The Country Caller

Ribbon cut on $116 million South West health project

By HARRY CLARKE

SHINING under the Maranoa region’s cool Autumn sun, the new Roma Hospital boasts 22 beds, greater outpatient capacity, two birthday suites, two operating theatres, accommodation for visiting patients and new staff training areas among its upgrades.

The facility is the culmination of a $116 million spend by the Palaszczuck Government which employed more than 60 local workers including five apprentices during construction. The government has allocated a total of $180 million through its Enhancing Regional Hospitals Program.

Of the total cost for the Roma Hospital, $4 million was spent directly with local companies during construction and more than 40 local businesses were engaged for contracting work, supplying services and materials.

The crucial outback health facility was officially opened by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who cut the ribbon in Roma alongside Health Minister Yvette Dath and senior staff from the South West Hospital and Health Service.

Fittingly, a newborn baby was delivered at the hospital on the same day the Premier came to tour the facility.

“Roma Hospital is everything a state-of-the-art hospital should be to support people in the south west and to look after their families and loved ones,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We’re investing more in health ($21.8 billion in this year’s budget) than any government in our state’s history because we know how important it is for people in regional Queensland to have access to great facilities.”

State-of-the-art facilities at the newly opening Roma Hospital. IMAGE: Supplied

Ms D’Ath said the Roma Hospital project created a total of 97 jobs and amounted to the largest investment in South West Queensland health services since 1987.

“Roma Hospital has been built with patients and communities front of mind, thanks to a strong public consultation process and input from locals,” she said.

“This is a benchmark by which all hospital construction should be measured and I congratulate everyone at South West Hospital and Health Service and all of the stakeholders for delivering this world-class hospital.”

The hospital opening follows the government’s announcement of a new 174-bed public hospital to be built in Springfield.

It also comes amid turmoil within Queensland Health. The government was recently forced to allocate $100 million to address an ambulance ramping crisis in South East Queensland which came to light via news media investigations.

Little polocrosse club celebrates big carnival success

By HARRY CLARKE

DESPITE the Emerald Polocrosse Club barely having enough players to scrape together full open team, its dedicated committee pulled off another successful annual carnival which again gave the town an economic boost and continued to promote polocrosse in the Central Highlands region.

Teams from Tambo, Bowen, Roma and Calliope were among ten sides which participated in the Emerald Isuzu Polocrosse Carnival, which competed with a higher profile carnival being held over the same weekend in Oakey.

Bauhinia beat Nebo to take out the A-grade competition, Wandoan overcame Capella-Tambo to win B-grade, while Roma beat Emerald in the C-grade final.

Best female horses and riders were Melinda Edminstone, Brooke Trail and Emma West in A-,B- and C-grades respectively, while in the men’s devision prizes were given to Mace Edminstone, Michael Kerr and Dennis Moy.

Sportsmanship awards were given to Brenda Taylor and Grant Wells.

Emerald Polocrosse Club spokeswoman Tamsin McBeth-Wells said the cameradie and sportsmanship displayed throughout the weekend was highlighted by the efforts to include the lone junior polocrosse player who came along.

“We had only one little junior turn up and obviously she couldn’t compete,” McBeth-Wells said.

“My husband (Brian) got together some senior players, they got on the field and trotted around with her and gave her some coaching tips and let her have a bit of run. She really enjoyed it.

“Our club member Emma West was our superstar. She is the only member who lives in Emerald so she kept the fields green and maintained them for the last few months to get us to the weekend.

“She’d go down on her work lunch break to move the irrigator and she’d go down at night time again to move it again. Then she’d go down on the weekend to mow.

“The rest of us are spread around the district and she’s the only one who lives in town, so she really stepped up. Everyone commented on how good the fields were, considering we’re such a small club.

“That was the voiced opinion all weekend – people could not believe that we pulled of such a great carnival.”

McBeth-Wells said the club was very grateful for the local business which re-committed to sponsoring the event this year, after it was cancelled due to lockdowns in 2020.

Sponsors were Emerald Isuzu Ute, DGH Engineering, Centurion, Coates, R&R Coolroom Hire, Flexihire, Regional Waste and Aggreko, among others.

“The thing I enjoyed the most was seeing town folk turn up just because they saw the signs, and just came down for a look because they’d never even heard of the game before,” McBeth-Wells said.

“The were quite a few people who rocked up with the kids, just for a look and to have some lunch.

“Polocrosse is a great sport and we were very happy to show it to the community.”

GALLERY: All images supplied by Terry Hill Photography.

Our largest warships move north for annual wargames

By KATE BANVILLE

IMPOSING warships will be positioned along North Queensland’s coastline as military troops begin amphibious assault training in preparation for large scale wargames.

Currently docked in Townsville, HMAS Canberra – Australia’s largest warship – and HMAS Choules will move north to Cowley Beach as part of a two-week amphibious warfighting exercise beginning on June 2.

The section of coastline between Townsville and Cairns will be overrun by some of the ADF’s most lethal equipment when about 1800 soldiers, sailors and aviators carry out land, sea and air assault scenarios in order to integrate their training to test the strength of the ADF’s Amphibious Force.

HMAS Canberra is a Landing Helicopter Dock, capable of carrying more than 100 military vehicles including Australian Light-Armoured Vehicles, 12 Abrams main battle tanks, machine guns and 18 helicopters with 6 operating simultaneously from the flight deck, while HMAS Choules is a Landing Ship Dock. Both are capable of projecting significant amphibious forces, including troops, vehicles and aircraft from ship to shore.

Amphibious Task Force Commander Captain Leif Maxfield said the exercise was the second of three major annual training activities intended to integrate, train and evaluate the Australian Amphibious Force in amphibious warfare.

“The exercise will see hundreds of soldiers practice beach landings on various vessels, integration with three Army helicopter variants, combat enhancement training and other series in both wet and dry environments both by day and night,” Captain Maxfield said.

The exercise will act as a warm up in preparation for the largest bilateral training activity between Australia and the United States – known as Talisman Sabre – which is set to begin on July 14.

In addition to the United States, Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 will involve participating forces from Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Private Zachary Swander (left) from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, scans the beach front during a night assault swim insertion at the Cowley Beach Training Area, North Queensland. IMAGE: Supplied

In 2019, Exercise Talisman Sabre involved more than 34,000 personnel from Australia and the United States.

It was the largest exercise of its kind hosted by Australia with forces from Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom also embedded alongside Australian Defence Force personnel, and delegations from India and the Republic of Korea able to observe the exercise. Eighteen nations from across the Indo-Pacific region were also involved as part of an international visitors program.

The large scale operation was estimated to pump about $20 million into the Queensland economy, a Defence spokesman said.

The spokesman said it’s economic benefit for Talisman Sabre 2021 wouldn’t be known until an assessment upon its completion, however fewer international participants due to COVID-19 are expected to have an impact.

“Observer nations presently include France, India and Indonesia. All personnel from these observer nations are Australian based,” the Defence spokesman said.

“Some components of the exercise, involving foreign maritime and air elements, will occur exclusively offshore.

“All foreign forces entering Australia will comply with mandatory quarantine and travel requirements.”

A Light Landing Craft from HMAS Adelaide is seen at Cowley Beach in Queensland embarking an Army Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle during Exercise Sea WADER 2020. IMAGE: Supplied

Rural women driving bush business bounce back

“ASK ME HOW?” was the leading message given to 95 professional women from throughout regional Queensland at The Regional Women in Business Long Lunch in Goondiwindi.

It was the second time local business Engage & Create Consulting has hosted the event and this year it was held in the back garden of Goondiwindi’s newest retail hub, The House, which aptly offers a place for female business owners to operate from.

(MAIN IMAGE: The Engage & Create Consulting team – Julia Spicer, Natalie Woods and Yasmin Taylor. ALL IMAGES: Photographer and writer Grace Quast)

A panel discussion heard from four businesswomen throughout south-west Queensland who’ve managed to pivot their operations and businesses to help deal with the recent COVID-19 health pandemic and drought.

Marketer Jade Mackay was responsible for taking Goondiwindi Cotton’s retail store online; a move which significantly boosted sales.

She encouraged the crowd to ask questions of each other, to foster progress.

“If you don’t ask someone how they are doing these things, you are not getting the full benefit, ask me how I did it, how do you change people, ask me how,” Jade said.

Attendees also heard from Goondiwindi Business Chamber Executive Officer, Terri Ann Crothers, who spoke about the move of going back to work after volunteering on countless committees and raising children, while juggling her art career.

Donna Haslem a grape grower, opened The Farmhouse Café in St George five years ago with no idea what challenges were ahead of her.

“COVID, drought, all of it, you’ve just for to learn to take the curveballs, you pivot with them, you let your customers guide the way you react to them, you let your customers guide the way you operate,” Donna said.

But challenges come in all forms; Mungindi Café founder, Anna Harrison described to the crowd the night three shops burnt down in the small-town last September.

“Losing three of our biggest shops in the small town of Mungindi, it’s just crippling. I watched it that night, and I thought of the despair and thought of wow we’ve just had 4 years of drought, how is this town going to bounce back,” Anna said.

She decided to open ‘Flock’ with a group of local women, as a way to bring the community back together.

“With the loss of those three shops, we actually lost the incidental community. So, a farmer can walk in off the street, and see 5 other people that he can talk to,” Anna said.

The event is held as part of Queensland Small Business Month and is supported by the Queensland Government.

PHOTO GALLERY: Grace Quast photographer

Virtual reality in the classroom under new learning endeavour

SO-CALLED fast gaming computers, virtual reality headsets and state of the art software are becoming the new tools of the trade in classrooms under a cutting edge new program provided by the Endeavour Foundation.

The Endeavour Foundation, a renowned disability service provider, has launched a Virtual Reality Learning Hub at the Chinchilla Christian College in partnership with Arrow Energy.

Originally designed for people with learning disabilities, the virtual learning programs are proving a hit with school students of all abilities.

As part of the virtual reality (VR) package, the school has received a fast gaming computer, VR headset and steering wheel, software, and training to run VR learning programs.

Endeavour Foundation service design partner Chris Beaumont developed several of the state-of-the-art learning programs in conjunction with Queensland University of Technology.

“The beauty of these programs is that they are aimed at assisting students with different learning disabilities practice skills in a safe environment before unleashing them in the real world,” said Mr Beaumont.

“We originally developed these tools for our adult Learning and Lifestyle day services, however, they’re perfect for school students because it feels like you’re playing a game but you’re actually learning too.

“It helps everyday situations become familiar before you run any risks so when you’re ready to catch a train for the first time or even drive a car, you feel more confident in real-life thanks to the virtual practice.”

Chinchilla Christian College’s Mr Nathan McDonald, Reece McConnell, Joshua Stevens, Caleb Bannerman, Jeslyn Federico, Levi Ward and Mr Stuart Kenealy.

Arrow Energy’s tenure management and external relations vice president, Leisa Elder, said the VR kits were a “next step” advancement in education.

“As a company, we are constantly looking for the next advance in technology that improves what we do,” Ms Elder said.

“We are harnessing the power of virtual reality for external communications, and we’re also stepping
into augmented reality for our engagement with landholders to show them the placement of infrastructure on their land.

“So, I am delighted to see our great community partner, Endeavour Foundation, bringing VR-supported training into schools in our areas of operation.”

Chinchilla Christian College’s Digital Technologies teacher Stuart Kenealy said: “I’m very, very impressed because we’ve actually been doing a virtual reality unit with our year 10 digital technology students and we’ve been using just an old mobile phone in one of those cardboard VR headsets.

“The Head of section has already been talking about one student in particular using the Driving package. That is going to be very handy for him to have this sort of virtual experience first before he eventually begins that journey of trying to get himself a licence.”

Mr Kenealy said as well as using the technology with Year 10 students the school would be looking to integrate the VR learning into the support plans for students with special needs.

Since 2012, the Endeavour Foundation-Arrow Energy partnership has improved access to disability services in regional Queensland providing more than 1000 hours of respite care, eight weeks work experience to job seekers, and two employment and training scholarships.

Murilla Garden Group returns to roots to raise $10k

By KATE BOSHAMMER

A CROWD of almost 200 guests have gathered in the magnificent garden of Ian and Susie Geldard at “Riverside” near Miles to enjoy a morning of fundraising for important causes.

The event was hosted by the Murilla Garden Group, formerly known in the local area as the Biggest Morning Tea. The morning featured six major raffle prizes, a cent auction, as well as plant and produce stalls.

Guests enjoyed a delicious morning tea and barista coffee by local coffee van Ludwig & Will, who collaborated with Seven Miles Coffee Roasters and Origin Energy to ensure all proceeds of coffee sales went directly to the fundraising.

A total of $10,087 was raised, including a $1000 donation from the Condamine Bell Campdraft Committee. The two causes the Murilla Garden Group selected as beneficiaries of the event were the Miles & District Hospital Auxiliary and Olive McMahon Lodge, a Cancer Council Queensland accommodation facility in Toowoomba.

The Miles & District Hospital Auxiliary will receive a donation of $7676 to be used for the upgrade of their palliative care unit and $2411 will be donated to Olive McMahon Lodge.

Anita Swift, Diversional Therapist at Milton House, and Hayley Campbell, Miles Hospital, with Milton House residents Desley Shalley, Kay Hayman and Pauline Oliver
Elizabeth Beeton and Margaretta Morgan
Janice Thomson and Helen Wylie, President of the Murilla Garden Group
Jo Finlay and Katrina Cullen travelled from Dalby for the event
Kath Currin, Sharryn Colley, Jane Nixon and Kim Palmer
Kate and Primrose Drury
Ben Geldard with Lachlan and Simon Drury
Carolyn Dales, Amy Wallis and Tamara Uebergang
Kate Taylor and Mandy Morgan ran the produce stall
3. Susie and Ian Geldard kindly provided their garden as the stunning venue for the event
Beryl and Harold Rennick
Claudia Stiller, Carla Ramos-Skinner and Gareth Skinner from Ludwig and Will Specialty Coffee
Ainsley Brownlie and her children Freddie and Isabelle, with Tamara, Margaret and Bruce Uebergang
Angela Nothdurft and Shari Kubler
Bridget Peart and Tarah Gale helped in the kitchen
Karlene and Louie Haslop with Louie’s great grandmother, Daphne Moore

Set amongst established gardens, the morning tea provided the perfect opportunity for a day out in aid of a good cause. Guests attended from the Miles, Condamine and Drillham areas, as well as Chinchilla, Tara, Dalby and Toowoomba.

Over the past 28 years the morning tea has become a fixture on the calendar for locals, and this year it returned to its origins in the Fairymeadow area, where the first event was held in 1993 by Don and Joan Brownlie.

“It was fitting to return to Fairymeadow Road where the Biggest Morning Tea began over 25 years ago to start a new era in fundraising for Murilla Garden Group,” said Helen Wylie, President of the Murilla Garden Group.

“The generosity of our community is inspiring, and the contributions made by both local business houses and corporate organisations helped us reach this amazing total.

“We are incredibly thankful for all who assisted in any way to make the event the success it was.”

The morning tea was made possible by countless supporters, donors and volunteers, and its continued success is testament to the strong community spirit in the region.

The Murilla Garden Group extends its appreciation to the many supporters of the event, and looks forward to welcoming one and all to the next morning tea in May 2022.

Lorraine Lee and Jude Brennan
Margie and Georgie Milla with Kylie, Kiris, baby Adelaide and Kaitlin Apelt
Miranda Ronnfeldt and Gail Kutasi
Sandra Crook, Sharryn Gilmour and Charmaine Teece
Shayna and Theodore Kuhl, Ellen Grierson, and Laura and Heidi Little
Shell Logan, Jane Nixon and Councillor Kylie Bourne
Susie Moore, Matilda and Catrina Brimblecombe, Margot Uebergang and Lois Roberts
Melissa Keys and Nicole Campbell
President of the Miles and District Hospital Auxilary Ailsa Gilmour, with Carol Dashwood, Mearon Geldard and Priscilla Mundell
Lilli Kelly and Henry Smith with his grandmother Ros Smith
Mary Morgan and Carol Dashwood
Local artists Di McIntyre and Pat Hinz
Nicole Campbell with Ingrid and Hugh Uebergang
Susie Geldard, Sue Geldard, Lindy Clarke and Nette Reid
Tonita Taylor, Jessica and Logan Bein, with Janine and Johnny Pye
Lena Topp and Dina McTigue

Signed ball, 4x Reds tickets raffled at Rats home game

IN AN exciting coup for the Chinchilla River Rats, a club football signed by the premiership-winning Queensland Reds team will be raffled off at the Rats’ home game this weekend, along with four tickets to the champions’ upcoming match against the Auckland Blues.

The Reds-versus-Blues game will be held in just over a fortnight’s time, on June 4 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Money raised from raffle ticket sales will help to keep the club powering into the future, as players relish the privilege this Saturday of playing in front of a home crowd for the only time this season.

The Chinchilla River Rats is the ‘sister’ club to the Condamine Cods, playing regular home games at Condamine as part of the Down Rugby Union’s C-grade competition.

“We play at Bulldog Park once every year and it’s always the season highlight for our club,” said Chinchilla River Rats president, Brendan Olm.

“It obviously a bit harder for supporters to get to Condamine for all of our home games, but when it’s held in Chinchilla we always get a good crowd of family and friends coming along.

“We appreciate the Bulldogs letting us use their facilities. We also train during the week at Bulldog Park which is very convenient for us.”

The Cods will also play at Bulldog Park this weekend. In an exciting ‘western derby’ day of club rugby union, A-grade and C-grade will play against the Roma Echidnas, while the Cods B-grade will take on the St George Frillnecks.

Registration fees and occasional raffles, battery drives and garage sales assist to keep the Chinchilla River Rats alive throughout the season, but it’s rarer for the club to have impressive sporting memorabilia and first grade game tickets to raffle off.

Tickets cost $2 each or $5 for three tickets. TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED BY MESSAGING THE CHINCHILLA RIVER RATS FACEBOOK PAGE. First prize is the two double passes to the Reds-Blues game at Suncorp, while second prize is the Rats club football signed by the Reds.

“The Queensland Reds have been in red hot form this season and there are some big star players in the side. No doubt it would be exciting to see them host the Blues on June 4,” Olm said.

“It would be great to see the community get behind the Rats for their game this season, and enter the draw to win these big prizes.”

Budget 2021-22: What’s in it for the bush?

By HARRY CLARKE

RURAL health, inland freight and telecom black spots are among funding initiatives welcomed in this year’s so-called ‘pandemic budget’, but the Morrison Government’s cash splash is also being criticised for omitting money for several important infrastructure projects throughout regional Queensland.

HEALTH

Communities outside major centres could benefit most directly from the $65 million being set aside to incentivise doctors who practice in the bush to bulk bill their patients.

For the first time, the government will implement a “progressive incentive schedule” which increases bulk billing payments for doctors based on remoteness.

“Scaling the Rural Bulk Billing Incentive will better recognise that doctors in rural and remote areas face higher operating costs, smaller patient populations (and) increased complexity in patient care,” budget papers state.

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia told the ABC that doctors in the most remote parts of Australia may receive up to $50,000 extra a year under the plan, helping retention and recruitment of medics and benefiting communities.

AGRICULTURE

Agriculture groups have generally approved the 2021-22 budget, but Queensland’s peak farming body said the funding plan lacked strategy.

As the Caller reported from Rockhampton last week, biosecurity management has been allocated an additional $370 million, bringing biosecurity funding to $1.25 billion since October last year.

Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) praised the extension of tax breaks for purchases of small business assets such as farm machinery and equipment for farmers.

But the QFF echoed complaints by the Queensland Government that of $15.2 billion being spent over ten years on agricultural infrastructure, only $1.2 billion had been allocated for Queensland projects.

CEO Dr Georgina Davis said Treasurer Josh Frydenberg had “all but forgotten Queensland” regarding ag infrastructure and that “some of the critical and important bigger picture issues the agriculture sector was facing (have) been ignored.”

QFF’s budget response named the Emu Swamp Dam near Stanthorpe and the Bundaberg East Flood Levee as examples of infrastructure projects missing out.

Dr Davis also said $4.2 million set aside for the National Agricultural Innovation Agenda was disproportionate to huge boosts in productivity and returns which could be gained by maximising investment in agtech opportunities.

“With this budget widely considered the last before the next federal election, the government has failed to demonstrate strategic intent and deliver joined up investment to enable the Queensland agriculture sector to fully capitalise on the exciting opportunities that are unquestionably there,” Dr Davis said.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick led the criticism of the federal budget, labelling it a “rotten rip off” in state parliament and saying Queensland has been “taken for granted”.

Mr Dick is furious that no extra funding has been allocated for Toowoomba’s Wellcamp Entertainment Precinct, or Townsville’s Haughton pipeline and Landsdown Eco-Industrial Precinct.

North Queensland MP Bob Katter praised continued funding outlined for water projects such as the Hughenden Irrigation Project and Hells Gates Dam, but said he was disappointed there was no new funding for CopperString 2.0, a major trasnmission lined aimed to connect the Mt Isa mineral region to the national electricity grid.

Maranoa MP and Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, however, has touted big infrastructure spending in the regions.

Some $400 million is being put towards the Inland Freight Route, which Mr Littleproud said would “help boost our economic recovery, keep our families safe and back local jobs,” by employing 610 workers.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Bob Katter welcomed $68.5 million being budgeted over two years for the Regional Connectivity Program and Mobile Black Spot Program in northern Australia, saying mobile connectivity was the “number one issue” raised with him by constituents.

“I’ve worn out the carpet visiting the Minister and it’s great to see recognition with budget funding. My office will be working closely with the Minister to ensure this funding is well spent,” Mr Katter said.

But the National Farmers Federation has been underwhelmed by Mr Frydenberg’s overall telecommunication spend of $153 million, given that $68.5 million was “quarantined from existing funding” for northern Australia.

“This falls short of securing the future of the Mobile Blackspots Program beyond this year, as called for by the NFF. The NFF implores the Government not to become complacent in its funding for regional communications,” NFF president Fiona Simson said.

Serene spot for the Murilla Garden Group morning tea

By KATE BOSHAMMER

The 2021 Murilla Garden Group Morning Tea (formerly The Biggest Morning Tea) will be hosted in the beautiful garden of Ian & Susie Geldard, “Riverside”, 766 Fairymeadow Road, Miles, on Thursday 13th May, 9:30am-12:30pm.

The event will feature all of the fabulous elements the morning tea is known for – great company, beautiful food and coffee, amazing raffle prizes, the cent auction, plant and produce stalls, and more!

Local coffee van Ludwig & Will are going to be brewing beautiful beverages, sponsored by Origin and Seven Miles Coffee Roasters.

FOR FULL DETAILS SEE THE FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE.

Please join us to raise funds for the Miles Hospital Auxiliary for the new Palliative Care Unit at Miles Health Services, and Queensland Cancer Fund – Accommodation.

This long-standing event in our community has raised valuable funds for important causes over the years, primarily Cancer Council Queensland.

Over the past 27 years, $160,000 has been raised through the morning tea in the Miles community.

We look forward to your support in 2021 to fundraise for our chosen causes this year.

How winners of the coveted BEEF2021 ‘Pitch in the Paddock’ competition will spend their prize

By HARRY CLARKE

Black Box Co COO Emma Black, CEO Shannon Speight and Northern Accounts Manager Sam Fryer, winners of the BEEF2021 Pitch in the Paddock competition.

FROM dozens of entries by Australia’s most innovative start-ups and entrepreneurs in agriculture, the data crunching gurus from Black Box Co have been crowned winners of the prestigious Pitch in the Paddock competition at BEEF2021.

Black Box Co is only 12 months old but is already fast becoming the go-to service for speedy analysis of mass data from across the cattle supply chain.

The product is a software interface that can quickly inform everyone from mum-and-dad producers to large corporate beef suppliers on how they could tweak their operations for better efficiency and profitability.

In a sign of the huge industry interest quickly generated by Black Box Co, CEO Shannon Speight customers started using their service at a “scarily early stage”.

A recent investment round that aimed to raise $1 million ultimately raised $1.5 million, all from Australian investors from within the beef industry.

Ms Speight and fellow co-founder Emma Black were pitted against eight other finalists for Pitch in the Paddock, who all delivered a pitch to an expert judging panel in competition for $10,000 in prize money from sponsor evokeAG.

There were developers of a blockchain transaction software for livestock, a smartphone app that helps to manage cattle trucking transport, and even a nifty scalpel attachment hailed as the world’s safest blade for cutting calves.

Judges were David Halpern, Sales Strategy and Operations Lead, from Microsoft, Bevan Slattery, founder of SUB.CO, Cloudscene, Superloop, Megaport, NEXTDC and Co-Founder PIPENetworks, Alex McCauley, CEO of StartupAUS, Luke Chandler, managing director of John Deere Australia & New Zealand, and Bruce Creek, agricultural business management from Thomas Elder Consulting.

Ms Speight said the team was thrilled to be declared the winner of the $10,000 prize.

“It feels absolutely fantastic. We were up against stiff competition and judging panel that was world class for ag-tech,” Ms Speight said.

“We have the possibility of making a big impact in the industry. There’s a lot of data out there that’s just sitting there, and that’s why we created this product.

“We worked with industry from the start and that’s been paramount to our success and our growth.

“We’ve all put in a lot of hours before and during the (BEEF21) week and I’m sure there’ll be a lot of long hours to come, but it’s been a fantastic opportunity to showcase our product.

“We plan on spending our 10,000 bucks on bringing our team together. We’re a remote team based across regional Australia and within some of the capital cities.

“So bringing everyone together for the first time, we’ll get to see each together, celebrate, and put our minds forward and sort out a strategy and roll out some more stuff.”

COO Emma Black added: “We’ve been very fortunate to win a lot of awards this year and I think that really highlights the need for our product in the industry. We saw an issue and decided that someone has to do something about it.

“It’s an easy, simple to use product that can generate so much value for the entire industry.

“We pool together data. We don’t just summarise it, we analyse it and link different pieces of that information together from along the supply chain.

“Some key examples of that are identifying calf loss or shifts in trends over time in a business. We look at historical data and current data. Producers can easily see the discounts and where they’ve fallen out of prime, and link that back to on-farm management.

“They can look at how they manage their cattle and optimise.”