Mt Canobolas, near Orange, is the highest peak at 1398m. The remaining land in the central tablelands of the study area comprises steep and undulating terrain. Mt Canobolas provides sloping basaltic soils, a cool climate, and consistent rainfall which are highly suitable for cool climate grape and fruit production. The production of fruit, cherries, grapes, nuts, cut flowers, some vegetables and eggs have contributed to the ‘food Basket’ image of the area which has promoted the agritourism industry.

The western slopes and plains consist of rolling hills which flow onto open plains. The combination of good rainfall, reliable water supply from the Belubula and Lachlan River as well as high temperatures create an optimal environment for crop production. Wheat, barley, oats and canola are important crops in this area.

The University of New South Wales, also known as UNSW Sydney, is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the founding members of Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensive universities.

Often described as Australia's heart of culture, Melbourne's attractions include sporting events, art galleries, live music, festivals and fashion events that are popular with tourists and locals alike.

Explore the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia’s oldest and most renowned public art museum. The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne offers a mix of diverse plant collections and tranquil lakes.

Melbourne’s Luna Park is renowned as the city’s oldest amusement park. From roller coasters to motion simulators, the park offers classic family entertainment with its state-of-the-art attractions.

Featuring the highest observation deck in Melbourne, the Eureka Tower offers surreal views of the entire city.

The Sunshine Coast encompasses beach resorts, surf spots and rural hinterland in southern Queensland, Australia. It stretches from the coastal city of Caloundra, near Brisbane, north to the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park, home to multicoloured sand dunes, mangrove forests, and shallow lakes. Upscale Noosa Heads has boutique shops, waterways, and walking trails through Noosa National Park.

The Sunshine Coast’s economy continues to evolve into a modern, ‘smart’ economy based on sound growth across numerous high valued and knowledge-based sectors including professional business services, innovative manufacturing and numerous high-tech start-ups.

The strength of the regional economy is based in its diversity and strength across a number of key sectors including healthcare, education, finance and professional business services.

The Sunshine Coast is home to industry disruptors like Youi, Huddle, Gourmet Garden, Country Chef, Ambrose Building, Auto & General, Get Wines Direct and Office HQ.

Businesses tap into an inspired workforce of more than 83,000 students across University of Sunshine Coast, two TAFE campuses and more than 150 registered training organisations.

Morton Bay Region has the ingredients for economic growth in land, infrastructure, people and a strategic location. It is a function of leveraging these advantages and creating opportunities for the future. Through a strong economic development program, the region can continue to grow, maintain and increase its vibrancy and support an ever growing, attractive lifestyle.

Perth in Western Australia is home to five world-class universities.

Curtin University is an innovative, global university known for its high-impact research, strong industry partnerships and commitment to preparing you for jobs of the future.

Edith Cowan University aims to extend knowledge and improve the quality of life for Australians and people across the globe. Our research priorities focus on solving real world problems across social, economic, physical and environmental domains.

Murdoch University research institutes have been designed to engage with our regions, as it is in these areas, outside the Perth metropolitan area, where our research can have the strongest impact, improving on-ground management, policy and health outcomes.

University of Western Australia is recognised for resolving real-world challenges that are critical to the planet and its people. We collaborate on creating knowledge to drive business and industry forward.

The Region is home to the prosperous and vibrant regional cities of Bendigo, one of the State’s largest and fastest growing regional cities, and Mildura, the major regional city for the north of the Region and the largest urban centre on the edge of the outback. Echuca, Swan Hill, Castlemaine, Gisborne, Kyneton and Maryborough are also important centres, offering employment and lifestyle services.

Manufacturing is the largest employer in the Central Hume region, followed by retail, health and community services. Wodonga has an important manufacturing base, with many national companies established in the area as well as a significant defence force presence.

Hume is a fast-growing region in Victoria with a social and cultural fabric and heritage to match its natural beauty. Renowned for world-class wines and gourmet food, the region is woven together by the Goulburn, Broken, Ovens, Kind and Kiewa Rivers – all vital to sustaining a rich environment, lifestyle and business. The Strathbogie Ranges represent the gateway to Victoria’s High Country and integral to the region popularity for nature-based tourism and cycling.

Hume is extremely varied in its industry and employment make-up, with a strong concentration of agriculture in the west and the alpine, wine and gourmet food areas in the region's east making tourism a strong contributor to regional employment.

Two of Australia’s nationally important transport routes – the Hume and Goulburn Valley transport corridors – traverse the region, providing an exceptional competitive advantage by linking supply chains to national and international markets through Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra.

The Goulburn Valley area is a long-established agricultural region, which is at the forefront of global food production. Traditional broad acre farming combined with dairy, viticulture, orchards, olives and aquaculture endorse the 'food bowl' label, and various large and international companies call the region home including SPC Ardmona, Uncle Toby's, Mars Petcare and the Woolworths Distribution Centre.

Gippsland is renowned for its natural attributes, including Gippsland Lakes and coastlines, Wilsons Promontory National Park and one of Victoria’s largest visitor attractions, the Phillip Island Penguin Parade.

Roughly the same size as Switzerland, Gippsland covers over 41,500 square kilometres and is the largest region in Victoria. The community works and lives in a resource-rich landscape (one of the most diverse in regional Australia) from the Latrobe Valley’s industrial heartland to rich agricultural lands, coastal and lakes regions, highlands, and the forested north and east.

Each year, nearly eight million tourists visit Gippsland, attracted to the unspoilt lakes, beaches, snowfields, bushlands, and rainforests, as well as the beautiful towns and villages. Its major towns are Traralgon, Warragul, Drouin, Morwell, Bairnsdale, Moe, Leongatha, Sale and Wonthaggi.

Gippsland has a reputation for producing quality products and services across various industries such as food and fibre, energy, forestry, fisheries, manufacturing, and tourism.

Air Marshal Rob Chipman said the deployment of drones in the Ukraine war had lessons for armed forces across the world.

Ukraine's armed forces have successfully used drones for reconnaissance missions of Russian units while also deploying the unmanned aircraft to deliver lethal payloads against enemy targets.

Blaxland said the drones being acquired by the Australian Defence Force, such as the Loyal Wingman unmanned aircraft and the long-range Triton drone, were cheaper than conventional warplanes and would help compensate for lack of numbers.

The Hunter is one of NSW’s most popular destinations, located just two hours’ drive north of Sydney. Newcastle, Maitland and Lake Macquarie are the major cities, surrounded by the regional centres, which include Cessnock, Muswellbrook, Port Stephens, Scone, Singleton and Taree.

The Hunter features coastal and valley landscapes, internationally renowned wine production, important natural areas, both urban and rural lifestyles and extensive mining resources. Together with its global companies, these features make the Hunter an attractive place to work, live and play.

The region is also home to a multi-million dollar thoroughbred horse breeding industry, world-class wineries and national parks, and its river estuaries are the largest oyster producers in the state.

The Port of Newcastle is the largest coal export port in the world, with its overall exports valued at almost $18.5 billion in 2016-17.

Williamtown RAAF base sits at the heart of the region’s defence sector and is supported by a hub of important defence and aerospace companies. It is co-located with the Newcastle Airport, currently servicing 1.2 million passengers annually.

The advanced manufacturing sector in the Hunter-based industries continues to develop new products and processes in many traditional industries including medical, energy, food, wine and supply chains using smart technologies.

The Armidale Region’s largest employers include the education and training sector, health care, retail trade, agriculture and the accommodation and food services sector.

The industry sectors which drive the region’s economy in terms of regional exports, employment and industry value-added include Agri-business, Tourism and Education. These are the three ‘pillars’ of the Armidale regional economy.

The Region is home to the prosperous and vibrant regional cities of Bendigo, one of the State’s largest and fastest growing regional cities, and Mildura, the major regional city for the north of the Region and the largest urban centre on the edge of the outback. Echuca, Swan Hill, Castlemaine, Gisborne, Kyneton and Maryborough are also important centres, offering employment and lifestyle services.

The Hunter is one of NSW’s most popular destinations, located just two hours’ drive north of Sydney. Newcastle, Maitland and Lake Macquarie are the major cities, surrounded by the regional centres, which include Cessnock, Muswellbrook, Port Stephens, Scone, Singleton and Taree.

The Hunter features coastal and valley landscapes, internationally renowned wine production, important natural areas, both urban and rural lifestyles and extensive mining resources. Together with its global companies, these features make the Hunter an attractive place to work, live and play.

The region is also home to a multi-million dollar thoroughbred horse breeding industry, world-class wineries and national parks, and its river estuaries are the largest oyster producers in the state.

The Port of Newcastle is the largest coal export port in the world, with its overall exports valued at almost $18.5 billion in 2016-17.

Williamtown RAAF base sits at the heart of the region’s defence sector and is supported by a hub of important defence and aerospace companies. It is co-located with the Newcastle Airport, currently servicing 1.2 million passengers annually.

The advanced manufacturing sector in the Hunter-based industries continues to develop new products and processes in many traditional industries including medical, energy, food, wine and supply chains using smart technologies.

Economic Development agencies include Regional Development Australia Darling Downs and South West and State Government agencies including the Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure & Planning and Trade & Investment Queensland (TIQ), plus Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce, University of Southern Queensland (USQ), TAFE Queensland South West, the Toowoomba region’s Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), Tourism Darling Downs, Southern Queensland Country Tourism and regional business chambers and associations.

The Illawarra is a coastal region in the Australian state of New South Wales, nestled between the mountains and the sea. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour and the coastal town of Kiama.

Sectors such as tourism, agriculture, defence, health, education, aged care, retail and hospitality will remain important employers in the Far South Coast and Shoalhaven, and continue to make a critical contribution to the economy.

Nothing beats hands-on learning, which is why JCU provides as many opportunities for professional work experience as possible.

JCU’s unique campus locations mean that students can complete practical experience in some of the most interesting places on Earth. Our Cairns and Townsville campuses are surrounded by the spectacular ecosystems of the wet tropics, the savannahs and the Great Barrier Reef.

Students can undertake professional placements in regional, rural and remote areas, or even overseas. There is also the opportunity to complete a placement or research project at one of JCU’s field stations.

• JCU Fletcherview Research Station – a working cattle station in the iconic Queensland outback
• JCU Orpheus Island Research Station – a secluded island on the Great Barrier Reef that is home to the most diverse and beautiful marine, estuarine and terrestrial ecosystems in the world
• JCU Daintree Rainforest Observatory – where students can explore the World Heritage listed Daintree Forest, the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest in Australia.