Fowlers Gap Education

Education

UNSW Courses with field camps
Guided Tours
Research projects (International students)
Internships (International students)
Practical training (International students)
Scholarships (UNSW students only)
Fellowships

UNSW Courses

Fowlers Gap is the venue for field camps in some courses. Please note that Fowlers Gap is not the enrolling authority - follow the links below for enrolment information. Currently field camps are held at Fowlers Gap in two UNSW courses:

BIOS3161 Life in Arid Lands

Forty-four percent of Australia is desert and a further 37% is semi-arid grassland or shrub communities. These arid lands contribute much to our unique biodiversity. We examine the history of the formation of the Australian arid lands, their characteristics relative to other arid parts of the world, the evolutionary history of the flora and fauna, adaptations of plants and animals to arid environments, the major arid lands ecosystems and conservation of biodiversity. We apply biological knowledge to issues of land degradation, salination of soils, dryland farming, feral animal control and wildlife management for a sustainable future. A field trip to Western NSW is an essential part of the course and students will incur expenses. Assumed knowledge: BIOS2051 and BIOS2031 or BIOS2061 or equivalent knowledge of the systematics and morphology of animals and plants.

SART2845 Drawing/Painting Workshop, Field Studies

This course is designed to enable students to experience the practical applications of a concentrated time in the field, drawing and painting a range of visual motifs derived from a first hand encounter with a specific landscape. By working en plein air from direct observations, this course will deal with the natural world as a source of ideas and inspiration and the practical solutions to working outside the studio environment. Students will also be required to use the material gathered in the field in developing studio work.

In addition, Study Abroad offers a course to overseas students that includes a 3-day visit for Fowlers Gap.

Art in the Outback

‘Art in the Outback’ is a six-week program, based at the College of Fine Arts (COFA) campus of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia. The program also includes extensive field trips – from Kakadu National Park in Australia’s ‘top end’; to the outback of far western New South Wales, and finally to Cairns and the Daintree Rainforest, on the Great Barrier Reef. The program is divided into practical and academic components. The practical element is designed to enable students to experience the practical applications of a concentrated and extended time in the field, drawing and painting from a range of visual motifs. These will be derived from a first-hand encounter with a specific landscape and environment. By working from direct observation, this course will encourage students to deal with the natural world as a source of ideas and inspiration while enabling them to discover the practical solutions to working outside the studio environment. Students will be challenged to use the material they have gathered in the field to develop studio work back in Sydney. The academic segment has been designed to complement and provide a background to the concepts dealt with in the practical sessions and in the field.

UNSW students need to be enrolled in an appropriate program to take any of these courses. Other appropriately qualified Australians have options to take these courses through Non-Award Enrolment (Voluntary or Cross-Institutional enrolment). Appropriately qualified non-Australians have the option to take these courses through appropriate study programs as an International Exchange student through the Study Abroad program.

The Station welcomes other institutions who wish to conduct field instruction at Fowlers Gap or to develop research programs and linkages for students and staff. Currently field instruction is undertaken in courses run by the Monash, Adelaide and Australian National Universities.

Expressions of interest should be made by contacting the Director (phone: (08) 80913809 or Email: fowlersgap@unsw.edu.au) or submit and complete and information request. Information is typically limited to a short introduction to the history and function of the Station for groups of visitors staying on the premises.

Research projects (International students)

A number of students, predominantly from German Universities, have conducted research towards their thesis for a Diploma at their home institution. Such research projects may be conducted on the Research Station under a 3 or 6-month Professional Practicum or short-term research project with the University. The rules, fees and application form for the Professional Practicum are at UNSW International . The project must be compatible with the research objectives of the Station, the student must have adequate supervision while in residence on the Station and the student is expected to meet his/her own costs under the user-pays system operating for use of infrastructure (e.g. accommodation, telephone and internet access, vehicle hire, bench fees). Thus prospective students should correspond with the Director about research opportunities, supervision, costs and sharing of intellectual property. A discretionary tuition fee may be applied for projects outside the scope of current research objectives. The Director's research interests are at this link.

Internships

Students may wish to gain practical experience and research training on the Station without directly applying the outcomes of any research (e.g. writing a thesis) to their degree. An intern must meet his/her own costs under the user-pays system operating for use of infrastructure (e.g. accommodation, telephone and internet access). The Station does not pay any stipend to an intern nor meet the costs of an intern's accommodation or food. The Station does provide an exceptional learning experience in Outback NSW under the tutelage of highly qualified and experienced personnel. The intern will receive a written record and formal assessment of his/her participation in the program. The Station has linkages with NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, especially the Tibooburra Area and Sturt National Park and can assist a potential intern with other conservation management training in the region. Prospective interns should in the first instance contact the Study Abroad office.

Practical Training (International Students)

Students may wish to gain informal practical training through participation as a volunteer assistant in ongoing research programs on the Station. Typically such placements will not exceed 6 weeks. Volunteers will receive no income and will usually need to meet their own costs including accommodation and food unless the research program has specific funding to assist with these. Benefits to the volunteer include an exceptional learning experience in Outback NSW under the tutelage of highly qualified and experienced personnel, and a written record of his/her participation in the research program. Further information is available under 'Volunteers'. Contact the Director or complete and submit an information request with expressions of interest. Dr Ingrid Witte can assist with placements at the nearby Sturt National Park. European students may wish to contact PD Dr Udo Ganslosser for assistance with this and other placements in Australia.

Scholarships (UNSW students only)

Scholarships are only available to students undertaking an Honours or Postgraduate degree at the University of NSW. The Research Station offers an annual scholarship of $500 to Honours students who are conducting their principal research on the Station. Likewise Postgraduate research students conducting their principal research on the Station can obtain a scholarship of $2,000 per annum for a maximum of three years. Information about these scholarships and an application form can be found under Honours year scholarships or Postgraduate scholarships for the Faculty of Science at http://www.scholarships.unsw.edu.au/ .

Fellowships

The Fellowship programme is currently suspended due to the financial constraints of managing severe and prolonged drought.

Fowlers Gap Contact Information
Tel: +61(0)8 8091-2511
Fax: +61 (0)8 8091-2510
Email: fowlersgap@unsw.edu.au
Mail: UNSW Arid Zone Research Station, Fowlers Gap, via Broken Hill NSW 2880, Australia
Fowlers Gap Enquiries Dr David Croft Director Tel: +61 (0)8 8091 3809
Fowlers Gap Office Silver City Highway 110 km north Broken Hill New South Wales
CRICOS Provider No:00098G