Eight drought resilience and innovation hubs will be launched across the country through the Australian Government’s $5 billion Future Drought Fund to support the development and uptake of innovative technologies and practices that improve drought resilience.
- The Top End Hub will be based at Charles Darwin University, Darwin, with four nodes in Katherine, Alice Springs, Broome and Perth.
- The Southern New South Wales hub in Wagga Wagga will be lead by Charles Stuart University and will support communities from Broken Hill to Cobar, the Macquarie catchment to the Hawkesbury, right to the VIC and SA state borders.
- The Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales Hub will be based at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, with five nodes in Longreach, Roma, Stanthorpe, Lismore and Narrabi.
“Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs have come about through the forward-thinking Future Drought Fund – a long term, sustained investment of $100 million each year to build drought preparedness,” Minister Littleproud said.
An independent Advisory Committee, chaired by Brent Finlay, will provide oversight across the Hubs. The Committee will be supported by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment will lead the co-ordination of the Hubs, supporting them to become interconnected agricultural innovation precincts.
Find out more by visiting www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/drought/future-drought-fund/research-adoption-program
The eight Adoption and Innovation Hubs are:
- Southern NSW Hub, Wagga Wagga (hub lead, Charles Sturt University)
- Tropical North Queensland Hub, Cairns (hub lead, James Cook University)
- Southern Queensland/Northern NSW Hub, Toowoomba (hub lead, University of Southern Queensland)
- Victoria Hub, Dookie (hub lead, University of Melbourne)
- Tasmania Hub, Hobart (hub lead, University of Tasmania)
- South Australia Hub, Roseworthy (hub lead, University of Adelaide)
- South West WA Hub, Merredin Dryland Research Institute (hub lead, Grower Group Alliance)
- Top End NT/WA Hub, Darwin (hub lead, Charles Darwin University)
