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The first Australian university to 'go green'
It’s the year 1999, and environmental issues are at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
Several natural disasters across Australia, including Tropical Cyclone Vance, which caused extensive damage to Exmouth, added to the increasing importance of the climate change conversation.
The National Union of Students, established by WA Premier Roger Cook during his time at Murdoch University, proposed the Universities of Australia Ecologically Sustainable Development Charter.
With environmental protection at its heart, the charter called on universities to integrate practices that saved energy and water, reduced waste and improved overall eco-related decisions.
Murdoch blazed the trail, with then-Vice-Chancellor Steven Schwartz signing the charter during the University’s Environmental Awareness Week in May of 1999 – the first University representative in Australia to do this.
1999 also saw Murdoch claim the title of “greenest” campus in WA for a second consecutive year, being commended by the Keep Australia Beautiful Council for its recycling methods, grounds beautification program and various community initiatives run by the University and the Student Guild.
The green focus of 1999 culminated in Murdoch’s Environmental Technology Centre being recognised by the United Nations.
The UN’s Environment Program (UNEP) recognised the Centre as the primary international technology centre for the Asia-Pacific region – which then led to State Government recognition and funding to upgrade the Centre’s infrastructure.
These additions included a wet laboratory, industry exhibition area, rooms for researchers and a three-year base salary for a research manager.
Since this time, Murdoch has welcomed several institutes and centres with a focus on sustainability and working towards mitigating some of the world’s biggest environmental issues from plastic pollution to food insecurity.
The launch of the Harry Butler Institute in 2017 saw a dedicated focus towards supporting the co-existence of human behaviour and biodiversity.
Food Futures Institute began researching methods for building climate-resilient crops and addressing the global issue of food insecurity.
In 2023, Murdoch University launched a 7-year strategy with sustainability named as one of three key pillars.
This strategy was a renewal of the commitment that has been at the forefront of Murdoch University’s ethos for the last 50 years, and a promise to carry these sustainable actions into the next 50.