Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

A while back I drafted a grant submission proposal for the Shoalhaven Skills Garden Project... a project run under the auspices of the Nowra/Shoalhaven Tafe... seeking funding from Deewr as part of that bodies "Innovation Fund Projects"

Well the grant has been successful ... "Shoalhaven Skills Garden Project"...

http://www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/Docu ... Round1.pdf

A "press release" announcing the succesful grant has been drafted... and will be released to the media shortly

A meeting is scheduled for this Friday, to outline the details of the grant...

We asked for $180,000 for the project... and believe that the overall grant totals $224,000... which reflects additional costs for administration by the TAFE...


Basically it is intended as a four stage model... each stage being a distinct style of food production system...

System 1 ... Straight aquaculture, but with secondary effluent treatment by gravel beds for tomato production...

System 2 ... Dual six bed BYAP "Deluxe" kit systems...

System 3 ... Up to 2 UVI style raft systems...

System 4 ... Straight hydroponic system of at least 2 x 12mtr tables...

The project is intended to provide skills to disadvantaged and long term unemployed members of the local area, be equipped for disable access and provide employment for people with disabilities and mental health problems.

The project will be sited at an existing drug and rehabilitation hostel and will provide both a source of income and improved dietry supplementation for members of the attached drug rehabilitation unit.

Student skills from relevant TAFE courses will be utilised in the construction of the project and new course streams and skills opportunities added to the Tafe curriculum as the project comes online

Sorry... here's the link... http://www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/Docu ... Round1.pdf

Good stuff rupe are you running the AP side of things?

Your gunna have no time left to be on the forum....

The grant submission was prepared by myself Nocky... as the principal consultant and supplier.

The day to day running of the facility after it's commissioned and staff have been trained will probably be taken over by the Tafe.

Hopefully the facility will provide not only a showcase of aquaponic concepts and the viability of aquaponics as a means of food production... but will also inspire some serious R&D and academic studies by both the Tafe and Uni of Wollongong...

Well that's the vision anyway...

And yeah... I might be AWOF... absent without forum... in the near future..

Congratulations Rupe. Well done!

Watch out for any "unusual" plants that may pop-up in the system.
Onya Rupe,,, congrats

Great work Rupe. We will miss you around the forum.

Will be a few weeks before anything serious gets under way... the Tafe starts holidays next week...

so ya ain't getting rid of me for a while yet...

Awe bugger
Well done big fella, effort in, reward out

Rup,
Awesome success and most deserved.
Once this first setup is starting to get a life of it's own,
do you have plans to become roving consultant for other TAFE & community areas?
As someone on the forum said, Rup, do you think this AP stuff will catch on.
Congrats, well done and....
F

Congradulations. You must be very excited. This is our goal as well here in Chicago. I have a lot to learn until we get anywhere close but it should be a fun ride. Remember the pics. Do you plan to produce any official result documentation? Are there any plans to produce a "manual" of sorts based on your various methods. Good Luck, look forward to hearing more.

Yes good stuff again Rupe, certainly good for Fresh By Nature, get you on good map and free publicity, Good Luck

Good Onya Mate, this sounds like a great project!

Steely