Feature Articles
Golden nostalgia sparks new mine exploration in the Whitsundays.
Dittmer has been etched into our region’s own piece of Gold Rush history.
The era of microbes and the new generation of feed, fibre and fuel.
The Greater Whitsunday region has been identified as the place for new market opportunities related to biomanufacturing.
From the high seas to off road: An adventure into diversification.
What started as a side hustle on a cramped balcony in the heart of Brisbane city is now a large-scale operational facility located between Proserpine and Cannovale in the Whitsundays.
Where every challenge meets its key solution.
Frank Attard appreciates how valuable a crystal ball would be to unlock the future.
Bots of possibilities forge towards workforce transformation.
Forge Engineering is geared by tomorrow for today.
When fashion and advanced manufacturing collide
Abby's passion for woodworking laid the foundation for her journey into bespoke manufacturing.
An electric future that is here now
Driving into Torrisi’s Garage, it’s as if you have arrived in a scene straight from the movie Back to the Future – but Marty McFly and Doc Brown are nowhere to be seen.
The next generation of stocktaking is here.
1Logic are changing the landscape of daily stock and inventory.
Early adopter looks to a diverse future.
Glenn Cunningham isn’t afraid to be a lone ranger in today’s current climate.
Agave and agtech. A match made in heaven?
From its ancient beginnings in South America, to now evolving the Australian agricultural landscape, Agave is leading the future of agtech adoption.
Data plus visibility equals greater success.
When it comes to data, we often associate it with statistics, analysis, and calculation – but its power is all in the interpretation.
Entrepreneurship in tourism benefits community
Sitting in a boat on the Proserpine River is Brent Stephenson’s happy place.
Bamboo the evergreen potential
As a young carpenter from Switzerland Marcel Morokutti never imagined he would be building houses out of bamboo in Australia.
How real time is leading the way in a data driven world
If there is one company in the Greater Whitsunday region that knows the business value of sixty seconds – it is Real Time Instruments.
Creating a culture of innovation key to success
When it comes to workplace culture, it is widely considered as the backbone to any business.
From paddock to app- the evolution of Masterbeef
Early mornings at Strathdale are idyllic.
Greater Whitsunday Algae farm named AgTech Global Finalist
The not so humble micro green algae is not just a superfood the super-fit and health conscious but also plays a role in creating a healthy green and carbon neutral economy.
How Red Cat Adventures have ‘Cat’ Apulated to success.
The last time Greater Whitsunday Alliance featured Red Cat Adventures; was profiling their innovative vessel, the Thundercat.
Scale-ups and start-ups collaborate for Rapid Prototyping and Micro Manufacturing project in Mackay
The Greater Whitsunday region is one step closer to growing our manufacturing industry with the launch of a new pilot project.
The Master of reinvention
John Colvin is no stranger to reinvention, rather he thrives in it.
Game changing technology rewrites history
It is one thing to use technology, but it can be quite the gamechanger to trust in technology.
Solving the mysteries of our underwater planet.
WHEN Nic Dos Santos dives into the ocean he travels to another planet.
Future skills the key to unlocking student potential.
Part of Mackay North State High School teacher Stacey Austin’s teaching philosophy is about finding a student’s strength to help unlock their passion.
A fresh take on tradition
Ricky Falzon is a long way from the island of Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.
A green change of business turns rubbish into resource
For Anything Environmental duo Jason Mordey and Jo Higgins, it is not so much a case of ‘someone’s trash is another one’s treasure’.
Kids and tech in the classroom. What’s next?
Brett Cruse believes sometimes you have to step sideways to move forward.
Out-of-the-box thinking leads to global retail success.
Big on Shoes owner and founder Melissa Westcott has always thought outside the shoe box.
Will stick-on WIFI Tattoos be launched from this region?
"Just because something works doesn't mean it can't be improved." - Princess Shuri, Black Panther.
Can our emotions and technology co-exist?
Now more than ever our world is changing at a faster rate than ever before.
How the region’s brightest minds will transform the MIW region
They say great minds think alike but what about the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday region’s brightest minds?
Technology the vehicle of choice to bring healthcare into the future
FWARDS founder and nurse Athol Hann is not worried about robots walking the wards of our hospitals in the near future.
Diesel fitter duo create an innovative ‘flow’ on effect.
It is an early morning in Clermont and Ben Ellis and Travis Key have already opened the roller door to their Delta Fluidpower workshop.
One small step for The Whitsundays, a giant leap for space exploration.
DREAMS of a future job in space might not be light years away.
Technology is the beat to keep moving Fwards.
ATHOL Hann might not admit it, but he has a whole lot of heart.
Students plant seeds for a sustainable Agrifuture.
From bush tucker plants, geese and chooks to a greenhouse filled with lettuce to plots of land to regenerate soil – Mackay North State Highschool, looks like any farm in the MIW region.
How the MIW region is the right place to roll with change.
You do not have to be living in a capital city to be a mover and shaker.
Printing his mark with a cool 3D solution
Parked in the backyard of Royce Bailey’s Dysart home is his Jayco Penguin camper trailer, a world away from his 3D printing headquarters, 3DPRINTRV.
Signature Beef: a heritage of innovation
Josie Angus is no stranger to change. Her company Signature Beef has been in her family for five generations. Together they’ve powered through droughts, recessions and now a global pandemic by merging a strong tradition in cattle-raising with a culture of innovation.
Environmental testing takes flight
Mackay Regional Council is embracing new technology to improve safety and upskill employees – and it is all thanks to drones.
‘Siri’ says recalculate
KAREN Jacobsen is the voice we associate to finding a solution when we feel lost.
Lightbulb moment creates bright future for event technology.
Lightbulb moments happen when you least expect them.
Picking the right ‘game changer’ for you
Many great ideas of the digital age are all about making a positive difference whether that be environmentally or for social enterprise.
Building the region’s innovation one space at a time
Anyone who has ever launched a business from their home will likely agree that although it’s cost effective, it can quickly become frustrating.
Isaac students become autonomous training pioneers
Sometimes not all lessons can be found in books. In fact, some of the most transformative ones are learnt through digital pathways.
It’s up to us to build an Industry 4.0 that works for everyone
When the industrial age ignited in Australia in the 1800s, few could have predicted the extent to which decisions made back then would continue to transform the lives of Australians nearly two centuries later.
The future is bright for Queensland’s agricultural industry
John Markley from agronomic consultancy Farmacist believes the future is bright for Queensland agriculture, but more needs to be done to prepare the next generation for the fourth industrial revolution.
How an 80s TV hero inspires Mackay’s own MacGyver
Ryan Norris never stops.He has never not walked through a door of opportunity.
MIW region to export the world’s best
Some of the world’s best technologies are coming out of the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday region.
Grow your customers one digital tap at a time.
WE are no longer living in a material world. We are evolving in a digital one
Roadmap paves the way for future growth in Agriculture.
If there is anything history has taught us, it is with any revolution we live through, there is always a path that leads to transformation.
Why working from home is a game-changer for regional Queensland
During the 2020 Transformation Region Virtual Summit, Futurist Anders Sorman-Nilsson opened his keynote by highlighting how ten years of digital transformation had been compressed into a single year.
What does renaissance art have to do with mindset?
If Leonardo Da Vinci were living now in this so-called ‘2nd Renaissance’ would he still be a painter? Or more an experience creator?
Why customer experience should be your number one priority
Anyone who’s ever had to navigate a call centre in search of a real person understands that customer experience can mean the difference between their business or a cancellation.
A company’s vision for an advanced agricultural industry could spark the next Murray-Darling Basin
One of Australia’s most ambitious water and energy projects has found its legs in the Greater Whitsunday region, with Bowen River Utilities leading a rethink in how energy production, water management and irrigation can be done.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
Stephen Burt is the type of business owner who juggles more plates than he’d like to admit.
4 reasons the Greater Whitsundays is leading the nation in the future of food
Producers, manufacturers and investors from around the world are keeping a close eye on the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) region for opportunities in future foods.
Why this Mackay energy manufacturer has its eyes set on Industry 4.0
Linked Group Services started out as a mining services and solar company focused on the region’s mining sector with six full-time staff.
How MIW is preparing for future skills
The Fourth Industrial Revolution will change the workforce, prompting many of us to wonder about the jobs of the future and what skills are needed to secure them.
Community leaders must lead the region’s digital transformation
The Future Employment Study released in September found that all jobs in the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) region by 2030 will require some level of foundational digital skills.
Preparing tomorrow’s workforce for 4IR
Young people arguably have the most to gain from building an entrepreneurial mindset.
An ‘all-in’ approach to the region’s economic transformation
The Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) region is currently going through one of the most significant economic transformations in its history.
Local YouTuber shares his top tips for building an audience online
Andy Thomsen’s journey from a mechanical engineer to a YouTuber paints a picture of the kind of lifestyle only the digital economy can offer.
Queensland space launch site one step closer to lift off
Queensland is one step closer to cementing its place as an Australasian leader in space launch technologies with targeted consultation soon to begin on the proposal for an orbital rocket launch site near Abbot Point, North Queensland.
There is no such thing as business as usual when it comes to safety
Safety is everything on a mine site, but when leadership teams are flooded with choices, providing a simple solution that meets a range of needs is more difficult than it seems.
How these Mackay software engineers built the world’s smartest water system
Director at Tyeware, Steven Tye believes customers from around the world are looking at solutions founded in the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday region.
Are you a change maker or innovator?
Some people put it in their job titles, others may bury the word in their CVs and most wouldn’t think of themselves as having anything to do with it.
Two ways Mackay is leading the nation as a digitally connected region
Remember how simple some daily tasks became once technology became available? Such as our kids safely navigating their way home from school using their smartphones and when finances could be managed online without queuing up at a bank branch?
Australian recycling first creates new jobs in the Bowen Basin
Up to 30 new jobs will be created in the Bowen Basin as a result of a new partnership between BHP and Novum Energy to recycle mining truck tyres for the first time in Australia.
Creating better health outcomes for communities across the region
The Mackay Institute of Research and Innovation (MIRI) based at the Mackay Base Hospital, is a real-world example of how embracing innovation and thinking at a regional level can impact healthcare outcomes nationally.
Tools made by people for people
Neurotechnology, internet of things, autonomous vehicles -- in reality this sounds much more sophisticated than what’s going on under the hood.
Protecting workplace safety using research, practice and technology
Imagine if workplace injuries were a thing of the past?
What does it take to create a culture of innovation?
Starting a business can be a difficult and lonely journey at times.
Adapting supply chains to 4IR
How we produce goods and access services today is almost a world apart from how it was done fifty years ago.
How Red Cat Adventures created the Whitsundays’ most comfortable ride
At first glance, Asher Telford’s entry into the Whitsundays tourism industry fits your typical sea change story.
A global solution to a local problem
When someone introduces themselves as the founder of a technology company, you might expect years or even decades of research and development under their belt before they were able to reach their first sale.
How this Mackay biorefinery is turning waste into profit
Scientists from Queensland University of Technology are turning Mackay's biowaste into products rivalling petrochemicals.
Technologies to help create a more sustainable future
“Sticking with what currently works will not be as profitable when the broader environment changes. What seems valuable now, will not remain so.”
Top skills for future employment
Who would have thought ten years ago that computer games would be an important employment skill?
How future-proofing our healthcare system will save lives
Our healthcare system has the most to gain from digital transformation. Detailed patient records, telehealth services and online script approvals can improve the lives of thousands of Queenslanders overnight.
Securing your future starts with the right mindset
Future-proofing our communities requires us all to stay ahead of the curve, embrace new technologies and learn the skills needed to thrive in this new environment.
How this Mackay health clinic took their business global
“When you’re practicing medicine in a regional area like Mackay or the Whitsundays, it forces you to be more innovative than the rest because solutions just aren’t as easy to find here.”
Green is the new black: how bio-futures is powering the region’s economy
Like our home-grown heroes who’ve built new businesses by combining their professional strengths with new technologies, part of our region’s economic transformation is being powered off the back of our existing capabilities.
Automation only tells half of the story
The future of artificial intelligence is the augmentation of human endeavours. When people try to wrap their heads around artificial intelligence, the word that often gets people’s attention is automation.
What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
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