USC Moreton Bay campus open for business

About 1300 students are calling USC Moreton Bay home, as the campus throws open its doors. We were there for the official opening – a special moment in history.

USC Moreton Bay has opened its doors to students. Picture: Marcel Baum

Students have already made the USC Moreton Bay campus their own and they were hard at it in tutorials and workshops, as the community and dignitaries celebrated its official opening on March 9.

It was a fact not lost on Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Hill who said the grand opening evoked feelings of relief and joy.

“We’ve had students in here for a few weeks now and they’ve already taken over the campus as theirs,” Professor Hill said.

“To see students here and to see the community on the campus – they’ve obviously claimed it as their very own. That means it’s going to be a great success.

“The magnitude of today’s event cannot be overstated. To reach this point, it has been a long but rewarding journey for everyone involved – not just for USC but also for the Moreton Bay community, who have warmly supported our quest to build Australia’s newest university campus.

“In fact, something remarkable has happened with the opening of this campus, and it should reassure MBRC that it has made a very sensible business decision. Despite this being only the first year of a campus at The Mill, QTAC first-preference applications indicate that USC has become, overnight, the university of choice for Moreton Bay residents.”

Luca Santry, Ayesha Horn and Rheanna Benussi at the USC Moreton Bay official opening. Picture: Marcel Baum

Acting Mayor Mike Charlton said that, in hindsight, so much about this momentous occasion seemed like common sense.

“Of course, Moreton Bay needed its own, dedicated university campus,” Cr Charlton told the audience.

“We are the third-largest council in Australia. We are one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions, and we will be bigger than Tasmania in 20 years.

“Sadly, we have one of the lowest rates of tertiary education on the continent – half that of Brisbane. In fact, if you crossed the Pine River today, participation rates drop by half, and by the time you reach Caboolture, half again – a mere 13 per cent. Something had to give. Now, fast-forward eight years, and we’re standing on the site of a campus that will quickly become a significant cultural, sporting, recreational, environmental and, obviously, educational hub that will set our region apart.

“This project has been a true partnership between three levels of government and the university. We all rolled up our sleeves, put aside our differences and got on with the job of delivering for the people of our region.”

Minister for Education Dan Tehan and Moreton Bay Regional Council acting mayor Mike Charlton at USC Moreton Bay's official opening. Picture: Marcel Baum

Federal Member for Dickson Peter Dutton and Federal Member for Petrie Luke Howarth both said they were proud to help deliver the project and secure federal funding.

“It’s going to help local businesses; local schools, both primary and secondary, are well-engaged with the university as well, so there’s going to be a lot of fantastic things that happen on this campus over the decades to come,” Mr Dutton said.

The USC Moreton Bay was bustling with students at the facility's orientation day. Picture: Marcel Baum

State Member for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath said the Redcliffe Peninsula railway line and the university were two examples of how all three levels of government could work together. She said the university would enhance the lives of residents by creating employment and learning opportunities, and would change lives.

Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said that in the past a tiny percentage of the region’s residents attained a tertiary education and he was confident the campus would change this. “I’m looking forward to seeing this community grow as a result of what we’re seeing here today,” he said.