Events on Sustainable Use of Land

The University of Newcastle actively supports and organises events and long-term initiatives that promote conservation and the sustainable use of land, particularly through collaborative, research-led, and community-based projects.

One prominent example is the Delprat Garden Project — an experimental and educational initiative in biotechnical land management and urban ecological restoration, located on the periphery of the former BHP steelworks site in Mayfield, Newcastle.

Another example is the 2024 panel seminar 'Opportunities in Agri and Aquaculture Microbiome' in Singapore, where leading experts explored the future of sustainable food systems and the critical role of microbiome innovations in agriculture and aquaculture.

The Delprat Garden: A Living Laboratory for Regenerative Land Use

  • This project explores phytoremediation, an ecologically sustainable method for remediating contaminated land using plants to absorb, contain, or neutralise pollutants.
  • The University of Newcastle’s School of Architecture and Built Environment plays a lead role in the design and research components, in partnership with:
    • University of Technology Sydney (School of Life Sciences),
    • Landcom,
    • Newcastle Industrial Heritage Association, and
    • Local community stakeholders.
  • The garden is both scientific and performative, exploring new aesthetic, social, and ecological relationships to industrial heritage land through experimental design and public engagement.

» Learn more about the Delprat Garden

Source: delpratgarden.com.au

Events and Activities Promoting Land Stewardship

  • Delprat Garden Open Day
    The University supported and co-hosted this public event to showcase the garden’s ecological function, design innovations, and research outcomes. It included:
    • Guided tours,
    • Talks on urban regeneration, soil health, and phytoremediation,
    • Community art and student-led installations.
  • 2024 Programming Highlights
    In 2024, the Delprat Garden continued to serve as a hub for sustainability-focused education and events:
    • Workshops on regenerative planting and soil monitoring,
    • Field visits for students and community groups exploring sustainable land reuse,
    • Participation in National Science Week (2024) with a focus on "Land Futures in a Changing Climate."
    • Collaborative design studios involving architecture and environmental science students to create new interventions in degraded landscapes.

Broader Impact and Integration

  • The Delprat Garden is also linked to the University’s broader urban ecology and landscape regeneration research programs, supporting the conservation of urban wildlands and the integration of green infrastructure in post-industrial environments.
  • It provides a model for sustainable land use that can be adapted to similar sites across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Opportunities in Agri and Aquaculture Microbiome

In collaboration with the Singapore National Biofilm Consortium, Innovation Partner for Impact Singapore (IPI), and Enterprise Singapore, the Centre for Sustainable Development (CSD) co-organised an insightful event on 'Opportunities in Agri and Aquaculture Microbiome' on 15 August 2024.

This gathering brought together leading experts to explore the future of sustainable food systems and the critical role of microbiome innovations in agriculture and aquaculture.

Two panel sessions were organised consisting of:

Panel 1: Management of Soil and Plant Microbiome to Enhance Crop growth

  • Anton WIBOWO. CEO, Trendlines Agrifood Innovation Centre
  • Prof. Sanjay SWARUP. Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore
  • C.S. LIEW. Managing Director, Pacific Agriscience
  • Ritu BHALLA. Assistant Director, Agriculture Research and Innovation (AGRI) Centre at Republic Polytechnic

Panel 2: Management of Water and Fish/Shrimp Gut Microbiome in Aquaculture

  • Patricia CONWAY. Visiting Professor, Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Science Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
  • Toong Jin LAM. Emeritus Professor, National University of Singapore
  • Tet Fatt CHIA. Inventor & Founder, Miiiome Technology

Dr. Michael VOIGTMANN. Co-founder, Managing Partner & CTO of Singapore Aquaculture Technologies (SAT) & Wintershine Asia

These initiatives illustrate the University of Newcastle’s deep commitment to conservation, land stewardship, and sustainable landscape design — not only through academic research but also through hands-on community engagement, public events, and transformative environmental education.