Deakin University’s refurbished Dennys Lascelles Building opened in Geelong

Deakin University has given an old Geelong wool store a new lease of life with the opening today (10 June 2009) of the refurbished Dennys Lascelles Building.

The building was officially opened by The Hon Lisa Neville MP, Minister for Mental Health, Community Services and Senior Victorians and Victorian Parliament Member for Bellarine.

Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University, Professor Sally Walker, said: "The revitalisation of the Dennys Lascelles Building builds on our commitment to support and develop rural and regional communities. The investment provides tangible evidence of our optimism regarding the future of Deakin University."

The Dennys Lascelles Building, an original wool store structure built in 1934, is part of Deakin's Geelong Waterfront Campus. Essentially derelict since it was acquired in 1992, it has been refurbished in a $37m joint project between Deakin University and the Victorian and Federal Governments. Contributions of $9.6m in Commonwealth funding and $6m in Victorian Government funding supported the project.

The redeveloped Dennys Lascelles Building is now home to two major cluster areas for the University – the Deakin Geelong Health Precinct and the Alfred Deakin Research Institute. Both clusters emphasise multi-disciplinary, professional education and build on Deakin's existing and extensive regional partnerships.

Programs offered in the new precinct will address the forecast national shortfall in nurses, particularly in rural and regional areas and ensure there are nurses and allied health professionals who are ready, willing and skilled to practice in rural and regional areas. They will also strengthen the health research and development in the region.

The Alfred Deakin Research Institute houses the Alfred Deakin Prime Ministerial Library and serves as an interdisciplinary teaching and research centre for the advancement of solutions to contemporary issues and problems in the areas of Regional Communities and Development; Ideas and Innovation in Public Life; and Global and National Risk – security, culture and society.