World class facilities in a regional location

Charles Sturt has over 25 operational laboratories ranging from standard through to physical containment level 3 (PC3).  They are certified for work with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and designed to be accredited as Quarantine Approved Premises (QAP).

The laboratories include:

• specialist rooms for Microbiology, Microscopy, Molecular Biology, Parasitology, Tissue Culture and Virology
• large bench space laboratories
• preparation and wash up facilities
• liquid nitrogen storage and dispensing area

Charles Sturt's analytical capability encompasses a range of specialist equipment including:

• Supercritical Fluid Extractor
• High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
• Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GCMS, GCMQTOF)
• Liquid Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (LCMS, LCMWQTOF, LCMSQQQ)
• Microscopy capability includes Scanning Electron, Fluorescent, Light, Confocal and Slide Scanner

Charles Sturt's Rhizolysimeter is the largest root growth and soil water research facility in the Southern Hemisphere and contains 96 intact soil monoliths (2500mm height and 740mm inside diameter) encased in 6mm steel tubes. The encased monoliths are arranged in 6 rows across two underground laboratories which allow access to the sides of each soil monolith from 600mm-2500mm beneath the soil surface.

Charles Sturt's Phytotron is a large, open plan space with areas for working with plants and soils including:

• dehydrators
• plant and soil grinding rooms
• cold rooms
• dry storage area
• vacuum digging equipment
• soil sterilisation and root washing facilities.

Housed within the Phytotron, the University's thirteen large growth chambers, including two specialist chambers for frost conditions and CO₂, are temperature, light and humidity controlled to provide the perfect environment for plant and soil testing.

Charles Sturt has several operational glasshouses ranging from standard to physical containment level 2 (PC2) with various size bays suitable for the largest or smallest of projects.

The state-of-the-art 400m², three bay, PC2 GMO (Risk Level 2) glasshouse, completed in 2018, was designed and constructed for sustainability and optimal environmental control.

Charles Sturt’s research and demonstration sites allow replicated field trials under controlled conditions. These sites can be irrigated and monitored with in-field and remote sensing technology.

The field sites showcase new research findings, technologies and ongoing demonstrations with practical applications on crop production, crop protection and plant health, and outreach extension and teaching of both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Charles Sturt's 1600 hectare commercial farm has 400Ha of zero till continuous cropping. The sheep and cattle are run as model enterprises based on perennial pastures of lucerne and grasses. A range of drip irrigated bird proof enclosures are ideal for projects that require exposure to the elements and are not reliant on climate control.

Charles Sturt's Research Winery enables the production of red and white wines with state-of-the-art wine making equipment and temperature controlled fermentation for replicated small batches of 1L to semi-commercial production of up to 1,000L.

Wine making underpins the University’s research programs and is complemented by the Research Vineyard with replicated trials and over 30 different grape varieties.

Charles Sturt's orchard zone includes:

• 24 commercial olive varieties
• a small selection of citrus trees including rootstock.
• a number of irrigated greenhouses
• shaded and unshaded areas that support research into larger plants or trees

The facilities available in this area  are ideal for precise intensive small crop planting including manipulation of soil types, nutrition and watering regimes.

Charles Sturt's Sensory Laboratory includes:

• fully equipped kitchen and sample preparation area suitable for wine and food evaluation
• pass-through compartments for distribution of samples to participants
• computer assisted data collection and sensory evaluation software

Certified as a food registered premises with Wagga Wagga City Council, Charles Sturt's Food Technology laboratory encompasses:

• Food Science
• Meat and Fibre Science
• Veterinary Quality Assurance
• Food Technology and Product Development
• Consumer Sensory Product Evaluation Testing.

The facility is fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment including:

• mincers
• hanging racks
• vacuum packing equipment
• large cool room for meat processing
• kitchen preparation area
• change room and lockers

Certified as a food registered premise with the Wagga Wagga City Council, Charles Sturt's Nutrition Laboratory is equipped with:

• 12 cooking stations
• stove tops
• ovens
• range-hoods
• dishwashers
• fridges

The Nutrition Laboratory also has a small consultation room and thirty place tutorial space ideal for consumer product evaluation.

The Pre-clinical Centre is a specialised anatomy laboratory that includes:

• an impressive museum showcasing many animal skeletons
• associated break out or tutorial rooms
• high definition cameras enabling close up images onto the four large plasma screens for teaching and research purposes
• large gantry capable of holding whole animal specimens

Charles Sturt's Veterinary Clinical Centre is a world-class large animal hospital that provides specialist services in equine medicine, surgery, anaesthesia and reproduction.

The facility includes:

• equine isolation unit
• operating theatres
• sophisticated imaging equipment (including CT and fluoroscopy)
• neonatal intensive care unit
• reproduction unit
• high-speed treadmill and sports medicine services.

These impressive facilities are supported by highly trained and dedicated staff to deliver comprehensive patient care and research capacity.

Built around the Post Mortem room, Charles Sturt's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory provides a comprehensive array of animal health analysis to meet the needs of private practices, primary producers and government agencies.

The VDL is a highly secure (PC2 and PC3 capable) facility with capacity to provide diagnostic services in:

• gross pathology (post mortem examination)
• histopathology
• biochemistry
• haematology
• cytology
• microbiology
• molecular biology
• parasitology

Charles Sturt's Small Animal Referral Hospital, housed within the Kay Hull Veterinary Teaching Hospital, is a centre of excellence for all small animal veterinary services.

The hospital is fully equipped for all procedures including:

• canine specialist reproduction/theriogenology
• cardiology
• ECG and Holter Monitor Assessment
• cerebral spinal fluid collection and analysis
• computerised tomography (CT) scanning
• digital computed radiography and myelography
• endoscopy
• fluoroscopy and rhinoscopy
• musculoskeletal and echocardiography ultrasound
• myelography

Charles Sturt's Equine Centre is an outstanding facility for teaching courses in Equine Science. Boasting an impressive 35m x 80m indoor arena with lights and irrigation, the precinct also includes:

• all weather rubber ingrained sand arena
• enclosed warm up arena
• international standard Cross Country course
• outdoor sand arena
• permanent rubber ingrained arena
• amenities block

Charles Sturt runs 2,000 maternal composite ewes for meat, a merino flock for wool, and 400 Angus breeding female cattle as part of the Angus Australia Sire Benchmarking Program.

The sheep management area includes:

• shearing shed
• penning yards
• auto drafter
• field studies room

The sheep and cattle feedlots are used for intensive research with single or group lots. Both feedlots are adjacent to the animal holding yards with automatic scales.