As Rockhampton begins to recover from the fourth highest flood ever recorded, images of the city's Great Flood of 1918 remind us how history repeats itself.

As we wash down the walls, scrape down the sludge, rebuild our businesses and homes and slowly come to terms with our losses, it's deja vu for many locals, some of whom also survived the 1954 and 1991 flood events.

The recent floods would be a larger shock to the Australian economy proportionally than Hurricane Katrina was to the American economy.

That's according to CQUniversity's Professor John Rolfe, who spoke about the relative impact of the natural disasters in an interview aired on the National Public Radio network in the United States.

The great Aussie barbecue was one of the big attractions that encouraged South African couple Esme and John De Lange to relocate and call Australia home.

And now the couple hope to formalise their love of the country and officially become Australians at the citizenship ceremony on Australia Day.

CQUniversity adjunct research fellow Jennifer Marohasy has been prominent in the national media debate over water sharing along the Murray River.

Now she's been chosen as one of two debaters for a 'great debate' on water usage in the Murray-Darling Basin, alongside Dr Arelene Harriss-Buchan from the Australian Conservation Foundation.

CQUniversity Professor Brenda Happell is pleased to see her research findings being promoted by the Dietitians Association of Australia, as part of Australia's Healthy Weight Week (Jan 23-30).

The Association has mentioned a recent research study that Professor Happell was involved in - Implications of excess weight on mental wellbeing, published in Australian Health Review 2010 - in one of its media releases for Healthy Weight Week.

The verdict is in.

CQUniversity's new Bachelor of Laws degree is ready for its first intake of students, having just received news of its professional accredition.

CQUniversity's new sonography program has just received accreditation from the Australasian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR) in time for the first in-take of students in 2011.

This is the first accredited program of its kind in Australia which allows applicants the opportunity to study Sonography without having first taken another degree.

Life has provided Rockhampton's Lisa Elliston with many heartaches and challenges, but her resilience has enabled her to come out stronger and in control.

Having lost her mother when she was very young and growing up with an unsupportive father, the 26-year-old said her childhood was not conducive to learning.

CQUniversity staff and students are being encouraged to participate in the Red Rooster Corporate Tennis Challenge this weekend (January 22 - 23) at Victoria Park in Rockhampton.

Organisers are chasing teams of 2 to 4 to enter the challenge and all funds generated will go towards the Flood Appeal.

Following sell-out concerts in New York, Europe and the West End, Tony Award-winning composer, Jason Robert Brown will be touring Australia giving a series of concerts and master classes around the continent.

Renowned for his master classes, Brown will be working with budding Australian performers in key cities including Mackay.