Digital Transformation in Government Insight #55: Digital transformation goes rural

The strategy

The Glenelg Shire and Southern Grampians Shire teamed up together to create the ‘Digital Transformation of a Rural Community’ project, which focuses on growing the use of digital technologies within the two shires. The shires encompass over 12,000 square kilometres in the south-west of Victoria.

Russell Bennett, the Manager of Business Systems at the Southern Grampians Council, told Government News in a recent article: “Our aim is to be one of Victoria’s first smart connected rural communities.”

The strategy was released in 2016 and aims to meet key deliverables by 2025. The strategy outlines four different focus areas:

1. Enabling infrastructure
2. Digital local government
3. Building digital capacity
4. Digital industry

Within each focus area are strategic directions and specific action points.

The infrastructure

The project is bringing together a range of different technologies that rely on the Internet of Things (IoT) to deliver benefits and so internet connectivity is crucial. The strategy prioritised connectivity, including 3G and 4G across the area and internet connectivity. As part of this base infrastructure, last year the council also installed four Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) gateways in Hamilton, Coleraine, Dunkeld and Penshurst.

The shires have also installed an IoT sensor network to provide the infrastructure for the many IoT initiatives that form part of the strategy.

The pilots

The councils are currently trialling a range of IoT sensor-based projects including:

• Moisture sensors in council gardens and ovals to deliver more efficient watering.

• Water quality sensors in eight swimming pools (this replaces someone driving to the locations to check the water manually).

Pilots are planned for:

• Air quality sensors
• Weather station sensors
• Water level monitoring
• Smart bins in council parks
• Smart lighting
• Smart security
• Self-guided walking tours using beacons (perhaps a little like the app that was launched recently by Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden – see our blog on the project).

Government recognition

Last year, the Southern Grampians Shire Council won the Digital Innovation award for its ‘Digital Transformation of a Rural Community’ project at the national awards for local government in Canberra.

Salsa Digital’s take

The strategy is a detailed document that sets a clear path for the two shires/councils and it’s great to see these local governments embracing digital transformation. The strategy is also very clearly tailored to the unique rural setting. For example, one of the strategic directions was “Position smart agriculture and digital health as key industries which will be the focus for digital enablement.” Another strategic direction focused on tourism, which is another big part of the area’s economy. These very tailored strategic directions demonstrate a solid foundation for digital transformation.