A delegation of 12 leading agribusinesses and innovators from the Greater Whitsunday region have travelled to Brisbane this week to attend evokeAG 2025, Asia-Pacific’s premier agrifood innovation event.
Supported by the Greater Whitsunday Agtech Hub and Regional Development Australia (RDA), this delegation had the opportunity to learn, experience, and promote the Greater Whitsunday region while exploring potential partnerships and collaboration opportunities that will strengthen regional agribusiness and innovation.
EvokeAG, hosted by AgriFutures Australia, is a world-class platform where industry leaders, researchers, investors, and policymakers unite to drive innovation and growth in the agrifood sector.
The event allowed Greater Whitsunday delegates to experience the latest advancements in agricultural technology, sustainability practices, and investment opportunities that could shape the future of the region’s agribusiness landscape.
The Greater Whitsunday delegation had a unique opportunity to connect with national and international stakeholders, positioning the region as a hub for agritech innovation.
The key goals of the delegation include:d
•Exploring strategic partnerships and collaborations to enhance regional agribusiness development.
•Showcasing local agtech success stories that highlight Greater Whitsunday’s potential for investment and innovation.
•Promoting the Greater Whitsunday Agtech Hub online portal, an innovative platform supporting agtech adoption and business growth in the region.
•Gaining insights into emerging agricultural technologies and best practices to drive sustainability, productivity, and resilience in regional farming.
Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3) Chief Executive Officer Ms Kylie Porter emphasised the significance of this delegation in driving the region’s agricultural future.
“Greater Whitsunday has a thriving agribusiness sector, and evokeAG 2025 presents an invaluable opportunity for our local innovators to engage with global leaders, explore new investment streams, and bring cutting-edge advancements back to our region.”
Ms Porter said the evokeAG experience would continue with the sold-out evokeAG sideline event showcasing why the Greater Whitsunday region is best placed to embrace an emerging biomanufacturing sector.
Co-hosted by GW3, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and the Queensland Government, the tour will provide insights into groundbreaking biorefining innovations and industry collaborations.
The Mackay biomanufacturing tour will offer delegates a firsthand look at cutting-edge innovations in biomanufacturing and agribusiness.
Highlights include a visit to the Mackay Renewable Biocommodity Pilot Plant and Mackay Sugar’s Racecourse Mill to explore precision fermentation and biorefining technologies, an industry-focused lunch at the Resources Centre of Excellence alongside a tour of its underground mine simulator, and a regional showcase featuring key sites such as North Queensland Bulk Ports Port of Mackay and the Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL) sugar terminal, demonstrating the region’s strong integration of industry, agriculture, and biomanufacturing.
Ms Porter said the Greater Whitsunday region has been leading an intensive campaign to establish this emerging industry in the region since 2018.
“This is an exciting time for Greater Whitsunday, and we are proud to showcase our region’s potential on the national and global stage.
“Mackay has long been recognised as an ideal location to lead a domestic biomanufacturing sector due to our abundance of feed stocks, sophisticated logistics network of roads, ports and rail as well as a highly skilled, technical workforce,” she said.
Event Details:
Mackay Satellite Tour: February 21, 2025 | Mackay, QLD
For more information on evokeAG, visit: www.evokeag.com
