Endangered bilbies and a clutch of northern brown bandicoots will be one of the star attractions at this year’s University of Queensland (UQ) Gatton campus Open Day on Sunday, August 22.
The shy marsupials will be part of a wildlife feature that showcases the wide range of study programs and career options in environmental management at UQ Gatton.
UQ Gatton researchers have been heavily involved in a project to reintroduce bilbies to Currawinya national park in the state’s south west in conjunction with the Queensland Government and the Save the Bilby Fund.
The bilby has been locally extinct from the area for nearly 100 years and there is estimated to be less than 700 wild animals left in Queensland.
The project is one of many opportunities available for students at UQ Gatton to complement their studies with valuable environmental and wildlife management field experience.
“Open Day gives school leavers and others interested in further education the opportunity to come and see what university life is really like,” UQ Gatton Marketing Coordinator Brad Henderson said.
“We have a tremendous range of study programs covering every aspect of agriculture, agribusiness, animal science and environmental management. Regardless of what OP score you get, or if you don’t have one, there is a program for you.
“Our Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science, based at UQ Gatton, is the leading provider of tertiary education in those disciplines and prides itself on providing its students with the right mix of academic and practical experience.
“That’s why employers prefer our graduates – UQ consistently receives the highest rating by the Good Universities Guide for the highest graduate employment rate and highest paid graduates.”
Mr Henderson said UQ Gatton’s academic experts would be on hand on Open Day to provide advice on the program best suited to individual students’ needs. Tours of the campus, new equine unit, laboratories and campus accommodation would also take place throughout the day.
“But it won’t all be about study. UQ Gatton Open Day is also a great day out for all the family – there’s a great variety of food, our famous novelty ice creams, a jumping castle and other novelties for the kids and the UQ Sport-Gatton Star fun run that kicks off at 7.30am,” Mr Henderson said.
UQ Gatton’s Open Day runs from 9.30am to 3pm, Sunday, August 22.
More information can be found at www.uq.edu.au/opendays or by phoning 1800 642 093.
Note: Photo of bilbies for publication available on request
For more information, contact Brad Henderson on (07) 5460 1229 or 0409.265.587
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