11 June 2009
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| Victorian Governor David de Kretser and Gippsland campus pro-Vice-Chancellor, Helen Bartlett officially open the new auditorium at the Gippsland campus. |
The Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser AC, has officially opened a new auditorium at Monash University's Gippsland campus.
Professor de Kretser said the auditorium provided benefits for the community as well as the University.
"Monash University's Gippsland campus has an important role to play in providing regional students with world-class education and the structures and environment in which they work are important to their experience," Professor de Kretser said.
Completed in July 2008 the auditorium has already hosted public functions, graduation ceremonies and other University events. It was also an important base for the region's bush fire relief effort in the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires.
Gippsland campus Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Bartlett said the availability of the auditorium had meant the campus was able to host larger events.
"The sitting of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Victoria in October, 2008 was significant not only for the University but also in the way it profiled the Gippsland region," Professor Bartlett said.
"The hosting of this event was possible because the auditorium is well-supported by other services such as advanced communication and IT infrastructure.
"Monash Gippsland is keen to be an active participant in the community.
"To have appropriate infrastructure to house public events is important, not only for the University, but for the broader Gippsland region."
Professor Bartlett said the auditorium's design would help the University achieve its goal of a 20 per cent energy reduction by 2010.
"The auditorium was built using contemporary ecologically-sustainable design features," Professor Bartlett said.
"It is designed to maximise the use of natural lighting and temperature indicators allow the regulation of air-conditioning units.
"All rainwater is harvested in large tanks and used for landscape irrigation." | 
