CQUniversity historians can boost their relevance in the community by undertaking commissioned histories.

That is according to Dr Barbara Webster, whose latest monograph entitled Working towards a sustainable future: a history of the Fitzroy Basin Association Incorporated is being launched this week (Friday Oct 24).

The book cover

Federal MP Kirsten Livermore will conduct the launch from Noon at the Rockhampton Plaza Hotel in George Streetm during the FBA AGM. Ms Livermore also wrote the foreword to the book which will be distributed by the FBA.

"FBA's story is a journey from an impoverished, struggling community-based group of people concerned about the state of water quality in the Fitzroy, to a wider regional group of producers and others concerned about economic, environmental and social sustainability and, of later years, to a corporate structure which handles millions of dollars of NRM funding annually for the Fitzroy region," Dr Webster said.

"It's a story of struggles and triumphs, of failures and successes and, essentially, a book about people who devoted time and effort to a cause in which they passionately believed."

Dr Webster said the new book is the outcome of a research project negotiated through Professor Bob Miles at the Institute for Sustainable Regional Development, with significant research funds paid into the Faculty and printing done at the University Publishing Unit.

L-R- FBA Chair Ted Scott, Dr Barbara Webster, Kirsten Livermore MP and FBA CEO Suzie Christensen

"The reputation I have built up through the FBA research has secured me a new and larger commissioned project to write a history of the Gladstone Power Station over the next 2 years," she said.

"On the basis of this community historian reputation, I've also been asked to open an exhibition on the Fitzroy River at the Rockhampton Regional Art Gallery on the evening of Friday, October 31."