Innovation Opportunities
Potential Innovation Opportunities
Many strengths of the Upper Murray revolve around the landscape and natural assets with significant areas of natural parks, abundance of water and the excellent growing conditions of climate and soils. These strengths will be increasingly important in the face of climate challenges and form the basis of many opportunities for the region across agriculture, energy production, conservation and tourism.
A strong theme emerged of the [community] desire and potential to preserve and leverage the ‘pristine’ environment, the natural assets and amenity for long-term community and economic benefit. This theme runs through the potential innovation opportunities/areas identified below.
They reflect a strong connection to the local landscape, the agricultural asset of the climate and growing conditions and the belief in the tourism potential of the region.
The five potential innovation opportunities outlined below were recommended for further investigation and review through an Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) starting in March 2024. Four of them moved on to the next step – Innovation Working Groups, for further investigation of the viability of potential projects: Agriculture, Biomass, Pumped Hydro and Tourism.
Innovation Opportunity
Pumped Hydro: Renewable Energy Generation & Storage
To investigate and evaluate the potential for pumped hydro development in the Upper Murray that leverages the region’s natural assets (elevation changes and water) to generate and store renewable electricity for use in the region and beyond, while delivering community benefit.
Innovation Opportunity
Conservation Ecology Centre
Preserve, showcase and advance understanding of the Upper Murray ecosystems, flora and fauna, and conservation areas through the creation of a conservation ecology centre.
Innovation Opportunity
Utilisation of Plantation & Agriculture Biomass & Low Value By-Products
To utilise current biowaste products from plantation and agriculture activities to create higher value products through biomanufacturing or local regional inputs.
Innovation Opportunity
Empowering Next Generation Agriculture
Empower the next generation Upper Murray producers to develop and lead future facing agriculture production systems that leverage the region’s distinct seasonal growing conditions, drought resilience and future market opportunities, giving the region a competitive advantage.
Innovation Opportunity
A Connected Upper Murray Tourism Ecosystem
To create a more connected Upper Murray tourism ecosystem to grow visitation and better leverage the region’s unique wilderness and nature-based, outdoors tourism potential for regional benefit.