The USQ-led Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales Hub, one of eight national Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs, launched its Longreach node this week.
A flagship of the Morrison government's multi-billion-dollar Future Drought Fund, it already has runs already on the board for the region.
SQNNSW Innovation Hub director John McVeigh said the node, hosted by the Remote Area Planning and Development Board, was already supporting important local projects.
"The hub is working with local pastoralists at a Longreach area station to showcase technologies and techniques to improve rangeland management," Professor McVeigh said.
"This local rehydration project started as the brainchild of a group of attendees at the Future Drought Fund-funded rural leadership course in the central west, showcasing how alternative management systems can be successfully applied in semi-arid to arid zones.
"The ongoing project will build on the recent RAPAD and SQNNSW Innovation Hub-supported regenerative rangelands conference and field day, and will include more field days and workshops, bringing researchers and local pastoralists together to build drought resilient landscapes in the rangelands."
SQNNSW Innovation Hub Longreach node manager Ally Murray has been active in the community since late 2021, based at the RAPAD office in Galah Street, Longreach.
"The people in the central west are innovative and adaptive, and I am privileged to be able to help build collaboration to further strengthen our region's industries and communities," she said.
Professor McVeigh said the Hub's goal was not to reinvent the wheel but to help producers and their communities grow in resilience and their capacity to manage climate variability, but bringing together those already working on drought resilience, agricultural innovation and wellbeing.
The Australian government is investing $10 million in the hub over four years, with more than $10 million in contributions from hub members and network partners, including RAPAD.
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
