Latest Mackay Seaport News

Port gives students a new direction

Originally published on 9 February 2006

Year 11 students Jonathan Pace and Zoe Stokes operate the GPS unit under the supervision of Mackay Port Authority seaport general manager Scott Keane (left) and head of the manual arts department Bob Baker.

Budding surveyors at North Mackay High School will soon gain hands on experience thanks to the Mackay Port Authority.

Students today had their first tinker with a GPS unit donated by the Mackay Port Authority.

Seaport general manager Scott Keane said the equipment had become surplus to the port's requirements after a major technology upgrade.

The unit will be ideally suited for survey engineering or scientific studies, he said.

It's great to see the unit will be put to good use and I understand it will be available to other schools on request.

The Mackay Port Authority paid $20 000 for the GPS unit about five years ago.

Bob Baker - head of the manual arts department at North Mackay High School - believes the GPS unit will be a valuable tool for surveying studies.

It will really bring surveying to life for our students, he said. I am certain our science students will also be keen to get their hand on it.

It's a piece of equipment we would never have been able to afford. It's the same equipment that's used out in the 'real world' so it's fantastic for us.

Mackay Port Authority geographic information systems officer Paul Hoogwerf will play a support role in helping the teachers and students operate the equipment.