Media releases

Federation University will reaffirm its position as a driving force in matters affecting regional Australia when it takes the helm of the Murray Darling Basin Conference in Rutherglen on 24-26 February.

The University’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Duncan Bentley, will lead off two days of presentations by experts in their field who will gather to discuss issues surrounding the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

Professor Bentley’s opening keynote speech will focus on the importance of regions to Australia’s social, cultural and economic wellbeing.

At the heart of the agenda is the future of the Murray Darling Basin and its significance as one of the nation’s foremost areas for growing grain, and as the hub of communities whose futures are intertwined with the health of the Murray and Darling rivers.

The conference, which will take place at the De Bortoli Rutherglen Estate winery, is intended to generate a national discussion through an examination of policies, environmental studies, communities and histories of the basin and its river systems.

It is expected to lead to research outcomes including co-authored articles in top-tier journals, and to inspire greater regional engagement.

The conference has assembled experts in the environment, Basin policy, regional studies and historians to better understand how the Murray Darling system functions.

Titled ‘The Future of the Murray Darling Basin: Lessons from History 2021’, the event is only the second Murray Darling Basin conference in 20 years.

Registrations for the event close on 16 February. For more information and to register, contact k.reeves@federation.edu.au.

Quotes attributable to Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Duncan Bentley
“The Murray Darling Basin Conference represents a meeting of minds to better understand how the Murray-Darling system functions, and how to better protect it into the future.”

“In education lies opportunity. In learning more about the frailties of the Murray-Darling Basin lies the opportunity to manage this life-giving resource to the benefit of all who depend upon it.”