Students coming to Australia from the United States will be offered thousands of dollars in scholarships to work on conservation projects in some of Australia's most fragile environments under a new scheme launched during June in New York City by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie and AustraLearn, a non-profit organisation that facilitates study-abroad programs for universities in Australia and New Zealand.

"This is a great example of the win-win outcomes which are flowing from the international education industry," explained the Premier. The Volunteer Abroad Project, created by AustraLearn in association with Conservation Volunteers Australia, signed-up 145 undergraduates in February to camp-out for three days to monitor wildlife populations, hike, survey the bush and study coastal waters at 15 locations across the country The organisation expects to place at least 500 students on volunteer programs in 2004.

The Queensland Government will contribute $AU5000 towards the program, $600 of which will go towards the maintenance of one of the conservation sites and the remainder will go to 10 half scholarships. AustraLearn will make $US5000 available to students as well.

Projects include weed removal and tree planting in Townsville and Cairns, monitoring of wallabies, cassowaries and other birds and animals in Taunton National Park near Rockhampton and maintenance. For a complete listing of locations go to http://www.australearn.com/Programs/StudyAbroad/volunteerprog.htm Together the volunteers have already planted more than 1600 trees, removed almost 50,000 square yards of weed, constructed several kilometres of nature paths and tracks, and collected more than 40 pounds of seeds.

"We did enough work to feel that we accomplished something significant... there was a whole lot of fun and learning combined," said Theresa Chihuly, a student from University of Alaska who just completed her volunteer project in far North Queensland\'s world heritage listed rainforest area.

"Seeing a plot of bare land transformed into a future forest was an amazing sight. I definitely feel closer to Australia and Australians... after working on this project," she said.

That "closeness" is a primary goal of AustraLearn\'s education programs.

"Studying-abroad calls for high education achievement, but it\'s exciting to see that it\'s also the basis for bringing cultures together," said AustraLearn's Executive Director Cynthia Banks.

More than 1200 students visit Australia through AustraLearn every year.

"These students not only gain an international advantage to carry into their future careers, they also make a real contribution to our universities and our regional economies," said Premier Beattie.

"Our relationships with our international colleagues are one of our priorities.... Together we can work to further our aims of excellence, internationalisation and opportunities for students, researchers and communities through education and training," said Paul Braddy, Chair of the Queensland Education and Training Board, also from New York.

A print of the Bridled NailTail Wallaby signed by the eight students who undertook the inaugural program to conserve its habitat in Taunton National Park site near Rockhampton Queensland was presented to Premier Beattie.

The site has been designated \"the Premier of Queensland site\" for future conservation programs in recognition of the Premier\'s interest and commitment to international education and the Queensland environment. Since 1989, Denver-Colorado-based AustraLearn has worked with American students to enrol in summer programs, undertake custom-designed internships and earn their undergraduate or graduate degree at one of 23 different universities in Australia and New Zealand. For more information on AustraLearn\'s volunteer projects email studyabroad@australearn.org or visit www.australearn.org .

Caption1: Queensland Premier Beattie and Paul Braddy, Chair of the Queensland Education and Training Board, with Cynthia Banks, Executive Director of AustraLearn at New York City's Algonquin Hotel. AustraLearn presented the Premier, who was promoting Queensland Education in the United States, with a picture.

Caption2: University of Alaska’s Theresa Chihuly, second from right in the back row, with her conservation colleagues at Mission Beach, Australia.