Strategic Business Planning

Capability BuildingSTO / RTOCBEDOperatorsCouncilsStrategic Activation

Apr 16

Written By Linda Tillman

Australian Agricultural Centre

The award-winning Australian Agricultural Centre provides innovative education on agriculture to children, youth, and farmers on a 160 hectare farm near Crookwell, NSW, 1.5 hours north of Canberra.

Project purpose

The Australian Agricultural Centre intends to build a circular economy tourism attraction as a source of revenue to subsidise its education programming and support the centre’s financial viability.

The attraction will include a brewery that uses grains and hops grown on the farm, with ‘waste’ outputs used in a vertical greenhouse used by the local Aboriginal land council to grow native foods, all powered by solar and the neighbouring windfarm. A bar and café, guided tours, events, education on windfarms, and more will comprise the tourism offering.

Project overview

Tilma has been applying for grants with the Australian Agricultural Centre since 2021 to build the tourism attraction, and also to run educational programming, such as their regular Astronomical Agriculture event for primary school students. This program incorporates astronomy, how plants are impacted by the moon, and Aboriginal culture, art, stories, language and mindfulness.

To support their grant applications, in 2023, together with an economic analyst Tilma developed a business case for the Australian Agricultural Centre’s tourism attraction and its educational programming.

Project outcomes

The business case is being used to apply for significant federal and state funding support, such as the Growing Regions Fund, and Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program.

“Tilma made a big job easy, and produced a document that is multifunctional.
The process uncovered a great deal of helpful information for my business.
I highly recommend working with Tilma.”

— Jo Marshall, CEO, Australian Agricultural Centre