The Stawell Times-News has confirmed the laboratory will be completed in the final week of June, 2022.

ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics director Elisabetta Barberio said the project was delayed by six months.

"The delays have primarily been a result of COVID impacting personnel onsite and supply chain delays of materials etc," she said.

"There has been a significant amount of work done to ensure that the delays have not been longer."

On completion of the laboratory, additional activities will be seen in the region as a result of the completion of the laboratory and the preparation for the construction of SABRE South, the dark matter experiment to be built in SUPL and the outreach and education activities of the Centre.

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"As an example, the Centre visits Stawell Secondary College to do outreach activities with the students," Ms Barberio said.

"On the 17th August, there will be activities at the school, a community event as part of National Science Week, and a road trip that is being organised.

"There will also be an event as part of the completion of the laboratory to be advertised soon."

Ms Barberio said the company SUPL Ltd that is in charge of operating the laboratory will shortly employ a Laboratory and Facilities Manager who will be responsible for running the laboratory.

Ms Barberio also confirmed construction of the SABRE South experiment will commence in the near future with the exact timing of the project still to be finalised.

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