CQU is about to farewell the last of its original 1967 staff members, but Errol Payne's association with the institution actually started in 1962.

It was in that year, 43 years ago, that Errol's school results earned him a Central Queensland University Development Association bursary (donated by CQ Meat Export Co Pty Ltd), which he used to study chemistry at University of Queensland.

It was a big move for someone who started schooling by correspondence in the St Lawrence area, before progressing to a 1-teacher school and boarding school at the Rockhampton Grammar School before becoming a day student.

Errol took up the role of assistant chemistry lecturer with the fledgling Queensland Institute of Technology (Capricornia), initially located in the Bolsover Street TAFE building, in 1967.

Only a few months went by before he and his six full-time chemistry diploma students and 33 part-time science and engineering certificate students became the first people to inhabit the first building completed on the Yaamba Road campus (now known as building 8).

By May of 1967, Errol had succeeded in his task of helping the Institute’s first group of 71 students establish their Student Union and he had the additional role of "lurking" in the background of student dances to avert alcohol-related problems - reputation management was important right from the start.

By the time the institution had 3 buildings - in 1969 - Errol convened the first open day, which was attended by 5000 people despite a view that people would not bother turning up.

The 1971 year was significant in that Errol was among staff given the option of resigning from the Department of Education so they could be transferred to QIT (Capricornia), which was about to become the Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education. Some staff considered this too high a risk and declined to make the change.

Errol's seminal role in the institution included helping write the first set of science distance education materials and presenting tutorials at the emerging campuses in Gladstone and Bundaberg.

"Having been involved in early developments in Rockhampton, I had great interest in taking on advisory and implementation-level roles in the development of campuses in Bundaberg, Gladstone and Mackay over the years," he said.

Meanwhile, his second-year chemistry students regularly blitzed competition from Queensland's other universities in the RACI Tertiary Titration Competition throughout the 1980s. CIAE won all but 3 of the competitions over the decade. The University of Queensland was the only other winner.

Errol was involved in establishment of the CQ Association of Chemists and was pleased to support a number of other initiatives by Faculty staff including the Central Highlands Science Centre, the Women Into Science and Technology (WIST) program, Siemens Science Summer Schools and the Girls into Maths, Science and Technology Summer Schools.

His leadership helped in the creation of the CQU GIS/Remote Sensing Unit (1992), the CQ Advanced Instrumentation Laboratory (1993), the Centre for Land and Water Resource Management (1990-1998), CRC Coastal (1999-present) and the Gladstone Centre for Environmental Management (1997). He played a key role in the initial stages of the incorporation of the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music into the University.

Errol is especially proud of his role in chairing stakeholder meetings which were the key to the formation of the interim Fitzroy Catchment Coordinating Group which led to creation of one of Australia's most successful catchment groups, the Fitzroy Basin Association. This, along with a number of conferences and workshops in which he played a key role with his faculty colleagues, ultimately led to CQU's full membership of the Coastal CRC.

He is confident that his role in early stages of planning for the Regional Health Research Alliance (2003 - 2005) will also have a long-term benefit for CQU and its region.

Errol's CQU leadership and management roles have included: Head, Department of Chemistry (1987 - 1992).

Dean, Faculty of Applied Science (1990-1997).

Planning Dean - Faculty of Arts, Health and Sciences (June-December 1997).

Foundation Dean - Faculty of Arts, Health and Sciences (1998-present).

Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Operations and Resources) in August 1992- February 1993 and March 1996-December 1996.

Earlier in his career, he was Chair of the Capricornia Institute Board of Studies and its Standing Committee (1989-1990) and Deputy President of Academic Board (January 1995 - March 1996).

Photo: Errol takes a look back at a photo of himself as an undergraduate chemistry student.