of the Government of
Western Australia for the ETC as the UNEP-IETC Cooperation Centre
for the Asia-Pacific region.
As recounted
by David Brockway (Veterinary Farm Manager) in an interview by Otti
Bajsa, July 2000:
David Brockway has been at Murdoch University since 1976. However,
he has been in communication with the people who were on the land
before Murdoch University was built. Throughout the years he has found
out many facts about the land and its people as it was before.
The land used
to belong to the University of Western Australia (UWA) before they
endowed it to Murdoch University. On a percentage of the land pine
trees (Pinus pinaster) were grown by the former Forestry Department,
which is now known as CALM. They used to have fire lookouts that were
located where the Kardinya Shopping Centre is found today. The forestry
department came and harvested the good quality pine trees for timber,
before Murdoch University took the land over. The remaining trees
that were left on site were of bad quality, as they were small or
bent and had to be purchased by the University. David had tried many
times to sell these trees to sawmillers, when they had to be cut down
for development. However, it was without much success, as metropolitan
pine is regarded as being of inferior quality.
Large pine trees
were found on the southern part of the campus in the Banksia woodlands.
These grew from seed and were not plantation pines, as they did not
have any branches trimmed. There must have been a number of large
Jarrah trees (E. marginata) growing in the area. Some remaining stumps
of mature trees were discovered. The trees must have been quite large,
as there were some traditional tree felling pits found in the area.
There are also quite a few coppiced Jarrahs growing on the campus.
They are not as strong as the original tree and will break in high
winds. Many of the Jarrahs grown subsequently are found to have stunted
growth as well. The other main vegetation in the area was found to
be Banksias, Nuytsia floribunda (commonly known as Christmas tree)
and a type of sheoak (Casuarina sp. - fraseriana, stricta, obesa).
Much work has been carried out on the flora and fauna of the region.
A row of pines
is growing from the north to the south, as can be seen on the 1975
aerial photograph. These pines are older then any of the other pines
on campus. An old raised road is running parallel to these pines.
This was the early road to Rockingham according to Wally Croll. A
few timber planks were found in the peat swamp. They were possibly
used to traverse the swamp with vehicles in winter. Paspalum dilatatum
has invaded the area. This plant is known to be quite an aggressive
invader.
The soil at Murdoch
is of poor quality in regard to agricultural or arbouriculture purposes.
It could therefore only support one crop of trees. When David approached
CSBP to undertake some soil testing, the company advised him, that
it was a waste of money. The results would probably indicate a phosphorus
content of about one part per million (PPM) in which only banksias
could possibly survive, and the nitrogen and potash levels would be
very low, too.
The land was
used for many purposes prior to that. In the Southeast there is a
peat swamp that is bounded by Farrington road and Murdoch Drive. This
peat is quite acidic. There are some drainage lines that are clearly
visible on the 1975 aerial photograph. They were created in the 1930's
by the Chinese market gardeners who where living near the swamp. The
drainage lines were hand dug. Within the Melaleuca sp. swamp more
drainage lines have been located. It is unclear why they had drained
this area, unless they had cleared the Melaleucas. They had also dug
out small holes around the edge of the swamp from which they were
carting water in the traditional Chinese way.
Two dwellings
were found in which the Chinese people must have lived. There are
rubbish burial places that have been located around this area. They
contained broken china bowls and traditional Chinese soupspoons.
The water table
in this area is interesting, as it is a perched water table. This
means that in winter the rain collects on top of the peat. Underneath
the peat one mid water table can be found. Some of this lower water
table may also be tidal.
The swamp is
made up of a few different soil types. It cannot be used in winter
for grazing purposes and has been encroached by reeds for a long time.
The Dixon family
lived Northwest of the Melaleuca swamp in the area. This area is now
known as paddock O on the farm plan. Some Aboriginal families lived
on the eastern side of the swamp. The
water that runs off at the south end of the campus is fresh water.
It runs towards North Lake. In 1975 a drain was built by the University
to improve natural drainage.
Around the time
when the Chinese market gardeners were on the land the Dixons and
the Crolls and various other people fenced parts of the area off to
graze animals on. When the Chinese people moved away (possibly around
70 to 80 years ago) the graziers started to graze the land more heavily,
possibly with horses. Some of the fencing posts and wires are still
in existence.
North Lake,
which is situated Southwest of the campus has been monitored. It was
found that eutropification had started to occur. Subsequently, in
en effort to maintain the lake in good condition a weir and pump station
were built in the 90's at the southern edge of the Melaleuca Swamp.
The water is pumped back on campus to a sump, to reduce the amount
of nitrogen and phosphorus draining into North Lake. The University
has also reduced the levels of N/P/K application to their pastures
to well below the levels recommended by the Department of Agriculture
and is using compost.
North of this
area we can see the swamp area which was a natural depression point
on campus. This place was called the swamp and has some turtles living
in it. The forestry department excavated a sump in the middle of the
swamp to use the water harvested from there to fight fires. This water
used to be pumped up to bush court, where there was a big tank. There
used to be also a few houses on bush court. The people living there
might even have used the water for cooking and drinking purposes.
The land in those days was much damper, and there are therefore a
few remaining Flooded Gum (E. rudis) found in the area.
the story
of the etc, radg + mupets continues ...
