Innovation Gippsland

Innovation Gippsland – Making Good Ideas Happen in 2007

The Gippsland Innovation Festival has been the largest regional innovation festival in Australia for a number of years. This is a direct reflection on our region’s capacity to come up with new ideas and make them happen.

‘Necessity is the mother of Invention’ rings true for many Gippslanders who have lived and worked in many beautiful but isolated parts of the region. In this new age of information and communications technology, we are all a lot closer to each other than we used to be.

Innovation Gippsland showcases the passion and intellectual capacity of a region that is not content to rely on its abundant natural resources.

Innovation Gippsland is about sharing success, letting people know what is happening in our great region, and encouraging business, community and government to make Gippsland an even better place to live, work and do business.

Innovation Gippsland Launch on May 2nd

Innovation Gippsland is one of the biggest events on the regional calendar. AusIndustry is the principal sponsor of the launch. It is a great opportunity to see how local businesses have turned great ideas into reality. If you are an innovative local business with new products or services to showcase, please contact Mikaela Power on 0417 159 733.

Upcoming Innovation Gippsland events

1st April - 15th May

gerald’s artichoke - submissions

An edited publication of the work of writers, publishers and photographers and artists in East Gippsland. Submissions of contemporary writing, cartoons, photographs and illustrations of artworks can be made until May 15th. Contact: Daniel Jenkins or Peter Duggan at ArtsNet East Gippsland Inc 0438 063 026, artsneg@bigpond.net.au

18th April - Roadmap to Successful Commercialisation - A program to help businesses to transform ideas into commercial reality. Contact Jayde Van Gelderen 03 5174 9233 jayde.vangelderen@rdv.vic.gov.au

19th April - Gippsland Community Network Breakfast – Warragul – An opportunity for business and community to come together and hear national leaders in business, sport and government share their ideas on innovation and leadership. Contact: Pat Coles 0428 746207, pacoles@bigpond.com

21st – 22nd & 28th – 29th April Prom Cost Seachange Festival - A new celebration of all that’s wonderful about living in and visiting South Gippsland. Two weekends of fun activities at locations across the Prom Coast, including the premiere of ‘Fire Up’.

www.promcoastseachangefestival.org/program.html

23rd April - Launch of Public Access to Bemm River School Bus (Let’s Get Connected’ Project) Contact: Rhonda James 03 5153 9441, RhondaJ@egipps.vic.gov.au

26th April East Gippsland Economic Development Summit Contact Holly Yates, 03 5153 9521 hollyy@egipps.vic.gov.au

29th April - May 5th Australasian Cave & Karst Management Conference Parks Victoria hosts the 17th Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association (ACKMA) Conference at Buchan Caves Reserve. Contact: Dale Calnin, Parks Victoria 03 5162 1908, conference.convenor@ackma.org

Australian Innovation Festival

The theme is the 4C’s – Creativity, Connections, Collaboration and Commercialisation’. The Festival has been facilitating the ‘Leaders in Innovation’ Series to consider these and other issues. Speakers in the series have included Peter Bartels, Chair of the Australian Sports Commission, Ross Brown, CEO of Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyard and Dr Geoff Garratt, CEO of CSIRO.

Recent Events

The Wonthaggi Energy Innovation Festival was held over the weekend of the 24th and 25th of March. Despite rain on Saturday, thousands of people came from across Gippsland to see the Human Powered GP and learn more about the range of energy and water saving products on display.

Tours of Wonthaggi’s wind turbines and local energy-efficient homes were also popular with visitors. Last year’s festival also brought rain – another benefit of innovation, perhaps?

Websites and Blogs - Australian Technology Showcase:

If you are developing new technology and considering venturing into exporting goods overseas, this site is worth a visit. www.ats.business.gov.au/useful+resources.

Read about the Innovation Leadership Forum’s view on promoting an innovative Australia at www.mind-sharing.com/innovation/manifesto

Innovation Gippsland 2007 – Main Events in week 1…If you ever needed evidence that Gippsland is a truly innovative region then the first week of May is living proof of a region that is realising its potential…

How many regions in Australia can offer Virtual Wine Tasting? An Art exhibition that features Wild Dogs? A program built to Inspire Young Women?

The first full week of the Gippsland program is packed with innovative things to see and do.

It begins with ‘Inspiration, Innovation & Leadership’ with nationally acclaimed motivational speaker Terry Hawkins, on May 1st at the West Gippsland Arts Centre, and continues through ‘Virtual Worlds in Education’, the Inaugural Gippsland Tourism Industry Leadership Program and an open day at ASIRC- Gippsland’s own commercial centre for innovation.

May 1st

Gippsland Tourism Industry Leadership Program Workshop

The inaugural Gippsland Tourism Industry Leadership Program is developing the leadership skills and networks for the local tourism industry.

Contact: Janiene Ayre 03 56242538 janiene.ayre@bawbaw.vic.gov.au

Virtual Worlds in Education

Discover how Virtual Worlds have been used by different learner groups to assist remote learning. Includes a discussion and overview of the Virtual Worlds Real Learning National Project.

Contact: Ms Helen Reeves 03 5120 4521 helenr@gippstafe.vic.edu.au

Wild Dogs Down Under - Gippsland Exhibition - until Friday 4 May

“Wild Dogs from Down Under” are six professional contemporary artists who have united to create a body of 2D & 3D visual art titled and themed ‘Gippsland’ and are exhibiting at Queens Hall in Parliament House for the first time. Contact: Kerrie Warren 0411 480 384 mail@kerriewarren.com.au

May 2nd

Launch of the Gippsland Innovation Festival 06

Sponsored by AusIndustry & hosted by Monash University Gippsland, Innovation Gippsland will be launched by the Hon Bob Baldwin, MP and feature a showcase of local innovators. Contact: Mrs Pat Coles 0428 746 207 email: pacoles@bigpond.com

Australian Sustainable Industry Research Centre Open Day

The Australian Sustainable Industry Research Centre (ASIRC) will showcase real life examples of how the analytical laboratory at ASIRC works to solve waste problems and develop solutions for industry.

Contact: Ms Jenny Jelbart 03 5122 7167 jenny.jelbart@asirc.org.au

Inspiring Young People Series

Inspiring Young People is a collaboration of events that aim to ‘inspire’ young people from schools and community organisations in Gippsland to identify new career and life pathways. Events are: ‘Inspiring Young Women’ ‘Inspiring Young Koorie Women’ and ‘Straight Talk’.

Contact: Kate Boyer, Nicole Skinner, Arthur Doddrell 03 5633 2868 kate.bblllen@dcsi.net.au; nicole.bblllen@dcsi.net.au; arthur.bblllen@dcsi.net.au

Virtual Wine Tasting - GippsTAFE

Learn and taste wine via a virtual classroom. – Leave your car keys at home! Includes wine buffs from Gippsland and Otago region in New Zealand.

Contact: Helen Reeves 03 5120 4521 helenr@gippstafe.vic.edu.au

Community Engagement Program - Until 13 June

This new Baw Baw Shire Council and Education Centre Gippsland program assists community groups to develop practical approaches to revitalising their communities.

Contact: Lynn Mizen 03 5624 2541 lynn.mizen@bawbawshire.vic.gov.au

3 May

Under New Management Program - Marketing & Networking (also 24 May)

Workshop and seminar for small business owners and operators seeking to develop an innovative approach to their marketing, business and management skills.

Contact: Leo Billington 03 5128 5659, leobi@latrobe.vic.gov.au

Innovation in Community Strengthening

Gippsland Community Leadership Program brings aspiring leaders from across the region to learn about leadership in a regional context. This session will focus on Innovation in Community Strengthening.

Contact: Nicola Epps (03) 5135 4304, nicola.epps@igain.vic.edu.au

4 & 5 May

Regional Arts Victoria Symposium

Networking, workshops, AGM & the inaugural RAVe awards for excellence in the arts. Contact: RAV on 03 9644 1800, enquiry@rav.net.au

6 May

“Old Town, New Lights” Walhalla - the Low Energy Globe Town

Walhalla, the last town in Victoria to be supplied with electricity, will be the first in Australia to give up incandescent light globes. Visitors receive free/discount LE globes.

Contact: Michael Leaney, Walhalla’s Star Hotel 03 5165 6262 info@starhotel.com.au

To Find Out More about Innovation Gippsland 2007

Please contact Mikaela Power at Go To… on 0417 159 733 or goto@otog.net. Information on the Australian Innovation Festival is available from www.ausinnovation.org