The agriculture sector across the Greater Shepparton region alone has an economic output of over $1.025B, so it is no surprise that across the Goulburn Valley (GV) it is one of the largest industries seeing the region bloom.
Established in 1995, Rubicon Water has been delivering advanced technology to managers of gravity fed irrigation networks, enabling the local agriculture industry’s growth through assisting in offering upgraded management of water resources with unprecedented levels of efficiency and control.
Forming the lifeblood of agriculture in the GV, Rubicon has been instrumental in installing more than 15,000 interconnected gates spread across more than 6,000km of open channel in northern Victoria.
Rubicon Commercial Operations Manager, Peter O’Donnell said, “As you drive through the picturesque Goulburn Valley on a crisp Autumn morning and the vibrant yellow hues of canola fields engulf the paddocks, you’ll notice solar panels strategically positioned along the parallel irrigation channels in the distance. These solar masts are powering intelligent control gates that automate the flow of water to the majority of irrigators within the GV.
“The first of these gates were installed in the region in 2001. Now, the company has installed more than 35,000 of these devices in 20 countries and counting.
“The AgTech industry in the Goulburn Valley isn’t just nurturing crops and on-farm operations; it’s also bringing local manufacturing jobs, technical expertise, and supporting growers to achieve more with less. It’s an exciting time for the region.
“Earlier this year, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the company’s largest international project in front of an audience of around 200,000 people, showcasing its ability to drive positive change in water management across geographies.
“Engagements with governments in emerging regions, such as India, Egypt, Morocco, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, highlight the company’s expanding global impact.
“The technology driving these global systems is now being leveraged on-farm to transform traditional surface irrigation practices to being at least 85 percent efficient, achieving similar results to other modern application methods,” Peter said.
Goulburn Valley growers can witness this cutting-edge FarmConnect irrigation automation technology firsthand via Rubicon’s FarmConnect mobile demonstration unit. The demo trailer is designed to provide irrigators at their farm with insights into enhancing their operations.
Rubicon FarmConnect manager, Kevin Saillard said, “We are thrilled to offer growers an opportunity to experience FarmConnect technology in action. By operating a trial version of the system, growers will gain invaluable insights into the potential of the technology.”
