Bachelor of Nursing second-year student Ruby Winmar, Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) fourth-year student Nguyen Ngoc Vy Tran, Shepparton head of campus Elizabeth Capp and Bachelor of Nursing third-year students Hardeet and Harpreet Kaur.
Photo by
Sharlene Baldo
La Trobe University has unveiled its renovated and extended campus in Shepparton to welcome back its entire student cohort by the end of February after more than one year of construction.
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The nearly $20 million Shepparton Reimagined Project, supported by the Federal Government, will strengthen La Trobe’s vital role in the community as an anchor institution.
The government’s $5 million contribution complements La Trobe’s $15 million investment.
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the development reflected the university’s commitment to improving resources for students and staff in regional communities and better connecting the community to the campus’ research and teaching facilities.
La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell.
Photo by
Sharlene Baldo
“We are committed to enhancing access to higher education, supporting critical workforce demands and providing world-class learning facilities for our students in regional communities,” Prof Farrell said.
“Our reinvigorated Shepparton campus will offer new opportunities for education, research and community engagement, enabling us to work with partners to drive growth and innovation in regional Victoria.”
Shepparton head of campus Elizabeth Capp said these new spaces would attract more industry partners to the campus and offer students opportunities for work-integrated learning.
“This will enable students to connect on campus with research partners and members of the community and explore innovative solutions to the challenges facing our region,” Ms Capp said.
“La Trobe’s graduates will not only gain skills that are in demand, but they will also remain committed to our region, contributing to Shepparton’s long-term success.
“Our latest data reveals over 87 per cent of Shepparton graduates are employed regionally — a figure that demonstrates the importance of higher education in rural and regional communities.”
Shepparton head of campus Elizabeth Capp.
Photo by
Sharlene Baldo
The project involved the construction of a new two-storey building that is connected to the original campus and refurbishment of the existing facilities.
The design enables floors to be added so that the campus continues to meet future demands.
Other key features include expansions to the library and the Ngarrapna Indigenous Unit, where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can study and access specialised support.
La Trobe’s strong partnership with GOTAFE ensured there was minimal disruption to teaching during the construction period, with students using nearby classrooms and the university’s portable facilities.
The redevelopment has also seen a doubling of the clinical nursing facilities.
This is a welcome addition for nursing students who were relocated to La Trobe’s temporary nursing hub on Fryers St during the building works.
La Trobe’s investment in electric infrastructure has placed Shepparton as the university’s first fully electric campus, supporting its wider net-zero goal by 2029.
The campus’ electrification has marked an important step in the project, with the following key features:
The campus is now powered entirely by renewable energy, with all electricity generated used on site.
Electric vehicle charging stations for staff, students and the community.
Centralised electrified heating and cooling systems replace ageing gas infrastructure.
Solar panels and electric barbecues for sustainable campus events.
“It was fantastic to attend the opening of the La Trobe University Shepparton campus expansion,” Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell said.
“I was proud to mention in my first speech to parliament that I was a former student of La Trobe University.
“I talked about the importance of regional education in my life and the impact it has had on so many regional and rural students, and stated that governments must continue support for universities that have a genuine commitment to regional education.”
