Innovation Upper Murray

This opportunity is about empowering 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.

The opportunity moved into the “Develop” phase of the Smart Specialisation process in August 2024, with the Innovation Working Group working on:

• Understanding the potential to unlock greater water access in the region.

• Finding solutions to leverage data and data-driven decision making, technologies and modern practices to improve productivity, sustainability and overall producer/regional market competitiveness. This resulted in the creation of Upper Murray Producer + (UMP+) project, a producer-led innovation group that focuses on shared learning and local on-farm experimentation (i.e. trial and demonstration farms) with targeted partnerships such as Charles Sturt University / Global Digital Farms.

This opportunity is looking at current biomass products from plantation, agriculture and community/food business activities to create higher value products through biomanufacturing or other circular economy outputs.

The opportunity moved into the “Develop” phase of the Smart Specialisation process in October 2024. The Innovation Working Group has progressed two parallel projects: a ‘circular economy audit’ to give the group – and the broader community – a broad feedstock and market scope of the region, and a more focused ‘Woody-mass Feedstock Audit and Wood flow Study’ led to the funding application for a Pyrolysis Feasibility Business case.

This proposition builds on the UMI-led Upper Murray Place Based Power Plan developed to embed a more resilient, reliable and low emissions electricity system for the region. While its primary focus was on implementing a series of microgrids across the region to enable self-sufficiency in energy generation, storage and distribution, the potential of Pumped Hydro in the Upper Murray was also identified.

After assessing options including the Berringama site location that was identified as the best site in the region for a possible big investment and economic project, the opportunity concluded on the “Deliver” stage of the Smart Specialisation process in April 2026.

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Recognising the extensive efforts to date in the region and community to develop and position its tourism sector to thrive, the innovation opportunity is building on the combination of proven success and community aspiration. Workshops with community and tourism stakeholders converged towards the idea of a sculpture trail that would build on the success of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail, and be accessible through active leisure.

There is an extensive network of cycling trails and opportunity to draw visitors specifically to Corryong and Towong through featuring sculptures at local sites that could be connected via a cycling trail.
Sculpture by the Sea has demonstrated their willingness to support greater awareness and interest in sculpture in the district. The existing Trail provides a strong foundation on which to build innovative sculptural activity on the Victorian side of the border.

The opportunity moved into the “Develop” stage of the Smart Specialisation process in May 2025, with the Innovation Working Group investigating partnerships, funding options and opportunities for local capacity building for two complimentary projects:

• Gravel trail from Towong to Corryong – first development phase of this part being the completion of a masterplan that would be shovel/grant ready

• Sculpture trail as an extension of the Snowy Valleys’ one (developed by Sculptures by the Sea), linking Khancoban to Corryong through Towong – first development phase of this part being a detailed arts project with ideal locations and costs for the installation of sculptures.

Two steering groups were formed to progress the funding applications and future developments. 

This innovation opportunity is relying on the Upper Murray being a pristine environment and possible home for endangered species to be maintained and protected.

While there was vested interest from stakeholders to keep the network live and focus on restoration projects, there was no distinctive big-scale opportunity that would benefit community, businesses etc. as a coherent project to move forward within the context of the Local Development Strategy.

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