The Western Australian Government has announced further details of the planned strengthening of the Muresk Institute.

State Training and Workforce Development Minister, Murray Cowper, said the State Government had developed a plan that would see the institute revitalised as an agricultural college and centre for training, higher education and research.

As a first step, the State Government, Ausdrill Limited and SiteGroup International today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a training mine site for students on a non-arable parcel of land, adjacent to Muresk.

“This training mine will provide students with a safe environment to learn hard rock drilling, blasting and general mine operations,” Mr Cowper said. 

The Minister also announced that C Y O’Connor Institute had reached an in-principle agreement with Charles Sturt University to collaborate in the delivery of a Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management at the Muresk Institute, commencing in 2014.

A number of areas at Muresk are being refurbished with $10million funding from the Royalties for Regions program. This includes student dormitory accommodation and the relocation of the library to allow for the development of a specific conference venue.