Edge of the Outback a success
Eleven students from the USA are in Mildura as part of ‘Walkabout Down Under’ – a two week intensive study abroad program for students from Ithaca College in upstate New York offered at La Trobe University’s Mildura Campus.
The students are completing a photo print media workshop subject from the University’s Bachelor of Visual Arts course for which they will gain credit towards their courses at Ithaca College.
Visual Arts Coordinator at the Mildura Campus, Neil Fettling, says ‘Walkabout Down Under’ has been a resounding success. The students have studied at three other Australian universities as part of their 18 week visit to Australia – and their Mildura ‘Edge of the Outback’ experience has been a highlight of their study abroad course.
The Mildura course consists of a photographic journey exploring regional Australian outback landscape using traditional and digital photography. The workshop is designed to develop the students’ visual thinking related to the media used in a regional Australian context.
The course also involved a five day field trip to Mungo National Park, Broken Hill, Menindee and Mutawintji National Park where students explored the imagery of the region’s ancient landscape and sociological layering created by pre and post colonial influences.
Peter Peterson, well-known local Aboriginal performer and cultural officer, accompanied the students on their field trip to help them understand the Indigenous cultural heritage of the region. The course has been largely delivered by La Trobe University photography lecturers Danielle Hobbs, Kristian Haggblom and Peter Glover.
It concludes with an exhibition of the students’ work at Gallery 25 in Mildura. The exhibition will be opened by Mr Fettling at 6 pm on Friday, 4 July and continues until 11 July. Members of the public are invited to attend the opening of the exhibition.
Mr Fettling says La Trobe University will host another ‘Edge of the Outback’ abroad course for students from other US and Canadian universities in July.
Contact: Neil Fettling, La Trobe University Mildura Campus tel: 03 5051 4004
Contact:
Phone: