About us

The Mallee Regional Innovation Centre leads a regional node of the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub.

The Victoria Hub is one of eight national hubs funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund to enhance drought preparedness and resilience through economic, environmental and community initiatives. The hub's focus expands beyond drought resilience to include broader agricultural innovation.

The Victoria Hub is a statewide partnership between four universities, the state government and five regionally well-connected and engaged farming groups.

It is led by the University of Melbourne’s Dookie Campus in association with La Trobe University, Deakin University, Federation University and Agriculture Victoria.

The hub is further supported by five regional nodes led by farming/industry groups: Birchip Cropping Group (NW Node), Riverine Plains (NE Node), Food & Fibre Gippsland (Gippsland Node), Southern Farming Systems (SW Node), and the Mallee Regional Innovation Centre (NW Irrigated Horticulture Node).

The hub represents a comprehensive approach to enhancing economic, environmental and social resilience to drought in order to create innovative and profitable sectors, sustainable and functioning landscapes, and resourceful and adaptable communities.