Badcoe Hall, to form part of the Point Nepean Research and Education Field Station.
Monash University and the University of Melbourne have agreed to provide additional funding as part of their joint commitment with the Commonwealth Government to establish the Point Nepean Research and Education Field Station.
The Field Station, to be jointly operated by Monash University and the University of Melbourne, is an interdisciplinary science research and education facility encompassing coastal environments, climate change, history and culture, the arts and community engagement.
As joint partners in the project, the two universities have confirmed their intention to support the project financially following the partial funding reversal announcement in the Federal Budget late last year.
Monash University and the University of Melbourne will provide equal contribution to the $8 million gap from the $25 million grant initially committed. The additional funds from the universities will supplement the $17 million received to date from the Commonwealth Government.
Home to the National Centre for Coasts, Environment and Climate, the project is expected to enhance Victoria's standing as a hub for climate-related research and education, and deliver outcomes of global significance.
The Field Station will also make use of the site's unique marine and coastal environment, with a focus on both the significant Indigenous history and settler heritage, while researching innovative responses to species invasion and climate change, including work on habitat and ecological restoration.
Monash University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner AC said the Field Station will strengthen Australia's position as a global research leader in coastal and climate research.
'The Point Nepean Research and Education Field Station will provide students with practical research and industry-related opportunities. It will be a place where specialists and members of the community can come together to engage with research in a unique and educational environmental setting,' she said.
University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Maskell said the joint investment highlights the Field Station's significance not only to the universities, but also to the Point Nepean community.
'This investment signals the universities' commitment to delivering this world-class, interdisciplinary facility, a place that will become a renowned research and meeting place for local and global communities,' he said.
The universities are now finalising the designs to progress planning approvals and other regulatory processes, with construction due to start early 2024. The Field Station is expected to be operational by 2025.
