AusBiz. NEWS+VIEWS
AgRiBusiness
mining
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Man & Machine
P.4 News P.7 Agribusiness: The biofuture is sugary sweet P.12 Mining: Pipeline through the Outback P.16 Man & Machine: drones P.20 Infrastructure: Sydney 2.0 P.25 Special feature: Spray Grass P.28 Education Special Feature
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Experts in the Environment Spray Grass Australia uses innovative techniques grounded in science to deliver effective, environmentally friendly revegetation, erosion control and dust suppression solutions for Australia’s mining, oil & gas, civil and infrastructure projects. We have sourced the most experienced agronomists, horticulturists & soil scientists in our industry with world class innovative products to ensure outstanding results balanced in experience, science and nature. We recognise that every project is unique, which is why we utilise a tailored approach to ensure each project is customised for the best chance of success, making it easier to make important decisions that are vital to the success of the project. As a company that values diversity, quality, safety and sound solutions, we are fast becoming the go-to environmental company for large scaled remediation projects across the country. Whether you need erosion control, dust control, soil stabilisation, or hydroseeding and hydromulching solutions, we can provide comprehensive advice and solutions to support and achieve your goals.
1300 040 050 info@sgaus.com.au spraygrassaustralia.com.au Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Western Australia
Dust Suppression Hydroseeding Hydromulching Drone Surveying and Monitoring Mine Site Rehabilitation
FEB/MAR 2018
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Business News+Views
Business News+Views We bring you insights and analyses from the business and finance sectors. Underwhelming Amazon Australia
The hype surrounding the launch of Amazon Australia last December was larger than the launch itself. One of the world’s biggest e-retailers, with a market capitalisation of $US560 billion, Amazon’s launch was expected to shake up the country’s retail sector. However, Amazon Australia’s online offering is much smaller than that of its American counterpart, making it seem understocked, and its subscription service, Amazon Prime, won’t be available until later this year. These factors, combined with the lack of customer feedback on products featured on the Australian site, have meant that the company’s launch Down Under has fallen a little flat. Interestingly, in the week that Amazon launched in Australia, eBay’s stock jumped 4.4 per cent. Analysts believe Amazon needs more time to consolidate in the Australian marketplace.
Why we need to increase wages growth
Between September 2016 and 2017, wage growth in Australia varied from 1.2 per cent for the mining industry, to 2.7 per cent for health care and social assistance, and arts and recreation services. According to ABS Chief Economist Bruce Hockman, “Annual wages growth increased marginally to 2.0 per cent in the September quarter 2017.” With household debt on the rise in Australia and forecasted interest rates rises across the developed world, this marginal wage growth is bad for employers and, if people can’t pay back debts, the economy in general. Low to middle income earners — especially those with access to credit — need more cash flow if they're to repay debts.
10 hardest roles to fill in Australia:
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1. Environmental health officer 2. Veterinarian 3. Banker 4. Radiologist
5. General practitioner 6. Home care nurse 7. Exercise physiologist
8. Physiotherapist 9. Dentist 10. Practice manager *Source: businessinsider.com.au
Business News+Views
Improving stock selection with new AI
Two researchers, John Alberg, co-founder of hedge fund firm Euclidean Technologies, and Zachary Lipton, a researcher at Amazon.com Inc.’s AI (artificial intelligence) lab, have discovered a new way to use AI to pick stocks. The research the duo has conducted involves neural networks, a type of AI based on the human brain. Alberg and Lipton’s research reveals that a deep neural network is effective for selecting good investments when applied over the long term, and when it is given a backlog of corporate information, such as profit and revenue. This historical company information can be used to predict the future value of company fundamentals, which can then be used to predict price. The annualised returns from Alberg and Lipton’s method was 17.1 per cent, compared with 14.4 per cent for a standard factor model.
Agricultural commodities down 7 per cent
The gross value of Australia’s farm production is expected to dip seven per cent from $63.4 billion in 2016–17 to $59.1 billion in 2017–18. According to Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resources Economics and Sciences’ (ABARES) December 2017 agricultural commodities report, crop production is forecast to take a big hit, decreasing by 16 per cent to $29.4 billion in 2017–18. Another area that is expected to experience steep decline is export earnings for wheat, canola, barley, chickpeas and sugar. Yet, with export earnings expected to increase for commodities such as beef, wool, wine and dairy, the total farm export earnings are only forecast to drop by three per cent.
Fast Facts
CEOs earn 78 times more than Aussie workers
3.8%
= assumed world economic growth in 2018 FEB/MAR 2018
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custom menswear www.georgeandking.com.au
Photographer: Julian Lallo
George & King
Agribusiness
The biofuture is sugary sweet FACED WITH HIGHER ENERGY BILLS AND POTENTIAL BLACKOUTS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE ANSWER TO AUSTRALIA’S ELECTRICITY SHORTFALL LIES IN AGRICULTURE? Following the closure of numerous coalfired power stations, Australia’s electricity market is struggling to meet demand. In a report written last September, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) stated that, “… absent to changes, we face an increasing and unacceptable risk that there will be insufficient capability in the system to meet NEM [National Electricity Market] reliability standards.” In fact, the report suggests that a strategic reserve of 1,000MW of dispatchable energy resources is required to maintain supply in South Australia and Victoria over the 2017–18 summer alone. This in the wake of the closure of some of the nation’s largest power stations — Hazelwood in Victoria; Northern in South Australia; and Callide A in Queensland, to a name a few — has led to people fearing higher power bills and blackouts in the coming months. Meanwhile, the commonwealth and state governments are looking for solutions and opportunities to fulfil their commitments to a lower emissions future. According to
Riley Palmer A writer and editor, Riley loves sinking her teeth into juicy news and sharing tales of the land.
leading Queensland sugarcane company MSF Sugar, the solution the governments are seeking could lie in the towering grass that grows throughout Queensland and parts of New South Wales: sugarcane. “Agricultural waste replacing coal as a baseload source of electricity on the ever-evolving energy landscape sounds far-fetched,” says MSF Sugar’s General Manager Business Development Hywel Cook, “but it could be closer than you think.” Ian O’Hara, from Queensland University of Technology’s Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, helps make sense of the leap from sugarcane to electricity. “Bagasse is the fibre left over after extracting sugar from sugarcane,” he explains. “It is currently mostly burnt in large cogeneration boilers that produce steam for the sugarcane process, and electricity.” This electricity is sufficient to operate the sugar mill, making it a highly sustainable process. Better still, most factories generate surplus electricity that is then exported
Fast Facts
$11.7b The wholesale value of electricity traded in Australia
78% The percentage of electricity across the National Electricity Market currently generated by coal-fire.
"“Agricultural waste replacing coal as a baseload source of electricity on the ever-evolving energy landscape sounds far-fetched, but it could be closer than you think.” — Hywel Cook, General Manager Business Development, MSF Sugar FEB/MAR 2018
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Agribusiness
to the local electricity grid. “Australian sugar mills are large-scale renewable energy generators,” says Jim Crane, Senior Executive Officer for the Australian Sugar Milling Council. “The industry is the second largest source of bioenergy in Australia, generating more than 1,000GWh of electricity per year. That’s the equivalent of powering 173,300 households.”
CONSTRUCTION OF MSF SUGAR'S $75 M I L L I O N G R E E N P O W E R P L A N T AT TA B L E L A N D M I L L I S P R O G R E S S I N G W E L L .
“Australian sugar mills are large-scale renewable energy generators.” — Jim Crane, Senior Executive Officer,
A N A G AV E G R O W E R I N T E Q U I L A , M E X I C O E X A M I N E S H I S C R O P W H I C H I S R E A D Y T O H A R V E S T.
Australian Sugar Milling Council
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Having recognised the green power potential of sugarcane, MSF Sugar — Australia’s largest sugarcane farmer — has embarked on a journey to transition its business from a raw sugar company to an integrated sugarcane company that produces multiple bioproducts from the crop. The aim is to diversify the industry to mitigate fluctuations in the world sugar price, while also supporting the development of the biofutures industry in Queensland. To deliver this vision, the company is constructing a key component of infrastructure: its Green Energy Power Plant at the Atherton Tableland mill. The $75 million project, which began development in June 2017, will use bagasse to produce 24 megawatts of electricity — enough to power every house in the Atherton Tableland region. In producing this energy, the plant will use an electrostatic precipitator — a device that removes impurities from air and/or gas — to meet environmental emission standards before the electricity is transferred to the Ergon Energy distribution network. Further highlighting the commercial capacity of the bio-futures industry, MSF Sugar has plans to develop the Tableland Mill into a biofutures precinct, and is researching the feasibility of building a biorefinery at the site. The feasibility study has been supported by the Queensland government’s Biofutures
Acceleration Program (BAP) – which aims to assist the development of commercial technologies that transform sustainable waste into bioproducts. With the financial support of the BAP, MSF Sugar is investigating a supplementary crop to sugarcane — blue agave — a crop grown in Mexico to produce tequila that is relatively new to Australia. The agave is being trialled as a biomass fibre supplement to bagasse that will ensure the company can deliver baseload power through the power plant 12 months of the year. Other Queensland projects that are supported by the Government’s BAP include Amyris biorefinery, a proposed biorefinery that aims to produce farnesene, which is used in products such as cosmetic emollients, fragrances and fuels; the expansion of Dalby Bio-Refinery, which will increase the company’s biofuel production and give it the capacity to further research its economical animal-feed product; Mercurius Biorefining, whose proposed plant will trial transforming materials such as bagasse into renewable diesel and bio-chemicals; the proposed development of Leaf Resources biorefinery, which will use a patented technology called Glycell as a replacement for petroleum in the conversion of plant waste into sustainable chemicals, biofuels and bioplastics; and Utilitas, a bioHub developer that is looking to convert organic trade and agricultural waste into green electricity and biocrude. The backing of these projects highlights the Queensland government’s focus on finding alternatives to chemical and fossil fuel refining processes; which, aside from the obvious environmental advantages, has potential economic benefits and the capacity for significant job creation. Of course, the federal government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) has gone a long way in incentivising renewable energy generation as well, with the large–scale target set at 33,000GWh of renewable electricity generation by 2020. “The RET has a significant role to play in the Australian sugar industry and economy for several reasons,” says Jim Crane.
Agribusiness
“It provides regional sugar and industry growth and economic benefits, as well as employment and regional energy security. It promotes investor confidence, which is critical to our industry’s international competitiveness and, as a subsidy, it lowers the price of electricity for all.” While MSF Sugar’s Green Energy Power Plant acts as a case study for the future of renewable energy for the sugarcane industry, Ian O’Hara believes the scope for sugarcane is far more broad reaching. “The future of the sugarcane industry is as a diversified industry that uses the incredible growth potential of sugarcane to produce a wide variety of everyday products,” he says. “These products will be used not only for food and bioenergy, but in plastics, chemicals and a wide variety of biomaterials. These bioproducts will
replace products derived from crude oil and will help to deliver a cleaner and greener society.”
“The future of the sugarcane industry is as a diversified industry that uses the incredible growth potential of sugarcane to produce a wide variety of everyday products.” — Ian O’Hara, Queensland University of Technology’s Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities
Fast Facts
17.3% of Australia's electricity came from renewable energy in 2016.
40-50% is the typical moisture content of bagasse.
Saccharum officinarum is the scientific name for sugarcane.
MSF Sugar General Manager for Business Development Hywel Cook discusses the company's future plans with growers during the FNQ Field Days last year. FEB/MAR 2018
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Advertorial
Position Partners acquires Total Survey Systems Position Partners has acquired Sydney-based Sokkia distributor Total Survey Systems. The combined team expands resources and expertise to better support surveyors and geospatial professionals. Under the agreement, all TSS employees will join Position Partners’ New South Wales team based in Silverwater, to the west of Sydney’s CBD. “We are delighted to welcome the TSS team to Position Partners, their expertise in the land survey industry will be a terrific addition to our engagement with customers,” said Martin Nix, CEO of Position Partners. “Surveyors in New South Wales have never been more in demand than they are now. They will expect systems and support to be even more productive as geospatial data exponentially increases. We are pleased to be able to extend the support to our mutual customers with a larger, highly experienced team and a wider range of solutions to suit every application,” he added. With more than 50 years’ collective experience in the survey industry, TSS was formed in 2002 when Sokkia changed its distribution to a reseller model. Prior to this Hugh Gerdes and
members of his team worked for Sokkia directly. Paul Koren is a Senior Technical Consultant that has been with the company since its formation and before that worked for both Sokkia Australia and Sokkia BV in Europe. Glenn Anderson is the Service Manager who has worked for TSS for some 15 years, while Renato Calara is a Service Technician that has been with the company for more than five years, and Sokkia South Africa a further 15 years before that. “Their service personnel’s impressive technical knowledge and longevity with the Sokkia brand will ensure a seamless transition for existing customers and enhanced capabilities for our own services teams throughout Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Nix said. “We are excited about this new chapter for our team and delivering a wider portfolio of solutions for the survey and geospatial industry, backed by excellent technical support, calibrations and repair services,” said Hugh Gerdes, Director of TSS. For more information contact Position Partners on 1300 867 266 or visit www.positionpartners.com.au
We are excited about this new chapter for our team and delivering a wider portfolio of solutions for the survey and geospatial industry, backed by excellent technical support, calibrations and repair services. FEB/MAR 2018
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I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y H E E S C O
Pipeline through the Outback Darren Baguley Specialist writer in agriculture, mining and technology.
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CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THE NORTHERN GAS PIPELINE COULD PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE ENERGY SECURITY
Mining
Just a few months ago the so-called east coast gas shortage dominated all the headlines. It’s highly debatable whether such a shortage exists, but amid all the commentary swirling around the issue something that didn’t get a mention was the North-East Gas Interconnector (NEGI), now renamed the Northern Gas Pipeline (NGP). Ever since they started producing more than 20 years ago, the Northern Territory’s Mereenie gas fields, in the Amadeus Basin, have been isolated from the rest of the Australian market. In 2009, the Blacktip gas field came into production to further highlight the issue. Blacktip sits in the Timor Sea’s Bonaparte Basin, 110 kilometres off Australia’s northern coast. In 50 metres of water, the automated wellhead production platform is owned by French energy giant Eni. Blacktip’s recoverable reserves are estimated at the equivalent of 150 million barrels of oil. The Mereenie oil and gas field is 300 kilometres west of Alice Springs and has reserves of up to 280 petajoules. As gas fields such as Dingo, Surprise and Palm Valley have come into production, the idea of building a pipeline to connect the Northern Territory to the East Coast market has been bubbling away. According to Bruce Robertson, investment analyst at the Institute for Energy, Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the talk became action when the NT government-owned Power and Water Commission (PWC) realised it had over-contracted for gas to the tune of 25–35 petajoules per year. As it was a take-or-pay contract, the government was faced with the NT taxpayer getting a bill for gas it wasn’t using; so, the NT government took the NEGI project off the backburner. Once completed, the 622-kilometre NGP will connect Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory to Mt Isa in Queensland. The $800 million project started in July 2017 from both Mt Isa and Tennant Creek ends, with contracts awarded to McConnell Dowell and Spiecapag Australia for the construction
of the pipeline and compressor stations at Philip Creek Station and Mt Isa. It will provide construction jobs for about 900 workers and when it is up and running it is expected there will be work for eight or nine people at each compressor station, with an additional two workers engaged on running the pipeline daily to check for leaks. The NGP is the first of a two-stage project. The second stage, a pipeline from Mt Isa to Wallumbilla in Queensland, will be built in the future at a date yet to be set. Paul Adams, Managing Director of Jemena — the pipeline owner — said, “As soon as sufficient gas is proven in the NT, Jemena will seek to build a further link connecting Mt Isa to the Wallumbilla hub in Queensland. This will vastly improve the reliability of the gas transmission network by reducing sole reliance on Moomba as the hub for supplies. It will also introduce some competition into the east coast market, while accelerating the growth of the NT gas sector.” By mid-November 2017, when construction crews ceased work ahead of the wet season, the program was ahead of schedule. In Queensland, 141 kilometres of pipeline had been welded and in the Territory, 262 kilometres had been completed. Furthermore, 400 kilometres of trenching had been completed and 380 kilometres of pipeline were in the ground. Gas is expected flow by late-2018 and once fully operational will deliver 90 terajoules of gas per day. Some commentators argued that a more efficient use of taxpayer funds would be to attract some gas–intensive industries to the Northern Territory with the offer of cheap gas and tax breaks, and as the project progressed the controversy continued. There was debate over the final route of pipeline, speculation as to whether the NT government would need to contribute to get it off the ground and whether fracking would be needed to make it viable in the long run. The controversy didn’t end once the contract for construction had been awarded.
Fast Facts
37 km
Australia has more than 37,000 kilometres of natural gas transmission pipelines.
440 km Australia’s oldest natural gas pipeline is the 440 kilometre Roma to Brisbane pipeline, which became operational in 1969.
“As soon as sufficient gas is proven in the NT, Jemena will seek to build a further link connecting Mt Isa to the Wallumbilla hub in Queensland.” – Paul Adams, Managing Director of Jemena FEB/MAR 2018
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Fast Facts
40km/h Natural gas moves through pipelines at up to 40 kilometres per hour.
20%
Gas provides an estimated 20 per cent of Australia's energy requirements.
The winner, Jemena, is jointly owned by the Chinese and Singaporean governments via the State Grid Corp of China (60 per cent) and Singapore Power (40 per cent). Various stakeholders questioned why an overseas company was effectively being awarded an unregulated monopoly. Further opposition reared its head when traditional owners the Wakaya Aboriginal Land Trust claimed they never agreed to the terms of the project. As construction commenced, however, the controversy abated. Jemena ameliorated some of the traditional owners’ concerns by employing many indigenous people among the 900-strong workforce building the pipeline. According to Commerce Northwest (Mt Isa Chamber of Commerce) President, Travis Crowther, the start of construction “has had some impact at the moment with coach companies, general contractors, labour hire companies and accommodation all seeing an increase in business. There has also been a bit more activity through the airport.” Crowther anticipates more economic activity when the pipeline is actually built. “Mines use a lot of energy and when the pipeline can offer spur lines, we expect that the cheaper energy will make some smaller
“The upshot of this will be more mining production and more work for local contractors and businesses.” – Travis Crowther, Commerce
Northwest (Mt Isa Chamber of Commerce) President
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mines that currently aren’t viable, viable. The upshot of this will be more mining production and more work for local contractors and businesses.” At the Tennant Creek end of the pipeline, the economic impact has been considerable, according to Greg Marlow, Chair of the Tennant Creek Regional Economic Development Committee (REDC), Barkly. “At the airport, the 30-seat Alice Springs to Tennant Creek plane is chockers every day as FIFO workers come in. The workforce has been spread around town rather than just in one motel, which has given everyone some income. There is a moving camp for both sections of pipe, which moves every six weeks. “About 35 apprentices have been put on at Camooweal for the Queensland sector and they were all put through training before being employed. Fifteen were put through training from the Tennant Creek section and 12 have been put on. Two firms locally have got a lot of the contract work and another 10 companies around town are picking up work. About $11 million has been spent locally on accommodation, fuel, etcetera.” While there is no doubt that the project is progressing well, much of PWC’s gas remains unsold. Fertiliser manufacturer Incitec Pivot, which has a facility near its phosphate deposit at Mount Isa, is one new customer. Producing fertilisers such as superphosphate and urea is highly energy intensive and uses large amounts of gas for processing. As a result, Incitec Pivot has contracted with PWC to buy 10 petajoules per year for the 10 years beginning mid-2018. As for east coast gas prices, the gas reservation scheme that is due to be implemented by the federal government is more likely to make a difference, but IEEFA’s Bruce Robertson argues that completion of the pipeline will have an impact. “If Incitec Pivot gets its gas from NT then it’s not coming out of the east coast market.” As well as improving Australia’s energy security, flow-on effects are almost certain once the pipeline is completed. Just as building a new railway or port leads to increased economic activity, so is it likely to be the case with the NGP. The advent of low-cost, available gas will enable mines that are currently unviable to open and attract energy-intensive industries to an area where good jobs are traditionally hard to find.
Special Feature: Spray Grass
Tried and tested land rehabilitation Spray Grass Australia is fast becoming the go-to mine rehabilitation, revegetation, erosion control and dust suppression specialist for Australia’s mining, oil and gas, and civil and infrastructure projects. Spray Grass Australia utilises five basic principles balanced in experience, science, and nature to produce outstanding results that revegetate your site the first time. We understand that our clients need more than a ‘spray and pray’ methodology to achieve fast, healthy, and long-term growth, which is why our approach makes it easy to make important decisions that are vital to the success of revegetation projects. For our rehabilitation and revegetation projects, our process begins with collecting and assessing soil samples to create optimum soil conditions. Soil testing provides us with essential information to determine what adjustments need to be made to assure a more favourable growing environment for faster, more complete vegetative growth and establishment. With access to over 100 various ameliorants, we are able to improve the properties of the soil’s microbiological environment with ease. Selecting and tailoring the right revegetation solution is necessary to protect both seed and soil, while taking into consideration the erosion control effectiveness of the product, the ability to facilitate growth, and
the functional longevity of the land. Hydroseeding and Hydromulching are efficient and impressive alternatives to traditional planting processes. Both methods are economical, can reach rough or otherwise inaccessible areas, such as high and steep slopes, and produces healthier vegetation that binds with the ground surface soil to effectively protect against erosion. Our tailored approach allows us to provide clients with customised and effective solutions through the use of Growth Mediums regardless of erosion, batter steepness, and slope gradient. Utilising the latest in drone and sensor technology to continually monitor project progress allows us to obtain analytic reporting and insights after application. This technology allows us to record Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) results, count plants, undertake plant disease analysis, evaluate and monitor plant health, and measure chlorophyll to assess plants. This allows us to maximise growth efficiency. We know that every project is unique, so we use a tailored approach to ensure each project is customised and cost effective. Whether you need erosion control, dust control, soil stabilisation, or hydroseeding and hydromulching solutions, we can provide comprehensive advice to support and achieve your goals. spraygrassaustralia.com.au
FEB/MAR 2018
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Send in the drones Ben Smithurst A lifestyle, motoring and travel writer with a penchant for the humorous.
THEY’RE SET TO DELIVER YOUR PARCELS – AND PINCH YOUR JOB. WHAT’S NEXT IN THE FRIENDLY SKIES?
Man & Machine
In 2013, the world’s now-richest man — Amazon tsar Jeff Bezos (Dec 2017 value: US$97.7bn) — appeared on the American version of 60 Minutes. He was interviewed by septuagenarian CBS correspondent, Charlie Rose. Rose, a famous broadcaster, was later fired for historical sexual harassment allegations. That’s not the story. In fact, even Rose’s Bezos story wasn’t the story. As they taped his 60 Minutes interview, Bezos hinted at a “huge surprise” he’d deliver towards the end of filming. “If you can guess what it is,” said the billionaire, “then... I will give you half my fortune and send you to Vegas with it.” The surprise: drones. Specifically, Amazon’s fat R&D department was developing a revolutionary new delivery system. Using small, flying robots, Bezos promised, his company’s ‘Octocopter’ drones would drop packages on customers’ doorsteps within 30 minutes of placing their order. No traffic holdups. No delivery truck. No delivery driver. The delivery-by-drone service, said Bezos, would be called Amazon Prime Air, and be ready as soon as four to five years — ie now. “Oh, my God,” managed a genuinely gobsmacked Rose. “They actually look like something out of a Phillip K. Dick novel.” Drones were once the stuff of fantasy. When Bezos inevitably gets his way, they’ll be bringing you groceries to jewellery and everything in between. A great boon to humanity. Until they leave again, and take your job with them. Should we be scared? Yes, says a recent report from PwC. According to the renowned auditing firm, “drones could replace $127 billion worth of human labour and services across several industries”.
Australia Post and Domino’s have both since announced that they’re exploring options to follow Bezos’s lead.
The drones aren’t coming. The drones are here.
“Economists seem to agree that robot automation poses real threats to human labour within the next few decades,” says Business Insider’s Chris Weller. “The best evidence suggests automated robots will replace 50 per cent of all jobs by the 2030s. Some evidence even suggests that today’s technology could feasibly replace 45 per cent of jobs right now.” The incredible versatility of drones makes them the next leap down that path. For a start, they’re dirt cheap – and they’re getting cheaper. Drones have already penetrated industries including infrastructure, construction/ architecture, transport, mining and telecommunications. Agribusiness uses them in various ways, such as to produce precise 3D maps for early soil analysis, in planting systems, or to monitor crops. In France, the military is training eagles to destroy remote control, typically civilian-use quadcopter drones, because insurgents have been using them to drop small bombs on their troops in Iraq. In Australia, shark spotters are using them to keep an eye on swimmers from Cottesloe to Cabarita, triggering 78 beach evacuations in NSW over the 2016–17 summer. Yet as evidenced by the irritating buzz you might hear in the most isolated or relaxed spots, drones aren’t always welcome. Especially private, or recreational, drones. And while ‘drone’ originally referred to
Fast Facts Israel was the first country to manufacture drones. In 2015 a drone weighing less than a kilogram crashed onto the White House lawn. In 2012 Google donated US$5 million to the World Wildlife Fund, who used drones to track poachers.
“The best evidence suggests automated robots will replace 50 per cent of all jobs by the 2030s. Some evidence even suggests that today’s technology could feasibly replace 45 per cent of jobs right now.” – Chris Weller, Business Insider FEB/MAR 2018
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Here’s our Capability Statement.
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Dust-A-Side Australia is proven to outperform.
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australia@dustaside.com.au / www.dustaside.com.au
Stockpiles
Haulroads
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Dust Suppression Systems
Man & Machine
their unmanned status, it could increasingly apply to the fizzing whine that interrupts the serenity of your once calm wait between sets at your favourite surf break, or your fishing spot, or your bushwalk. Or what about your post-gym skinny dip in your otherwise well-screened backyard pool? This happened to Darwin woman, Karli Hyatt, last April. “As I was swimming I could hear this strange noise, and when I looked up I noticed a drone with the green and red flashing lights,” she told the ABC. “It came over into my backyard and then just hovered centre above the pool, and just hovered there for about 30 to 60 seconds.” It’s not that drone usage is unregulated. In Australia, CASA regulations prevent drones from flying in populated areas, within 30m of people, or higher than 120m, and they must stay 5.5km from airfields. There are also other specific regulations around, say, whales (multi-rotor drones are classified as helicopters, for example, and must maintain a distance of 500m). Of course, the regulations are notoriously difficult to enforce. By the time the cops arrive, even if they do, the operator is long gone, taking with them their footage of, for example, Karli Hyatt’s birthday suit. Even when regulations are being legislated, they’re often outdated by the time they’re tabled. In 2014, the US Federal Aviation Administration announced that it considered letting Hollywood production companies fly drones to film movies. They were a bit late. At the previous Oscars, the Academy awarded Gifford Hooper and Phillip George for developing camera drones that had already been used in “hundreds of films, commercials, dramas, TV and corporate productions”. And those airfield airspace restrictions? An Australian senate committee heard that, in 2016, there were around 180 reported near misses recorded between drones and other aircraft. “My personal opinion is that this is a catastrophe waiting to happen,” Queensland senator Barry O’Sullivan — an air crash investigator of 20 years — told the Australian Financial Review. “If I were king for a day, every drone in this nation, other than the ones that are commercially licensed, would [be banned].”
Drones are staying. Get used to it.
Drone technology isn’t new. The earliest modern quadcopter drones, the now familiar, buzzing robots that range from the size of a child’s palm to over half-ametre across, emerged in the late 1990s as hobby kits. In 2010, French company Parrot released its AR.Drone, the first ready-to-fly, commercially successful consumer drone — which was also the first that could be controlled solely by wi-fi. There are now an estimated 50,000 drones in Australia, including those marketed as toys. Working models are available from around $100. According to the Australian Financial Review,“ in the past year, the number for remote pilot licences on issue grew by as much as 50 per cent to more than 6,000.“ Whatever happens next, there’s little chance of stuffing the drone genie entirely back into its bottle. For now, there’s also little desire. For their flaws, drones have revolutionised the way we see the world, as well as democratising our airspace. No longer must you own a helicopter to see your city from the sky. But no longer can you feel comfortable stripping off to sip a romantic bottle of bubbly in your back-deck spa. Unless, perhaps, you’re in the UK. In November, the British Department for Transport announced a new drone bill to be introduced to parliament in the European spring of 2018. It announces sweeping changes — including safety awareness tests for pilots, the registration of all drones weighing more than 250 grams, and “a requirement for drone owners to use apps, rather than simple remote controls, to fly their aircraft, in order to ensure that the rules are always readily accessible”. Its potential effectiveness is set to be debated. But it won’t affect Bezos’s plans. The only defence against that, perhaps, will be that mooted by American writer, and sporting shotgun enthusiast, Julia Bayly. “I can see a day in which thousands of Amazon drones are in perpetual flight, just waiting for the moment I realise I need exactly the cargo they are carrying,” she said. “I have taken to calling it ‘skeet shooting with prizes’.” Better start working on your aim. FEB/MAR 2018
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Sydney 2.0 Ian Lloyd Neubauer With nearly 20 years’ experience, Ian is abreast of global news as it happens.
AS AUSTRALIA’S POPULATION IS SET TO HIT 38 MILLION BY 2051, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TO FUTURE-PROOF OUR BIGGEST CITY ARE GOING GANGBUSTERS. WHO WILL REAP THE BENEFITS?
First, there was the mining boom, one of the biggest in all history — big enough to stop Australia from being sucked into the vortex of the global financial crisis. Then there was the property boom, a bull run that filled government coffers with property-tax revenue and the airwaves with half-baked home-improvement shows. Now, the nation’s cranes and cement trucks are being marshalled for the next boom: infrastructure projects worth some $323 billion over the next four years alone to accommodate Australia’s spiralling population, projected to hit 38 million by 2051. “It’s necessary to build this infrastructure to maintain the quality of life people enjoy in Australia,” says Philip Davies, CEO of Infrastructure Australia, publisher of the annual Infrastructure Priority List, a list of mega-project solutions for problems that are costing the economy more than $30 billion in lost productivity per year. “Our list is quite unique globally. It provides comfort and long-term visibility not only to the community but to investors and the supply chain that builds and designs things about a steady flow of projects,” says Davies. “I like to see it as a menu that helps politicians deal with the big issues.”
WestConnex
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It is telling that four out of eight of Infrastructure Australia ‘high-priority projects’ for 2017 are taking shape in Sydney — enterprises geared to futureproof a city whose population is projected to expand from five million to eight million within 40 years. And with almost half of that population projected to live west of Parramatta, a working-class hub 23 trafficclogged kilometres west of the CBD, the challenge lies in addressing road congestion and delivering more jobs and intelligent housing solutions across Greater Sydney in the face of demographic change. Enter WestConnex, a new $17 billion 33-kilometre toll road that on completion in 2023 will allow motorists to drive from Penrith at the foothills of the Blue Mountains to the CBD without stopping at a single traffic light. “WestConnex is Australia’s largest infrastructure project — it will do for Western Sydney what the Sydney Harbour Bridge did for the North Shore 85 years AusBiz.
Infrastructure
ago,” says NSW Minister for Industrial Relations Dominic Perrottet. But with growth comes growing pains — and the inevitable winners and losers. “We oppose this toll road in its entirety,” says Janet Dandy-Ward of the WestConnex Action Group and resident of St Peters, a suburb in in Sydney’s southwest where property prices have fallen nearly 10 per cent in the past six months as a result of a massive WestConnex interchange currently under construction that will significantly increase traffic in the area on completion. Making things worse for St Peters was a rotten-egg-like smell caused by earthworks at an old landfill site that lingered for months until residents’ complaints forced contractors to install additional chemicaltreatment plants. “I love living in St Peters. I care about this place and my neighbours,” says Dandy-Ward. “But I’m concerned about how it will look in the future.” However, a spokesperson for Sydney Motorway Corporation — the company building WestConnex — says residents’ fears are unfounded. “The community outcomes will be overwhelmingly positive once the project is complete: more than 18 hectares of new parklands and active transport links across the inner west will be created, including the site of the old landfill that’s being cleaned up to enable community use for the first time in decades.”
Ferries & Rail
WestConnex is also reshaping the geographic heart of Sydney’s west, with the widening of the M4 motorway from Parramatta to Homebush (already delivered and known as the New M4) and excavation of a tunnel to connect the M4 and M5 motorways. Hundreds of homes had to be compulsorily acquired and the New M4 is now heavily tolled, costing close to $5 for a car and three times that for trucks.
“It’s a crooked deal. Not only is the taxpayer paying $17 billion for WestConnex, but they’re also paying tolls. We’ve heard projections that on completion it’ll cost $26 for a round trip into the city,” says Dandy-Ward, who prefers public transport solutions instead. She points to the $2.1 billion, 12-kilometre Sydney Metro light-rail network currently taking shape in the CBD and leafy eastern suburbs as a good example. However, the Sydney Metro also has its detractors, with The Sydney Morning Herald dubbing it a “public relations disaster zone”. Construction has closed off George Street, the CBD’s central thoroughfare, and ripped up row upon row of century-old fig trees on the edges of Centennial Park. Yet on completion in 2019, it will dramatically improve city amenity and access to the CBD. “Sydney's light rail will be a game-changer for transport from the CBD to Randwick and Kingsford when it starts operating,” says NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Sydney’s ferry network is also being future-proofed for the next generation. In March 2017, the government announced plans for an extra 85 weekly ferry services on Sydney Harbour and six new ferries with a capacity of up to 400 passengers each that are now in final stages of testing. And at Barangaroo, a privately funded $6 billion office, retail and entertainment precinct on the north-western edge of the CBD, a new $59 million undercover ferry hub opened in June 2017. Combined with a massive new pedestrian walkway linking Wynyard train station, George Street and the upcoming Sydney Metro, the new infrastructure is projected to bring droves to Barangaroo: 33,000 a day based on a moderate growth scenario. “We are making sure we have the capacity by water, by train, by foot to make this precinct accessible to the public,” says Premier Berejiklian.
Fast Facts
42m In 2016 Sydney airport was used by 42 million passengers.
73% Transport activity accounts for 73 per cent of Australia's use of liquid fuels.
126% During Sydney's morning peak, trains are already filled to 126% of seated capacity.
“WestConnex will do for Western Sydney what the Sydney Harbour Bridge did for the North Shore 85 years ago.” – Dominic Perrottet, NSW Minister for Industrial Relations FEB/MAR 2018
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Infrastructure
Fast Facts
$4.2m The cost of building the Sydney Harbour Bridge which began construction in 1924.
22km The distance of the first railway track built in NSW – from Sydney to Parramatta.
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Western Sydney Airport
Last but not least of the Sydney projects found on Infrastructure Australia’s highpriority list is the $5.6 billion Western Sydney Airport. Construction is set to begin this year at Badgerys Creek in the local government area of the City of Liverpool, a low-income area 51 kilometres west of the CBD. But this will be no ordinary airport when it opens in 2026. Modelled on South Korea’s Incheon International Airport, it will be Australia’s first ‘aerotropolis’ — an airport partnered with an aerospace, defence, IT, convention and agribusiness hub that will likely become the nation’s most important logistics and advanced-manufacturing centre. The NSW government projects it will connect 28,000–31,000 people with high-value employment opportunities in a historically entrenched jobs-deficit area by 2031. It will also kill two birds with one stone — national connectivity and the reduction of congestion for all the cars and buses these new aerotropolis jobs will take off the city roads. To do that Western Sydney Airport will require rail access, according to Anthony Albanese, Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure — and for now, the
project is going ahead without funding for rail. “For its benefits are to be maximised, we must ensure rail access from day one so that people have access to the high-value jobs,” Albanese editorialised in The Daily Telegraph. Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher disagrees, pointing to studies that show only one in five passengers use rail to travel to and from Sydney’s existing airport in the city’s southwest. There, another connectivity problem is brewing as the Berejiklian administration struggles to figure out how to link Sydney Airport and nearby Port Botany to WestConnex. The rejection in November 2017 of a proposal from Lendlease to build a toll road on the site is symptomatic of growing backlash from motorists and trucking companies that would have seen the cost of transporting thousands of containers each week to and from the port leapfrog as a result because of another toll. “It’s really important to get this planning right,” says Infrastructure Australia CEO Philip Davies. “We need to ask what will the future look like, what services will people expect and most importantly, how much are they willing to pay for it?”
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Special Feature
Rehabilitating the land AS A SOCIETY WE’RE TOTALLY RELIANT ON THE PRODUCTS OF MINING, BUT REHABILITATING MINE SITES AT THE END OF THEIR LIVES IS A CHALLENGE — A CHALLENGE BEING MET WITH INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY. Mining is a major industry in Australia and so is mine site rehabilitation. Best practice operators take a ‘rehabilitate as you go’ approach but according to an Australia Institute report there are more than 60,000 unrehabilitated mine sites across Australia. It’s a major challenge for the industry but one that is being addressed with some good old-fashioned Aussie ingenuity coupled with some of the latest technology out there. One of the main problems with mine site rehabilitation is the poor quality of the material rehabilitation companies must work with. While it’s best practice to stockpile the topsoil separate to the sub-soil and rock that
Darren Baguley is a journalist and editor based in regional Australia who loves a great agbrisbusiness story.
make up the overburden, not all companies take such measures. According to Spray Grass Australia soil scientist, Phil Barnett, “Healthy grass begins with good soil but often with Australian topsoil, it’s very thin – and most of what’s stockpiled is actually the sub-soil. So, you might only have 150 mm of real topsoil there over a clay base. As a result, what you have to deal with can be quite variable.” While landscape rehabilitation companies in the past adopted a ‘spray and pray’ approach where they spray the seed out and hope that it takes, Spray Grass Australia starts off with detailed soil testing. The soil test allows the company to determine what is lacking, and from that they can work out
Fast Facts
1940s The era that hydroseeding dates back to, when Maurice Mandell from the Connecticut Highway Department in the USA, realised that combined seeds and water could be sprayed over the steep inclines of the expressways.
While landscape rehabilitation companies in the past adopted a ‘spray and pray’ approach where they spray the seed out and hope that it takes, Spray Grass Australia starts off with detailed soil testing. FEB/MAR 2018
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Special Feature
Fast Facts
1953
The year that Charles Finn developed the first HydroSeeder®. It was a two-part machine with a 1,000 gallon mixing tank, an attached engine, pump, and spray platform.
Poa pratensis is a C3 plant
It is commonly known as lawn grass, and there are 12,000 species of it
the ingredients needed to rejuvenate the soil in readiness to grow grass. While there is a varied palette of amendments that Spray Grass Australia can work with, more than 100 different ameliorants are available, in all cases the company seeks to kickstart dormant soil biology. “Even if soils have been well stockpiled,” says Barnett, “because those stockpiles sit there for a period of time they tend to lose their life, their microbial activity and part of our program is always to stimulate that life.
We add probiotics and organic soil conditioner that will generate that beneficial microbial population in the roots.
Hydromulching combines the benefits of biologically active soil conditioners and fertilisers with the perfect blend of organic mulch fibres, binders and soil stabilisers.
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ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
Soil biology is something that has been ignored in the past but to have healthy, living grass it’s crucial to have living soil rather than dirt.” If Spray Grass Australia has been engaged early enough by the client it will work on improving the soil for a considerable period of time before it begins to seed the site. When it reaches that point in the process, there are two techniques that can be used – hyrdoseeding and hydromulching. As the name suggests, hydroseeding uses water as a carrier to spray seed and fertiliser onto the soil. Hydromulching adds to the mix a high-quality mulch in the form of Australian-tested growth mediums such as Hydraulic Growth Mediums (HGM), Flexible Growth Mediums (FGM) and Bonded Fibre Matrixes (BFM). Hydromulching is applied in a similar way as hydroseeding, but it combines the benefits of biologicallyactive soil conditioners and fertilisers with the perfect blend of organic mulch fibres, binders and soil stabilisers. These fibres
Special Feature
are designed to hold moisture longer to support faster vegetation growth, which means that far less water is required to apply to this product. Because they naturally interlock, the mulch is stable for up to 12 months which is critical in providing the ability to withstand the erosive forces inherent in the natural environment such as water runoff and wind. As well as innovating through its focus on soil health, SGA uses the latest in drone and imaging technology. At the beginning of a project, drones are used to provide 3D modelling, image mapping which along with the soil tests allows SGA to map the area to be rehabilitated to a high degree of detail. By mapping the site to this level, SGA ensures that it applies both the hydroseeding and hydromulching processes with precision and accuracy. In particular, the detailed mapping of the site ensures that no areas are missed when the hydroseeding or hydromulching is applied and all areas are covered evenly at specified rates. While SGA stands out in the industry for its soil-up approach, it's also one of the few companies able to monitor the growth and success of seed application. It does this by deploying one of the latest industrial drones to become available in Australia.
drones are used to provide 3D modelling and image mapping which along with the soil tests allows SGA to map the area to be rehabilitated to a high degree of detail
SGA currently uses multispectral and thermal imaging cameras on drones to gain insights into how the plants are performing, by recording Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and temperature results. The NDVI monitors and records vegetative health and growth to verify successful plant establishment.
“We can see areas that are under heat and drought stress. We can even get down to plant height, nitrogen content and chlorophyll content in the plant leaves. All of these are very direct indicators of how healthy a plant is,” says Bendikov.
NDVI IMAGING OF A PROJECT BEFORE HYDROMULCHING WORKS WERE U N D E R TA K E N B Y S G A .
It is not currently being used commercially but SGA is trialling specialist hyperspectral imaging and LiDAR technology ®, the first company in Australia to do so. According to Bendikov, this is a considerable advance. “Multispectral imaging only uses five bands, or wavelengths of light, while hyperspectral gives us over 150 bands. Using hyperspectral will allow us to get down to the level of identifying multiple plants in a single field.” Using hyperspectral imaging will allow SGA to monitor the sowing quality, plant health and growth rate, the counted number and planned number of plants. “It will also allow us to do plant disease analysis and pest detection,” says Bendikov. “All these measures will allow us to maximise growth efficiency and allow us to further fine tune our techniques.”
As the name suggests, hydroseeding uses water as a carrier to spray seed and fertiliser onto the soil.
TATIIOONN OOFF BBAT ATTTEERRSS OONN--SSIITTEE AT AT RREEHHAABBIILLIITAT AANN AAUUSSTTRRAALLIIAANN MMIINNEE..
FEB/MAR 2018
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Education Special Feature
Frensham – reaching new heights
Year 10, 2017 – the first graduates of the Frensham Drone Academy
Sarah Hassett (HSC 2017)
Sturt Design and Fabrication Studios – accessible to all girls – are specialised yet flexible facilities, where digital design and production by students continue to be cutting edge and diverse. 28
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“It is essential that students leave school with the skills and motivation to undertake the many related professions linked to what are widely known as STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), with equal emphasis on interpretation through the Arts,” said Head of Frensham, Julie Gillick. “In 2017, 38 per cent of all courses studied by Year 12 Frensham students were Mathematics and Science– based subjects. This year, immersed in the unique environment of the Sturt Design and Fabrication Studios, the works of more than 30 per cent of Frensham’s HSC Design and Technology class were nominated for the NSW Showcase, with Sarah Hassett’s innovative wireless-charging, solar-powered handbag and app being selected as one of just 14 exemplary works to be displayed at the Powerhouse Exhibition. Sarah placed sixth in the State in the HSC for Design and Technology, with a score of 98/100. Another student, Jessica Latimer, from Wagga Wagga, was selected for a highly competitive place at the 2018 UNSW Women in Engineering Camp.” “We are leveraging new technologies to encourage collaboration and create self-directed, self-paced learning opportunities for
students, and it is a team approach. Teachers are leading by example, challenging themselves and students to explore possibilities well beyond the traditional ‘core’. Frensham’s Drone Academy is one example of our redefined curriculum,” said Ms Gillick. With a strong history of supporting rural and regional students, Frensham is a unique residential and community experience – for boarders who are 70 per cent of the school, and for “day boarders” who are fully connected to House life but don’t sleep over. Increasingly, parents are seeing the benefits of boarding for developing emotional and intellectual maturity, self-discipline and selfmanagement, and inspiring a deep sense of personal connection. Education futurists like Sir Ken Robinson are clear that the key to transforming schools is personalisation, building achievement in an environment where individual students can thrive – inspired and challenged to pursue excellence in areas of their particular passion and interest. AusBiz.
Frensham is delivering on this vision, and, in doing so, is reaching new heights.
innovative and adaptive approaches developing a spirit of enquiry and love of learning
Enquiries: The Registrar +61 2 4860 2000 registrar@frensham.nsw.edu.au
www.frensham.nsw.edu.au FRENSHAM Range Rd Mittagong NSW 2575 AUSTRALIA Frensham is a member of the UK Boarding Schools’ Association
OPEN DAY 2018 SATURDAY 3 MARCH 12.30pm to 4.00pm Tours of the campus in operation all afternoon Information Forum 2.15pm, Clubbe Hall
‘Everyone’s a boarder... not everyone sleeps over’ Our boarding tradition sets us apart
Sarah Hassett – 6th place HSC Design & Technology and selected for SHAPE Exhibition of exemplary works FEB/MAR 2018
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Education Special Feature
Support and Partnership
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Education Special Feature
St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie, is a Catholic residential boarding College offering students, in partnership with their parents, a complete and fulfilling educational experience. The College has served the needs of families since 1933, and has a strong rural dimension that has developed from pioneering days with the Christian Brothers. It was at the request of the then Bishop of Townsville to provide a College that caters especially for boys from rural backgrounds. The College has excelled in supporting parents and communities to educate young Australian students from the local area and as far afield as the Northern Territory, Cape York, the Torres Strait and the southern Queensland area. In 2018, St Teresa’s College welcomes experienced Principal Michael Conn, who is set to oversee the next chapter of College history. Newly constructed dormitories and amenities mean the College offers modern, comfortable boarding facilities within a tropical bush setting. As part of being a boarder at St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie, students become members of the “Gowrie Family”, which offers a supportive and caring residential environment.
Education does not stop in the classroom, and programs include life skills such as health, exercise and nutrition. Boys at Abergowrie are always occupied with a wide range of indoor and outdoor recreational activities. Boarders are encouraged to be active, involved, and to make the most of the opportunities offered to them. With a little luck, they may find themselves part of the “Gowrie Boys” song and video project, which has turned out yearly YouTube stars, much to the thrill of students, staff and families. Inherent in the fabric of the College are strong Christian values and this is expressed in the care offered, operating from the premise that the family is paramount. This translates into a care that both challenges and supports students so that they realise their personal worth and dignity, as well as that of others.
For a tour of the St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie, and the boarding facilities, please contact Principal Michael Conn: (07) 4780 8300 FEB/MAR 2018
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Puzzles
CROSSWORD
P D I N I N G R O O M E T
T I Q I B Y B L T P B R S
O Y C A E E R E I O E O D
I Y T T D G P D R G R O O
L H D R U R A D N E H M O
E O O U A R R R Y U E T R
T O U C T A E O A Q A L S
M U D T W S F S D G M L S
SOLUTIONS:
T L P S P A N T R Y Y G A
I M O O R S E M A G R N I P D I N I N G R O O M E T
T I Q I B Y B L T P B R S
L I R S W O D N I W T U R O Y C A E E R E I O E O D
I Y T T D G P D R G R O O
L H D R U R A D N E H M O
E O O U A R R R Y U E T R
T O U C T A E O A Q A L S
E O K H K I T C H E N O S
T L P S P A N T R Y Y G A
M U D T W S F S D G M L S
S D N I L B B S K O E L L
I M O O R S E M A G R N I
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Find all the words listed hidden in the grid of letters. They can be found in straight lines up, down, forwards, backwards or even diagonally. Theme: AROUND THE HOUSE
L I R S W O D N I W T U R
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LAUNDRY LIGHTS LOUNGE ROOM PANTRY PICTURES STAIRS STUDY TILES TOILET WARDROBE WINDOWS
WORD SEARCH
E O K H K I T C H E N O S
BATH BEDROOM BLINDS CARPET CURTAINS DINING ROOM DOORS ENTRY FOYER GAMES ROOM GARAGE KITCHEN
DOWN 1. Ascertains 2. Electronic message 3. Objects 4. Pass (of time) 5. Stacked 6. Curled (of smoke) 10. Make (beer) 11. On any occasion 12. Droplets on lawn 13. Zone 14. Tea, ... Grey 15. Tripoli native 16. Slay by guillotine 17. Criminal 18. High standards 19. Soft confection 20. Filleted
S D N I L B B S K O E L L
ACROSS 1. In similar fashion 5. Bee nest 7. India/China continent 8. Sprang (from) 9. Barons & dukes 12. Blind alley (4,3) 15. Non-intellectual 19. Legendary 21. Sang alpine-style 22. Canada’s ... Scotia 23. Social misfit 24. Monday to Friday
Exceptional food and wine abounds on South Australia’s Limestone Coast. With the moody Southern Ocean on one side and acres of farmland on the other it’s no surprise that the region boasts some of Australia’s best produce. Sink your teeth into freshly caught lobster, succulent Wagyu beef and award winning wines as you follow one of the regional food and wine trails. Or cook up your own storm after visiting the local farmer’s markets. It doesn’t matter what tickles your tastebuds, the Limestone Coast will have you wanting more.