Mareeba research facility
Site Details
| Research facility name | Mareeba Research Facility |
|---|---|
| Research facility address | 28 Peters Street, Mareeba QLD 4880 |
| Telephone | +61 7 4017 0700 |
| Coordinates (GPS at office) | 16°59'0''S, 145°25'0''E |
| Climate | Average annual rainfall 915.3mm Maximum temperature 29.0°C and minimum temperature 16.6°C |
Overview of the Site
- The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) Mareeba Research Facility is located on the Atherton Tablelands and offers research, development and extension services to far north Queensland’s agriculture industries.
- The facility has staff working in horticulture, beef, pastures, broad acre cropping and strategic industry development, with researchers in agronomy, soil science, plant breeding, entomology, plant pathology, molecular biology and remote sensing. A dedicated Biosecurity team supports animal and plant industries to meet their biosecurity obligations.
- Originally constructed in 1979, this modernised facility offers state of the art laboratories, including: PC2, pathology, entomology and microbiology laboratories, glass and shade houses, cold rooms, specialised work areas, and office accommodation for up to 60 staff.
Research Focus
- Breeding and evaluation of mango germplasm; evaluation of mango high productivity production systems.
- improved productivity & sustainability of tree crop management systems including growth regulators in Lychee and developing cyclone resilience in tropical tree fruits
- integrated pest and disease management systems
- improved productivity & sustainability vegetable and cropping management systems
- pasture grass and legume seed production
- beef production and pasture management
- molecular biology gene marking
- other disciplines represented include regional agriculture industry development and support; biosecurity regulation and response and Pest and disease diagnostic services.
Facilities
General Facilities
The site has built facilities include an administration office with accommodation for 60 staff, conference and meeting rooms and PC2, pathology, entomology and microbiology laboratories.
A complex of glasshouses and shadehouses, postharvest shed and laboratory, general storage and a chemical store.
The site has a fully water recycled and treatment biosecurity mobile washdown system
This site is also serviced by nearby Walkamin Research Facility (15mins away) with a wide range of plant and equipment including tractors, trucks and cultivators required to support research and grow a broad range of crops.
Facility offers WiFi capability to all work areas.
Specialised Infrastructure
Controlled Environments
- Glasshouses (2.5) including a PC2 glasshouse (.5)
- Shadehouses (2)
- Walk-in 3 x 3m Cold rooms (2)
- Plant Growth Rooms (2)
Laboratories, processing facilities and conference room
- Certified (OGTR) PC2, pathology, entomology and microbiology laboratories
- Postharvest laboratory
- Seed store
- General laboratories servicing the glasshouses
- Conference rooms (2)
- Soil mixing plant and sterilization (boiler)
- Reverse osmosis water system
Irrigation
- Water storage (3x20,000 litre tanks)
Specialised Plant & Equipment
Located at Walkamin Research Facility
- Precision planters & Plot harvesters
- Planters
- GPS guidance
- Fertiliser applicators
Pest and Pathogen Control
- Sprayers
Sample Processing
- Industrial plant and soil dryers
- Post Harvest shed
