Welcome to the legacy website for the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre

The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre was funded from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2010. The work of the DKCRC continues under Ninti One Limited, management company for the new Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation (CRC-REP) and the Australian Feral Camel Management Project.

The Desert Knowledge CRC was a $91 million, 7-year enterprise. The Australian Government CRC Program (Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) invested $20.7 million, and the remaining support was provided by Centre and Associate partners.

The DKCRC was a research and brokerage institution that linked researchers with 28 partners. Research efforts focused on creating useful outcomes with commercial application for desert people, communities and our partners. Partners and interested parties all benefitted from the commercialisation of the research, accessing new intellectual property (IP) and the sharing of the extensive knowledge common to all desert regions.

The DKCRC contributed to developing the following broad outcomes in the national interest:

• Sustainable livelihoods for desert people based on new natural resource and service enterprise opportunities that are environmentally and socially appropriate.
• Remote desert communities that are more sustainable to support the presence of desert people, as a result of facilitating access to more attractive services that are delivered more efficiently.
• Thriving desert economies that are based on unique desert knowledge and which are more self-sufficient.
• Increased social capital of desert people, their communities and service agencies.

If you wish to contact anyone from the DKCRC, please use the Contacts form. We will ensure you receive a quick response to your query.