This year, we invited AgTech innovators to showcase their innovative products designed to improve farming and rural living. The response was amazing, with many creative entries highlighting the ingenuity and innovation within the AgTech community. Congratulations to winner AgtechData for their app that eliminates the need for paper files by capturing essential farming data. It helps track chemical usage, livestock traceability and workplace health and safety — all in one place. The award was presented by Christina Cawkill, Telstra Regional Engagement Manager, to Landon Hodgkinson from AgtechData, who shared: “The app was designed and tested on my own farm in the Yass region. It digitalises all your agriculture paperwork for traceability and biosecurity, and it’s all on a live system. Thank you to Telstra and the Murrumbateman Field Days for this award – and a great event!” A special commendation went to Matt Smoker from Mozzie Fire for their lightweight portable bushfire protection system. Commended for the simplicity of the design, Matt explained: “After my wife and kids were caught in a bushfire during the 2020 fires, we realised we needed better protection for our family that ‘wives at home’ could easily use. We designed a sprinkler solution that’s easy to deploy quickly by one person in any area close to a water source. Thank you to Telstra for the award!” The Tech Innovation Award, proudly sponsored by Telstra, highlights advancements in technology that support rural businesses and agriculture – an effort Telstra is actively supporting in rural communities. This initiative supports the growth of the Murrumbateman Field Days ‘Tech Hub’ area which showcases technology that advances agriculture and rural businesses. If you missed out this year, don’t worry! Keep an eye out for information on next year’s Tech Innovation Award and more opportunities to showcase your AgTech innovations. PIctured (L-R): Landon Hodgkinson, AgTechData; Christina Cawkell, Telstra; Matt Smoker, Mozzie Fire.

The 2024 Murrumbateman Field Days were hailed as a significant success, welcoming over 15,000 visitors who basked in the warm spring sunshine this past weekend. With a rise in attendance compared to 2023, and over 17,000 people on site including volunteers and exhibitors, visitors enjoyed the spacious setting as they explored more than 300 exhibitors, with many praising the event’s relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Held over 19-20 October, the Murrumbateman Field Days featured a diverse array of attractions, with the hot ticket items being mowers, off-road vehicles, farm machinery, and tiny homes, alongside locally produced wine and very popular gin. This year’s event included new family-friendly activities such as Noah’s Racing Pigs, Hawkesbury Working Sheep Dogs, and the highly anticipated Golden Gumboot Challenge – which culminated with a winning throw of 34m!  The event also featured agricultural drone displays, camel rides and the highly popular snake demonstrations. Tom White, Manager of Murrumbateman Field Days, expressed his pleasure for the turnout, noting the significant impact on the local economy. “We welcomed over 15,000 visitors this weekend, with an additional 2,000 volunteers and exhibitors on-site, bringing our total to over 17,000 people,” he stated. “We are incredibly grateful for the funding we received from Destination NSW to support our regional advertising campaign for the event, and it seems to have worked!” Exhibitors, both national and local, reported robust sales and a wealth of enquiries. “Exhibitor are reporting good sales, especially for mowers, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and garden and homewares, with visitors spending on both big and small purchases,” Tom added. Fiona Kildey from Polaris, the Canberra-based off-road vehicle dealer, commented, “It was the best show we’ve had at Murrumbateman—communications (as in WIFI and mobile connections) were fantastic, and the clientele was excellent!” Matthew Byrne from Komatsu Australia echoed this sentiment, stating, “The Murrumbateman Field Days provided a wonderful opportunity to engage with many new and existing customers in a local environment.” Local business The Rural Nursery, part of Murrumbateman Rural Stores, reported pleasing sales and strong interest in their locally acclimatised plants and garden wares. Monique Dorman from Terry Bros Furniture and Bedding noted, “Our Field Days were super successful, with many people purchasing our Australian-made custom furniture.” Fiona Tanner, from sister company Terry Bros Carpet Court in Yass, added, “This event has been great for networking and customer education, and we’ve provided numerous quotes to customers.” The Thompson family from Sutton was busy packing up the tiny home they purchased from Same Day Granny Flats, getting ready for their daughter to move out and embark on independent living while they build their own property. “Our dreams came true at the Murrumbateman Field Days,” exclaimed helper Rowan Thompson. The Murrumbateman Community Association (MCA), which oversees the event, expressed deep gratitude for the support from 16 community organisations, including local schools, churches, the RFS, Murrumbateman Men’s Shed, and various sporting groups, as well as the 100 volunteers who helped make the Field Days a success. Iain McCall, president of the MCA, remarked, “We are incredibly thankful for the community’s support. In all nearly 1,000 volunteers contributed their time, from setup to ticketing, ground crew, and catering services. We couldn’t have put on this event without them!” Iain also emphasised the event’s importance to local fundraising efforts: “For many organisations, this is their largest fundraising event of the year, with all proceeds going back into the local community. We genuinely couldn’t have done it without their support.” Planning for the 2025 Murrumbateman Field Days is already underway, with the next event scheduled for October 18-19, 2025.