August was a busy month for us, in which we:

• launched the Cellulose Valley Technology Park Strategic Plan
• hosted visits to the Cellulose Valley site by the State Treasurer and the Standing Committee on State Development
• completed the renovations of the ‘Maizegrove Homestead’ (the first construction phase of the Technology Park)
• established Permaculture International in a cottage on the Maizegrove site
• prepared our application for the Cooperative Research Centre for Phytotherapeutic Products
• developed the program for the 1999 international conference, Herbal Medicine into the New Millennium.

Increasingly, the Cellulose Valley project is gaining recognition from government, organisations, companies and individuals throughout Australia. We have been delighted to learn that ‘Cellulose Valley’ has been something of a buzz-word in parliament, of late!

We are now seeking government funding to develop a Business Plan for the Technology Park.  On behalf of  Southern Cross University and the Cellulose Valley Project Team, thank you all for your tremendous enthusiasm and support this year. We wish each of you a peaceful Christmas break and a prosperous 1999.

Professor Peter Baverstock
Dean of Research,  Southern Cross University
Email: pbaverst@scu.edu.au

On Tuesday 25 August, NSW Premier, the Hon. Mr Bob Carr officially launched the Cellulose Valley Technology Park Strategic Plan at ‘Maizegrove’, the site for the Technology Park.

The launch was attended by some 250 people, ranging from primary producers, manufacturing companies, academics, industry associations, government representatives, elders from the Bundjalung community and the media.

On Tuesday 1 September we held the Sydney launch of the Strategic Plan at the Country Embassy, which was attended by NSW Minister for Regional Development, the Hon. Harry Woods. We would not have been able to so successfully take the good news to a wider audience, without the very generous financial support that was provided by Lismore City Council.

Each of these events enabled us to present to Australia’s local, state and national communities the plan for the development of Cellulose Valley and the Cellulose Valley Technology Park. The outcomes, we hope, will be to engender further support throughout Australia for the project, obtain core tenants for the Technology Park and secure funding to complete the project.

In August also, State Treasurer and Minister for State Development, the Hon. Michael Egan, expressed his enthusiasm for the Cellulose Valley project, after visiting Southern Cross University and the Technology Park site.

The Treasurer’s attendance was followed by a site inspection by representatives from The Standing Committee on State Development, including the Hon. Dr Brian Pezzutti (Liberal), the Hon. Ian Cohen (Greens), the Hon. Jenny Gardiner (ALP), and the Hon. John Johnson (National). State MP (Independent) the Hon. Richard Jones, attended this site inspection also.

Many of you may remember our inclusion of the old photograph of Crawford Homestead, which was taken earlier this century (April issue). We are pleased to announce that the renovations for the Homestead, which we have renamed ‘Maizegrove’ are completed. Maizegrove will be the site for our information centre.

Permaculture International is leasing the old cottage at Maizegrove, and has commenced planning for the relocation of the Student Permaculture Garden and the development of permaculture gardens throughout the Technology Park site

We have now completed our submission for the federally-funded Cooperative Research Centre for Phytotherapeutic Products at Southern Cross University. This research and development consortium consists of four of Australia’s leading universities in natural plant products research, and four of Australia’s major players from the phytotherapy industry. The CRC members are:

• Southern Cross University
• University of Sydney
• University of Western Sydney
• University of Newcastle
• NSW Department of Agriculture
• MediHerb Pty Ltd
• Blackmores Ltd
• Faulding (Healthcare Consumer)
• Australian Tea Tree Oil Research Institute
• Botanical Resources Australia

This year’s CRC submissions are being assessed in March 1999.

If our CRC bid is successful, Australia will have made a significant step towards becoming a major world supplier of therapeutic herbs.

Southern Cross University will host a major International Conference from June 16 - 18 next year, titled Herbal Medicine into the New Millennium. The conference will be an international forum on the science, regulation, production and clinical application of medicinal plants. Offering a wide range of invited experts from Australia, Europe, USA, Asia, Africa and the Pacific, this symposium will encourage discourse about the current role of herbal medicine throughout the world – and its dynamic role in the new millennium. The conference will consist of 9 sessions over 3 days, with 3 speakers to a session. Session topics include:

• Creating the Vision
• Reaping the Benefits
• Recognising the Challenges
• Science: at the Cutting Edge
• Treating the People
• Respecting the Tradition
• Creating Safer Choices
• Regulation
• Herbal Medicine – the Next Step

The conference will consist of pre-conference workshops that focus on the subject of herbal medicine education from 14-15 June as well as optional post-conference satellite workshops on 19 and 20 June.

Appropriately, this important symposium will be hosted by Southern Cross University in one of Australia’s most spectacular natural settings, and in an area famous for growing and manufacturing natural plant products such as Tea Tree and Echinacea – the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.

Invited speakers are:

• Prof Peter Waterman – Scotland
• Mr Simon Mills – UK
• Prof Hildebert Wagner – Germany
• Prof Vichai Reutrakul – Thailand
• Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim – Mauritius
• Mr Mark Blumenthal – USA
• Prof Varro Tyler – USA
• Dr Nigel Gericke – South Africa
• Dr Xiaorui Zhang – Switzerland
• Dr Topul Rali – Papua New Guinea
• Dr Joe Pizzorno – USA
• Assoc Prof Maryati Mohamed – Malaysia
• Dr Wayne Jonas – USA
• Prof David Phillipson – UK
• Mr Marcus Blackmore - Australia
• Mr Kerry Bone – Australia
• Prof William Aarlbersberg – Fiji
• Dr Stephen Myers – Australia
• Prof Basil Roufogalis – Australia
• Prof Robert Henry – Australia
• Ms Val Johanson – Australia
• Mr David McLeod – Australia
• Mr Graham Peachey - Australia

For further information about the conferences, please contact:

Judi Body or Monique Lewis
Southern Cross University
Tel: +61 (02) 6620 3172
Fax: +61 (02) 6622 3180,

Email: jbody@scu.edu.au

Is it really almost a year since we held our first meeting that determined the direction of Cellulose Valley?

In retrospect, so much has been undertaken since the whole idea to name a valley of cellulose was discussed in December 1997, amidst much hearty laughter.

Since that time when Cellulose Valley was just an idea, we have developed a site plan for the Cellulose Valley Technology Park, nationally launched its Strategic Plan, renovated the ecologically sustainable homestead that will function as the information centre for the Park, and obtained our first tenants for the Technology Park.

We thank you for your faith and overwhelming enthusiasm for this project – this is what has helped us to achieve so much in such a short period of time.

We look forward to sharing this project with you again in 1999.