Burnett Top 5

Following an extensive consultation process of six in-person workshops and one online session across the Mary and Burnett regions, including communities such as Cooroy, Kingaroy, Gayndah and Bundaberg, the Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program has now moved into its next phase. The process was open throughout, with after-workshop feedback also welcomed and considered alongside contributions shared during the sessions. Insights gathered from participants, particularly those with lived experience of drought, have been carefully reviewed and analysed to identify five priority projects. These projects reflect the realities, priorities and practical needs of local communities and will guide the delivery of targeted, place-based initiatives through regional partners. While the timing of the next drought cannot be known, this work provides a clear, community informed pathway to strengthen resilience across our landscapes, industries and towns.

Strengthen business planning and financial literacy in regional communities.

We’re doing this so:

Business owners, both on farm and in town, are more able to carry on financially, during a drought.

We will do this by:

working with businesses to identify appropriate training programs, especially in the areas of business and finance.
finding and funding reputable training organisations to deliver training in the Burnett Region.

What you will see is:

Training opportunities, such as business planning and financial literacy programs, designed to health check your business and find the gaps that might become ravines during a drought.

1

Improve digital connectivity across the Burnett region.
Improve the use of digitally driven technology throughout the Burnett region’s communities.
Support an increase in the uptake of new digitally based technology for and in agriculture (Agtech).

We’re doing this so:

we can all have equitable connectivity for all communities in the Burnett region.
we see a reduction in the extent of connectivity ‘black spots’ in the region.
Burnett communities are better able to take advantage of digital products and programs.
that the uptake of Agricultural technology (Agtech) is improved, making things easier on farm.

We will do this by:

using existing reviews and information to identify ‘black spots’ for home, mobile and farm connectivity in the Burnett region.
working with partners to advocate for more resources to address the region’s ‘black spots.
finding out what digital literacy programs exist in the Burnett region, rather than reinventing the wheel.
finding ways to deliver these digital literacy programs across the Burnett region.
developing a pilot funding program that supports regional farmers to adopt new digitally based Agtech technology and infrastructure.

What you will see is:

a comprehensive list and map of black spot areas produced and verified for the Burnett region.
a program to reduce the extent of blackspots in the region.
programs that improve the digital literacy of people in the Burnett region, delivered across the region
a call to be part of the pilot program, when it's developed.
these pilot projects delivered in the Burnett region where they will be are evaluated and the results (economic and other) made available for others to follow.
field days, where examples of new technology are being adopted.

2

Improve the access to and sustainability of local support services in areas that become drought-affected.

We’re doing this so:

People in the Burnett region have better access to locally-based support services during and after drought.

We will do this by:

building on or developing pilot programs that increase the ability of and capacity for people to access and use local support services.
advocate for increased funding for the delivery of new and existing programs, delivered by local support groups.
developing strategies and programs to attract and maintain the local workforce, because without the workers, you don't have anyone to run the programs.
developing and trialling government worker retention incentive programs in regional centres across the Burnett region.
Develop programs on how to maintain a network of workers.

What you will see is:

increased awareness in programs and an ability to access these in the region.
one-stop-shop trials to assist these support services are developed in the Burnett region.
a ready guide to the support services available in region and those who have remote services.
more lobbying and advocacy for a continued increase in local support services in the Burnett region
opportunities to ‘piggy-back’ services e.g. skin check/breast check, at community events where the people are.
an evaluation report of what services are being utilised and what aren't, and a tailoring of these services to what's needed in the Burnett.
ways that both farm and town businesses can both hang on to their existing workers, and find more.
local incentive program to increase the retention of government support workers in the region.
strategies farms can implement to maintain access to their network of works, particularly during drought.

3

Work with partners and land holders to improve land management on small block holdings.

We’re doing this so:

the water quality and land condition of the region is improved.
primary producers and farm enterprises are more viable.
the impacts of drought on the land are decreased.

We will do this by:

looking at the existing available ‘drought-related’ education material which is applicable to new and small block landholders.
identifying gaps and key lessons learned in relation to new landholders and small block landholders.
the development and piloting of or the supporting of existing education programs and resources, designed for new or small block landholders.
developing and utilising a host of different ways to get the information out to promote the learning programs and materials.

What you will see is:

appropriate and applicable land management material is either collated or developed and made available to landholders.
different ways to improve information sharing with small block and new landholders.
new materials developed by local experts with a track record, who are using this knowledge in the region.
A range of case studies that provide ways to improve on land management practices and decisions.
an evaluation report of what is working and what isn't and a tailoring of these programs to what's needed in the Burnett.

4

Increase the number of locally based support personnel that are able to support farm and town businesses in the Burnett region.

We’re doing this so:

Burnett business owners on a farm or in the town, are better supported, resulting in increased viability of their businesses.

We will do this by:

working with key regional stakeholders and delivery partners to develop strategies that can increase business support services for both farm and town business owners in the Burnett Region.
continuing to lobby and advocate for an increase in the resources needed to grow the existing business support services across the Burnett.

What you will see is:

A regionally developed plan that will support the growth of more business support services.
continued and increased advocacy and lobbying for resources that are needed in the Burnett region.