January start for new Primary Industries Institute

The Gosford Primary Industries Institute has been located on its present site in Narara Valley for almost 100 years and will be leaving it to move into state-of-the-art facilities to be built at the Campus over the next 12 months.

A tender for the construction of the first and most significant stage will be let before the year’s end with construction to begin in January 2010.

This first stage will incorporate a single two storey building of approximately 2,000 sqm with the top floor providing office accommodation for around 60 staff who will transfer to the site on completion of the building in November 2010. The bottom floor will house laboratories and controlled environment rooms for the conduct of research into problems facing our horticultural industries and into market opportunities for NSW horticultural produce in overseas markets.

The second stage of the development will incorporate the construction of a number of greenhouse structures for the conduct of research into hydroponic food production in protected environments and for studies into the use of integrated pest management strategies. This second stage of development will occur later in 2010 and be completed concurrently with Stage 1 for the transfer of functions from Narara to Ourimbah towards the end of 2010.

This relocation will not only provide DPI staff with new and better facilities, but will provide for stronger co-operative relationships to between University and DPI staff.

The Gosford Primary Industries Institute field station at Somersby will also be retained to provide field research opportunities for both DPI and University of Newcastle staff.

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