TEKFARM Agtech Showcase Tour - four days in reflection

Over four days, the Farmers2Founders TEKFARM Tour took participants on a journey across North Queensland to explore how innovation and technology are being applied in real grazing operations.

I left feeling hopeful and practically inspired. Hosting while attending meant I moved between listening, prompting and learning, which made the conversations sharper and the takeaways easier to picture on-farm. Here’s what I took away from the four days.

Day 1 : Georgetown with local producers

with producer Bill Bjurstrom at Inorunie Station

The F2F TEKFARM® Tour kicked off in Georgetown, where we got to see technology in action on local properties - from remote weighing and water monitoring to drone mustering. It was eye-opening to hear directly from producers about how these tools are changing the way they work. Remote weighing has been a real game changer, especially for animal welfare. Cattle no longer need to be brought into the yards for weighing, which means less stress and smoother handling. Remote water monitoring was another standout - saving producers countless hours of driving while giving them better insights into rainfall and pasture response. Some even use it to decide whether roads are too wet to travel!

Drone mustering was another highlight. With staff shortages still an issue, producers are using infrared drones to start mustering earlier and calmer; helping cattle stay settled and even allowing mustering and processing to be done in one day.

Day 2 : Wambiana - Genetics and the power of long data

with producer Michael Lyons at Wambiana Station

We then headed to Wambiana Station, run by the Lyons family, to see how genetics and Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) are being used to improve herd productivity. One cow had produced 13 calves in 13 years - an incredible example of consistency and performance. Peter O’Reagain from the Department of Primary Industries shared insights from the long-term grazing trials at Wambiana, running for nearly 28 years. His team’s research is now shaping new projects around managed grazing pressure and pasture regeneration - all vital for drought resilience and sustainable land management.

Day 3 : Spyglass - Virtual fencing moving from idea to practice

Day three took us to the Adaptive Grazing for Better Pasture and Cattle Production Field Day at Spyglass. Here, we learned about the Virtual Fencing Trial, watching live demonstrations of how the collars work and how they’re helping manage grazing pressure.

Presentations from researchers and producers like Jane Moore tied everything together — blending science with real-world experience. We also heard about climate tools that help producers plan for seasonal conditions, and wrapped up with a discussion on preparing for GHG emissions reporting. It was a big day, packed with ideas and inspiration (and definitely a few tired brains by the end!).

Jarrud Muller and his creative way of demonstrating virtual fencing

Day 4 : Reid River Yards - Systems that prepare cattle for market

Our final stop was the Reid River Export Yards, where Trent gave us an inside look at how data drives every part of their operation. The yards visit tied together animal welfare, data capture and market readiness. Integrated systems tracked feed rations and operational data, and practical infrastructure like shade improved welfare outcomes. Preparing cattle for feedlot entry highlighted that successful adoption is about aligning practices with market requirements as much as installing technology.

It was the perfect way to end the tour seeing firsthand how technology, data, and people are coming together to create a smarter, more resilient future for agriculture.

Takeaways and what I’ll carry forward

Technology becomes transformative when it reduces labour, improves welfare and produces usable data that leads to decisions. Adoption works best when paired with clear management frameworks and training. Local stories and long-term trials build the trust producers need to change practice. Small, tangible wins help build confidence for larger system changes. As one participant shared “I came here with an open mind, and the information shared was inspiring - it’s made me excited to start trying new things.” Charlize

Final reflection

The generosity of producers sharing both failures and successes was the most valuable part of the tour. That openness creates the conditions for real adoption and long-term resilience across country and community.

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The event was organised in collaboration with Farmers2Founders, NQ Dry Tropics, and Gulf Savannah NRM, with the support of  key partners - local host producers,  the Department of Primary Industries, Rural Financial Counselling Services, and NACP Climate Mate. 

This program/project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.