The state’s smartest minds in agriculture will get an office upgrade in five years’ time, with the state government committing to building a $320 million biosecurity and research facility at Murdoch University.
The new facility will replace ageing buildings and labs on Baron-Hay Court in South Perth, which will also free up 24 hectares of valuable inner-city land for up to 1000 new dwellings as well as commercial and retail developments.
A plan of the new facility.Credit: WA Government
The new facility will be built on an 11.3-hectare site at Murdoch and will house more than 350 staff once completed in 2027.
In likely her last announcement as a government MP retiring Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the facility would help the state’s agricultural sector stay ahead of the climate change challenge.
“Agriculture is facing [climate challenges] from two directions, obviously it being hotter and drier is making the exercise of farming more challenging but at the same time we also need to reduce our carbon footprint because that is the demand of markets,” she said.
“But there are plenty of opportunities for us really to develop new products and new farming systems that I think are going to really enable us to meet those challenges.”
MacTiernan said the new facility could house agricultural and pastoral research teams as well as biosecurity research teams that would deal with increasing pest invasions.
“Sadly, the facilities in South Perth are reaching the end of their use by date. They’re tired, they’re basically decrepit and we need to put in place new facilities,” Premier Mark McGowan said.
The new laboratories will include a glasshouse complex and field plots for on-site research.
Murdoch vice chancellor, Professor Andrew Deeks said the announcement meant the research community would be more likely to succeed in solving some of the huge challenges in providing sustainably produced food for a growing global population.
“This is good news for our farmers, good for our environment, and good for our state.”
A state government spokeswoman said once the South Perth site was vacated DevelopmentWA would take over planning for the site while the existing buildings would be demolished.
“The site has the potential to provide more than 1000 dwellings, including social and affordable options as well as 4000 square metres of commercial and retail space, which will support the regeneration of the nearby Bentley Technology Park,” she said.
The state will also look to accommodate partners housed at the existing site including the Australian Exports Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) and InterGrain.
Some staff from DPIRD’s Nash Street site in the Perth CBD who work in biosecurity and primary industries would be based at the new Murdoch facility.
DPIRD has a 10-year lease on the Nash Street site and it will continue to be the department’s headquarters.