The Greater Hamilton Region - a

Smart Connected Rural Community

Russell Bennett Manager Business Systems

• Population: 15,751

• Largest Industry by

jobs: Agriculture

• Total Council EFT:

227

• IT 6.6 FTE: • Manager (me)

• Network and

Infrastructure

Admin

• Service Desk x 1.6

• Corporate

Systems Admin

• Records Admin

• Spatial / Assets

Admin

Setting the scene - SGSC

What does Digital Transformation mean for both locations?

V

We both want similar outcomes:

• Save $$$

• Deliver efficiencies

• Enhance service understanding and

offering

• A channel to interact, engage and

connect with our communities /

customers

Smart Parking in Hamilton CBD……

Traffic flow solution for Hamilton’s busiest intersection…..

As identified in the Digital Strategy that was jointly development by Glenelg and SGSC and adopted

by SGSC Council in 2016 was the need for digital transformation across the whole shire.

Our vision in the digital strategy is:

By 2025, Glenelg and Southern Grampians will be

leading examples of successful digital economies,

communities and local governments in regional

Australia.

Digital technology will have helped to create a resilient

economy, and connected community. Our councils, in

partnership with businesses, the community, and

services providers, have developed a healthy local

digital ecosystem that embraces digital change. This

will be underpinned by enhanced digital infrastructure,

and by stronger digital skills in our community

Approach – Engagement and Strategy First

Our Challenges

• Digital Skills and capacity

• Low % of households connected to Internet

• Prior to NBN SGSC lowest 30% of average ADSL

speeds in Victoria

• Ageing population

• Lack of understanding of the opportunities

• Digital pathways for the community

• $$$$

• Rate capping

• Declining population

• Council resources and skill sets

Our Opportunity…….create a digital ecosystem

Goals

• Reduce the Digital Divide

• Population / Business growth

• Retain and provide opportunities for our youth

• Greater tourism

Telstra Smart Connected Community Framework and

Strategic Roadmap SGSC engaged Telstra to engage with Community members, local businesses and council officers

to develop a tailored framework and strategic roadmap to transform SGSC into a Smart Connected

Rural Council.

Excerpt from Telstra Document:

From a Smart Community perspective specifically, Southern Grampians has strong potential to be a

leader. The region is a good value proposition for the increasing number of people looking for a

“tree/green change” with the opportunity for connectedness and community engagement. Southern

Grampians is fortunate to have many of the fundamental elements for lifestyle, economic growth,

sustainability and social cohesion in place.

A phased approach

What we have done…. Open Data

SGSC 3th most data

sets released in

Victoria as at 05/04/18 https://opencouncildata.org/

What we have done….Land capability mapping

Flaxseed

2050 Onion 2050

http://www.growingreaterhamilton.com.au/interactive-map/

Factors

- Soil type

- Water

- Topography

- Current and future climate conditions

What we have done….Infrastructure (Public WiFi)

What we have done….Infrastructure

Greater Hamilton Community IoT Network

What we have done….Infrastructure

Greater Hamilton Community IoT Network

What we have done….Infrastructure

Greater Hamilton Community IoT Network

What we have done….Partnerships

Academy of Interactive Entertainment

http://aie.edu.au

What we have done….Partnerships

What we have done…. Community Engagement

141 Responses over 2 days of Sheepvention

530 over a 2 month period at HILAC

Total of 671 survey responses collected

4 surveys on:

• Playgrounds

• Lake Hamilton

• HILAC

• Public WiFi

What we have done…. Digital Ecosystem

Land Capability Map

Open Data

Sensor Data

Public Wifi

LoRaWAN

SigFox

Sensors

AIE

Future Squared

Open Data

Digital Kiosks

Federal Smart Cities and Suburbs Grant

• Public WiFi in Hamilton and each of our 9 surrounding townships

• Use Water Quality Sensors to centralise monitoring of water quality across our 7 pools

to better deliver this service

• Weather Stations installed in all our townships providing more localised weather data

for our agricultural community to access via Open Data

• Soil Moisture Sensors linked to watering systems installed in our Botanic Gardens

and sporting grounds to better manage our water use

• Using Beacon Technology and a smartphone app for tourist to do self walking tours

• Pilots of:

• Smart Bins

• Smart Lighting

• Smart Security

• Community Digital Capacity building

Key learning's thus far

Take the initiative and start

• Rise above the day to day

‘keeping the lights on’ mentality

• Start the conversation and get

people talking out it

• See what others are doing

• From little things big things grow,

start small

• It started for SGSC by the drive

of just 2 staff members (Eco Dev

Manager and Business Systems

Manager)

Key learning’s thus far

Alignment is a must

• Council / CEO / Executive Team need

to be on-board and understand:

• What is the reason / purpose to

change, what is the vision?

• Why is it important?

• What is the benefit?

• How are we going to achieve it?

Key learning’s thus far

Plan and Strategy….another must

• Implementing a smart light doesn’t

magically transform you into a smart

community

• Must have a good understanding of:

• Where you are now

• Where do you want to be

• Why do you want to be there

• How are you going to get there

• Opportunities

• Challenges

• Engage with your community

• Helps with funding opportunities

Key learning’s thus far

Seek funding opportunities

Key learning’s thus far

Partnerships

Key learning’s thus far

Pilot small with the aim to scale

Looking through the crystal ball - SGSC of the future

1) A growing population

2) Retaining our youth

3) IT/Technology education

opportunities offered locally

4) A community that is

connected and engaged

5) SGSC a testing bed for

industry

6) Smart Agriculture