2004: Learning on the land

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Tags: Science, winter-2011

Caroline Harris

Caroline Harris, Bachelor of Natural Resource Economics, Master of Rangeland Management

Studying externally has been a way of life for UQ alumnus Caroline Harris, who recently graduated with a Master of Rangeland Management.

Ms Harris grew up in the Ironpot district north of Dalby, where she completed primary school, her undergraduate economics studies and most recently her masters, all via distance education.

“I have no trouble doing distance education, but it is possibly from my background of starting school that way,” Ms Harris said.

“I have never really coped with classrooms.”

A natural resource economist, Ms Harris said she felt strongly about the importance of agriculture to the Australian economy.

“Eighty percent of the Australian land mass is classified as rangelands and in this area it is crucial that we look after our agricultural land,” Ms Harris said.

“A lot of us in the country feel we tend to get accused of not caring for the land by city people.

“We have an enormous amount of practical knowledge about our local areas and it’s important to connect this knowledge with the scientists and vice-versa.”

With an involvement in cattle and cropping properties since birth, plus her work with natural resource economics, Ms Harris said the benefits of undertaking postgraduate studies were clear.

“The program was very flexible and the people who coordinate it are very aware that the majority of us are on properties,” she said.

“When it’s harvest time, we have to drop everything, and the rangelands courses cater for that variability.

“It gives people in remote and rural areas an opportunity to take part in tertiary study.

“I think it’s wonderful that the younger generation of people working on the land are able to expand their knowledge and to learn the science behind the things that they know instinctively.”

Throughout her career, Ms Harris mainly took on consultancy roles, conducting cost-benefit analyses and viability assessments for new farming initiatives. She has previously been involved with mulga harvesting research, and has conducted assessments on tree planting for carbon sequestration and the impact of coal seam gas on aquifers.

Now semi-retired, Ms Harris still does the “odd bit of consulting” and helps out on her family’s cattle and crop property north of Dalby.

By Penny Robinson

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