Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar said the announcement, made today, would unlock investment and innovation at La Trobe’s 235 hectare campus in Bundoora.
“This is great news for students and staff at La Trobe, and for the communities and industries that surround our campus. It signals a new commitment to revitalising Melbourne’s north, with the Bundoora campus as the engine room for jobs and economic development,” Professor Dewar said.
“We look forward to working with Government to deliver this bold and exciting new vision for the future of Melbourne’s north.”
The Government has signalled a new railway station will be built at Bundoora, with underground connections to established stations at nearby Heidelberg and Reservoir. The line would connect the University to Doncaster and ultimately Cheltenham in the south east, and would also create a rail link from the University to Melbourne Airport and to the south.
Vice-President (Development) at La Trobe, Natalie MacDonald, said the University had been working with the Government for some time exploring avenues to improve public transport connections, and the rail link complemented the University’s ten year plan to develop a University City of the Future.
“Improved transport connections will foster research and innovation opportunities, particularly in La Trobe’s areas of world-class research expertise in agriculture, food, health and wellness, and enabling digital technologies,” Ms MacDonald said.
Media contact: Tim Mitchell – 0437457780/ t.mitchell@latrobe.edu.au
PHOTO: Flickr - Jarle Dixon
