University of Wollongong goes "out back"

23-August-2002

Researchers from the University of Wollongong are seeking participants willing to talk about their backyards.

The project aims to understand interactions between people and their environment in the domestic context of the suburban backyard.

The national study, funded by the Australian Research Council, is starting in Wollongong not only because researchers live and work here but because we have a great diversity within a relatively small area.

According to Associate Professor Lesley Head, of the School of Geosciences, most comparable research in this field has been done in relation to remote areas over which individuals have little control, such as -- national parks, wilderness areas and tourist destinations.

"We want to understand the decisions people make about the outdoor spaces they know best - their own backyard," Professor Head said.

She said the study would provide an important archival resource for future generations in understanding how people lived at the beginning of the 21st century.

Requirements for volunteers: Participants are currently wanted in areas to the north of Wollongong CBD, particularly those living close to the escarpment or the coast. They must be willing to be interviewed on tape and have their backyard photographed and sketched by the researchers. It will take up to two hours and can be arranged at a time to suit volunteers. We are looking for a diversity of participants whose backyards might range from the large quarter-acre block to a tiny courtyard or balcony.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Pat Muir on 4221 5455 or 0412 126 187, or via email to backyard_project@uow.edu.au

Media contact: Associate Professor Lesley Head, School of Geosciences, 4221 3124 or 0412 125 482.