Dookie Day
You are invited to experience the Dookie agricultural campus: a place where University of Melbourne researchers and students engage directly with the agricultural industry, test innovations and develop solutions in plant and animal health, farming, food and agribusiness
On Sunday 9 September the University of Melbourne’s agricultural campus will open its gates to the public for Dookie Day 2018.
If you are interested in veterinary and agricultural education, research or technology, Dookie Day provides a unique opportunity to discover Victoria’s 2,440-hectare ‘living laboratory’ at Dookie campus, where our students benefit from an immersive study experience and our researchers test innovations in animal, plant and soil science and bring promising discoveries to scale on a working farm.
There’s something for everyone at Dookie Day, including:
- A keynote presentation on sustainable agriculture by Dookie Professor in Residence Timothy Reeves, former Rutherglen Research Institute scientist and director of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
- Displays showcasing what our students have learned while studying at Dookie
- Opportunities to learn about our courses in veterinary, agricultural and food science
- Interactive research displays showcasing the work of our researchers like advanced drone-based sensors, virtual reality education and lab grown meat
- A farmers market with local produce, family-friendly activities and entertainment for all ages
- Tours of our robotic dairy, farm, teaching spaces and accommodation
- Exhibition celebrating Dookie’s 130-year impact on Australian agriculture
- Industry seminars by leading agricultural and veterinary science researchers.
Join us for a day of agricultural discovery at Dookie.
The Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences hosted a community open day at the Dookie campus on Wednesday 18 October 2017 to engage the local community, industry and stakeholders in the Goulburn Valley.
Around 300 visitors were able to see demonstrations of research based at Dookie and the Faculty's other campuses, learn about our courses and see the recently upgraded Swinburne Hall and A Dorm, where Bachelor of Agriculture students in the Dookie Semester have been based this semester.
A gallery of photos from the day by local photographer Liz Arcus is available here.
Swinburne Hall was officially opened by Deputy Chancellor Ross McPherson in a ceremony attended by University Executive. The Executive also attended an engagement lunch with Faculty staff and local VIPs where Faculty Dean John Fazakerley and Provost Margaret Sheil presented on the Faculty and University's commitment to the campus, and to the Goulburn Valley.
The 90 Bachelor of Agriculture and Diploma in General Studies students based at the campus guided visitors and gave presentations on what they had learned at the campus.
Other Dookie Day highlights included:
- Demonstrations of drones that monitor plant health by Sigfredo Fuentes and Engineering's Rodger Young
- Weed control with microwaves instead of pesticides, by Graham Brodie
- Tours of the robotic dairy Demonstrations of the Faculty's sensory testing sensory testing technology
- A research showcase to demonstrate Parkville and Werribee-based research, teaching and veterinary clinical services
- Tastings of beer and wine made at the Dookie winery, including a gold medal-winning shiraz brewed by students in the 2016 Vine to Wine breadth subject
- Seminars on mastitis control, preventing footrot in sheep, sheep progeny evaluation and farm investment by Faculty staff and experts aligned with the Faculty.
Support our Dookie Fund and help students become highly skilled agricultural specialists.
We aspire to be at the forefront of research and innovation in agricultural practice and food production – not just in Australia, but across the world. We aim to be a destination of choice for thought leaders to converge and collaborate on teaching and research. And we aim to attract the very best staff and students to work, study and train with us.
Excellence begets excellence. That’s why we’ve made a commitment to reinvigorate the Dookie campus. Our vision is a campus that will nurture the next generation of farm and food entrepreneurs and industry leaders – a place where researchers and students engage directly with agricultural communities, industry stakeholders, government, farmers and private companies to co-develop solutions.
So far, we’ve installed a robotic dairy and refurbished Swinburne Hall as a teaching and learning centre. Over the next five years, with your help, Dookie will be completely transformed. Our staff and student accommodation will be modernised, and our farm and research infrastructure will be upgraded. We’ll build new animal accommodation and new glasshouses, and invest in state-of-the-art laboratories.
Address
940 Dookie-Nalinga Rd, Dookie College VIC 3647
Phone (weekdays, 9.00am-5.00pm): (03) 5833 9200