The UTAS Papers Forum

24 February 2925 – The UTAS Seismic Vault

Photo: Location of the Seismic Vault

Issues surrounding UTAS’ Seismic Vault have been investigated by Anne Blyth Burleigh. Following are some key points and a longer paper by Anne on the subject:

• UTAS’ Seismic Vault is located on Bend 5 (Mt Nelson Road) at the Sandy Bay Campus in the area marked for rezoning (and sale) in the amended UTAS Land Bill passed by the House of Assembly.

• The Vault is a unique facility that has been recording seismological readings since 1957 and the very first Seismic Vault in the Southern Hemisphere. 

• The Vault meets very specific siting requirements that could not be replicated below Churchill Avenue.

• It is only one of three Seismic Vaults in Australia that have come under the auspices of the University of California, San Diego USA (known as UCSD) and are recognised as The World Leaders in Seismology.

• The UCSD extensively upgraded the UTAS Seismic Vault in mid 2024. 

• Consequently The Vault now boasts monitoring equipment and not just recording equipment which would, in conjunction with the present position, inhibit an ‘easy relocation’ by UTAS! 

• Relocation anywhere else may have implications for data continuity.

• The Seismic Vault plays a key role in monitoring the Active Lake Edgar Dam Fault which if it happened to fail has the potential to cause catastrophic flooding of Huonville and surrounds. 

• I have not received a satisfactory answer whether large scale blasting on Mt Nelson for new housing could disturb the Lake Edgar Dam Fault, with potentially disastrous consequences.

• Also, through my Seismic Vault and Lake Edgar Fault investigations, I’ve discovered that Mount Nelson and upper Sandy Bay, amongst other suburbs, are potential landslide sites! 

• Issues around the Seismic Vault and the Lake Edgar Dam Fault provide further reasons, among many, why Legislative Council members should vote against the rezoning amendment in the UTAS Land Bill. 

• Future use of land above Churchill Avenue should be part of a carefully considered process! 

23 February 2025 – The Forestry Building

UTAS has still not explained why the cost of the Forestry Building leapt from $86 million to $154 million last year; nor has it explained why UTAS Chief Operating Officer Craig Barling misled the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Tasmanian Parliament on this matter; nor even has it apologised to the PAC for his error.

The last published UTAS Council Minutes, of 17 October 2024 (page 5), indicate costs will go higher than $154 million.

Following are some comments provided to me by an Emeritus Professor on the Forestry Building.

UTAS are proudly showing off the Forestry Building, but these comments (and the cost) suggest it is looming more and more as an expensive white elephant and, worse, a further push factor for Tasmanian students to join the brain drain to mainland universities.

Attachment to the comments – click here.

8 February 2025

I am adding two documents from August 2024, but still with currency, and still well worth reading.

First, this letter from Prue Slatyer and Ian Johnson to VC Rufus Black and Poppy Fay, the Director of Campus Futures, well argues the case for refurbishment/upgrade of current STEM facilities.

Second, this article by Simon Bamford raises issues about UTAS’ Spark arrangement, which remains a hot topic that may get even hotter (see John Lawrence’s latest article on his blog site).

27 December 2024

I am launching the Forum with two papers (one is a summary) by an Alum of UTAS, with a 35 year association with the University. The papers provide a damning critique of UTAS’ compliance (or lack thereof) with its own Statement of Values.

To download a copy of this paper click this link.

To download a copy of this paper click this link.