Agriculture and Aquaculture
The greater Mackay Isaac Whitsunday (MIW) region spans 90,354km² and accounts for around 5% of Queensland’s total land mass.
Agriculture comprises 89% of the region’s land use, boasting diverse agricultural commodities dominated by cattle, sugar cane and horticulture (fruits and vegetables). Grains and aquaculture are also significant contributors to the region’s agricultural production.
The region’s 2019-2020 gross value of agricultural production was $1.6 billion. From 5% of Queensland’s land mass, the Greater Whitsunday region delivers around 10% of the state’s agricultural production positioning the region as a key industry contributor in Queensland and Australia.
The Greater Whitsunday region’s aquaculture sector currently contributes $21.2 million or around 18% of Queensland’s overall industry production with significant growth expected in the next five years from a range of new and exciting investments in the region.
The region is home to two Queensland Government Aquaculture Development Areas (ADA) and is on track to increase production to 20,000 tonnes of prawns within the next ten years.
More information on the Mackay Aquaculture Development Area is available here.
More inforamation on the Whitsunday Aquaculture Development Area is available here.
Agriculture and Aquaculture Highlights
As a major Queensland agricultural player, the Greater Whitsunday region boasts a number of key strengths:
A mature and diverse agriculture base
Availability of land to support growth
Enviable location with moderate climate and access to water
Highly skilled workforce
Sophisticated supply chain and transport network.
Regional Opportunities
With global demand for food expected to double by 2040, the Australian Federal Government plans to grow the Australian agriculture sector from $61 billion per year to $100 billion per year by 2030, through the Delivering Ag2030 program.
To ensure the Greater Whitsunday region capitalises on this opportunity, GW3 and other key stakeholders including Regional Development Australia MIW and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, have formed the MIW Agribusiness Futures Alliance. The intention of the Alliance is to develop the MIW agribusiness industry capacity and capability with a view to increasing productivity and export potential of all agriculture sectors.
Key GW3 Projects
Discover more about key GW3 projects and activities that support Agriculture and Aquaculture below:
Mackay Isaac Whitsunday Regional Water Strategy
The Strategy identifies a range of actions to enhance economic opportunities for agriculture and aquaculture industries including removing barriers, supporting economic development and supplying water at the right time, scale and location.
The MIW Regional Water Strategy is available here.
Regional Jobs Committee
Delivered in partnership with the Department of Employment Small Business and Training, the committee supports future skills development in key industries across the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday region.
The Greater Whitsunday Future Skills Roadmap here.
The Future Employment Study here.
For Greater Stories
For Greater Stories showcases the region’s commitment to transformation, innovation and change. You can check out these stories here.
Greater Whitsunday Agtech Hub
The Greater Whitsunday Agtech Hub is an initiative of the Agribusiness Futures Alliance project, supported by Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3) and other key stakeholders. The project launched in 2020 and is a collaborative effort to develop a robust agriculture and agribusiness sector for the future. This includes transforming the sectors through technology. The Greater Whitsunday Agtech Hub is an online portal that provide resources, facilitate collaboration and build capacity so that producers and agribusinesses in the Greater Whitsunday embrace and adopt innovative agtech solutions. Explore the Greater Whitsunday Agtech Hub today
Other relevant publications:
Growing Greater Whitsunday Agrifood “Planting the Seed” Report
Regional Agribusiness Supply Chains