Apex Greenhouses in hosting a training day in April, consisting of two introductory courses focused on Priva computerised greenhouse management systems.
Priced at $400 + GST per person for the whole day, both courses are designed to provide practical, foundational knowledge for those working in or entering the commercial greenhouse industry.
Both sessions will introduce participants to the Priva Office system used in conjunction with Priva Compass, Compact and Connext systems, helping attendees understand how these technologies support climate and irrigation management in greenhouse operations.
Key details:
Date: 17th April 2025
Location: Apex Greenhouse Demonstration Facility, Virginia, South Australia
17th April 2025
Cost: $400 + GST per person
Introduction to Basic Priva Computerised Climate Control Course
This course is aimed at new entrants to the commercial greenhouse industry and existing staff members who wish to obtain a basic understanding of the Priva climate control system.
The key objective is to instruct participants in the use of the Priva Office system in conjunction with Priva Compass, Compact and Connext systems.
The course will focus on the following elements:
Identify basic components of the Priva Computer System
Identify components of a Priva weather station
Identify components of Priva sensing equipment
Operating the Priva interface
Maintaining basic strategy settings
Identifying internal and external climate data
Creating basic graphs
Creating navigational shortcuts
Using notes functions
Introduction to Basic Priva Computerised Irrigation Control Course
This course is aimed at existing participants in the commercial greenhouse and soft fruit industry who wish to obtain a basic understanding of the Priva irrigation control system.
The key aim is to instruct participants in the use of the Priva Office system in conjunction with Priva Compass, Compact and Connext systems.
Specific Objectives
The course will focus on the following elements:
Identify key components utilised within an irrigation system
Understand the difference between closed and open systems
Identify sterilization equipment
Identify basic components of the Start Strategy page
Demonstrate basic knowledge and operation of the Start Strategy page
Demonstrate basic knowledge and operation of the Start Installation page
Demonstrate basic knowledge and operation of the Recipe Settings page
Navigate to overview of operations
Create basic irrigation graphs
About the trainer
The course will be delivered by Tony Bundock, Project Manager with Protected Cropping Australia.
Tony brings more than 45 years of experience in the protected cropping industry. He began his career in the United Kingdom after completing a Diploma in Commercial Horticulture at the prestigious Writtle Agricultural College. He went on to manage a commercial cut flower enterprise in the Lea Valley before emigrating to Australia in 1990.
In Australia, Tony held teaching roles with several TAFE colleges, where he delivered horticultural programs and played a key role in establishing Chisholm Institute’s Protected Cropping Training Facility. He later worked with Powerplants Australia as lead trainer for Priva systems before founding his own training company, Genesis Horticultural Solutions.
Tony currently serves as Project Manager for Protected Cropping Australia while continuing to deliver specialised industry-based training. He holds a Master’s degree in Education and is Priva’s only registered trainer in the Oceania region.
The Growing horticulture through protected cropping innovation program (AS23001) is funded through Hort Innovation Frontiers with co-investment from Applied Horticultural Research (AHR), Flavorite Hydroponic Tomatoes, The Costa Group, Apex Greenhouses, The Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), PolyBee and contributions from the Australian Government.
The program, will help protected cropping growers maintain profitability by delivering key aspects of the Protected Cropping Strategic Investment Plan, specifically sustainability, advanced agronomy, automation to reduce labour costs, energy and improving staff skills and management.
Learn more
To keep update to date with the program, contact
Anita Chennell (anita.chennell@ahr.com.au) or visit ahr.com.au/protected-cropping