National Industrial Skills Training Centre

The National Industrial Skills Training Centre (NISTC), a business division of Wodonga Institute of TAFE, has been assisting parklands in the development of a number of projects in recent months.

The NISTC, under the guidance of Mark Byatt and John Vandenbourne, undertook road widening and traffic safety works on Watson’s Drive near the summit of Huon Hill.

The works formed part of a Civil Construction Training Course that focused on heavy plant operation. The project provided the participants with a genuine work environment. This participation resulted in one of the last hurdles in the opening of Huon Hill to the public to be rectified. An outcome not achievable without the involvement of the NISTC.

The plant used on the project included bobcats, excavators and front end loaders.

Over the Christmas period, the NISTC provided a operator for a grader, provided free of charge by the Wodonga City Council, to grade the High Country Rail Trail. Fuel was provided through a sponsorship from Rancho Holdings of $1000. The trail was graded to smooth the surface between Pollards Road and Huon Station.

The works at Huon Hill and along the High Country Rail Trail are another example of one of the many community partnerships between parklands and business, education and community groups, that are working “to establish the most magnificent regional parklands in Australia”.