CSU Bathurst Campus
  • In 1850 the Bathurst Town Reserve was established. Area in which CSU now occupies. It was known as the Park. Its main use in those days was as a racecourse.
  • In 1895 the Bathurst Experimental Farm was established and the first students enrolled in 1897. Provided a two course. Only 14 students and no permanent academic staff. Logan Brae which was built in 1876, became the first headquarters for the farm – 1896 – 1908.
  • By 1913 it had become well established and some of the lovely old buildings on the campus erected – Hefron House, the cottage, Cunningham house, Pontyn theatre.
  • Accommodation for 34 students and there were also some day students.
  • Operations suspended in 1941 – war – used as an ordnance dept until 1946, then farm continued to operate until 1949.
  • In 1951, the site became the Bathurst Teacher’s College. It offered a two year course training primary school teachers.  The course length was extended to three years in 1968.
  • In 1969, Colleges of Advanced Education were introduced in Australia and Mitchell College of Advanced Education was established on the site. The Bathurst Teachers College became the School of Teacher Education at MCAE.
  • The primary role of MCAE was vocational undergraduate training – education, social welfare, nursing etc using a number of modes – full-time, part-time, external and continuing education.
  • In the 1980s, the Federal Govt decided to get rid of the binary tertiary education system and CAEs were converted into universities. Lots of unhappiness.  In July 1989, CSU was proclaimed and it merged to rival CAE’s – MCAE and Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education (Wagga Wagga and Albury). It was set up as a federated network university with semi-independent member campuses with a central administration.  
  • In 1998 the relevant act was amended and it became an integrated multi-campus organisation where faculties and schools became the focus rather than the campus.
  • While the headquarters of CSU is situated on the Bathurst campus, there has been a decline in the Mitchell campus.