What’s Happening?
Queensland agricultural technology innovator Amelia Unthank has received the 2027 Liz Alexander Bursary for Leadership in AgTech and Innovation, recognising her emerging leadership and practical work in the agricultural industry.
The 26-year-old lives and works on a cattle station in Cloncurry, where she leads the evaluation and implementation of technology across a large northern Queensland beef operation.
Her work focuses on developing practical, scalable solutions suited to northern Queensland production systems.
Why It Matters
Unthank’s approach to agricultural technology is shaped by her experience growing up in a family involved in livestock agency.
Having witnessed the commercial pressures facing producers and regional communities, she focuses on solutions that respond to the needs of the beef industry.
Deputy Director-General of Agriculture Peter Donaghy highlighted the value of her work.
“Amelia’s work demonstrates how innovation and technology can deliver practical benefits for Queensland producers, helping improve decision-making and support more productive and sustainable farming operations,” Mr Donaghy said.
Local Impact
The bursary honours the legacy of Liz Alexander, a leader from Emerald who played a pivotal role in shaping Queensland’s agricultural technology ecosystem.
Her contribution continues to be recognised through an award celebrating leadership, collaboration and innovation in Queensland agriculture.
By the Numbers
The bursary supports emerging agricultural technology leaders while recognising innovation across Queensland’s primary industries.
- $3,000: Value of the bursary supporting Unthank’s attendance at evokeAG. 2027.
- Second year: The Liz Alexander Bursary is being awarded for the second time.
- $30 billion: Queensland’s primary production output target for 2030, referenced by Peter Donaghy.
Zoom In
Unthank’s work covers analytics, genomics, remote monitoring, carbon accounting and digital farm management systems.
She has also contributed to Agscent, a breath-based pregnancy testing tool for livestock, working on its predictive algorithm and sample collection processes. The technology aims to enable earlier, non-invasive pregnancy detection, helping make the process faster and less stressful for livestock.
Alongside her agricultural work, Unthank holds a bachelor’s degree in science (Bioengineering Systems) and is currently undertaking a master’s degree in computer science.
She is also co-founder of The Primary Source, an online platform providing news and information for Australia’s agricultural industry.
Explaining her approach to problem-solving, Unthank said, “I’m an engineer at heart. I like pulling a problem apart, working out what’s actually going on, and building something that fixes it. Agriculture is full of those problems.”
Zoom Out
Now in its second year, the Liz Alexander Bursary supports the development of emerging leaders in agricultural technology.
For Unthank, the recognition also reflects the importance of innovation emerging from regional communities.
“I’m honoured to receive this bursary, especially because of what Liz Alexander stood for. She showed that some of the best agtech thinking in Queensland comes from people who live and work in the regions, and that’s exactly where I want to be working.”
Unthank believes regional agricultural operations offer opportunities to develop technology that addresses practical industry challenges.
What To Look For Next?
The bursary will support Unthank’s attendance at evokeAG. 2027, an Asia-Pacific agrifood innovation event, as part of a Queensland delegation.
Unthank also highlighted the opportunities available to innovators who choose to work in regional agriculture.
“You don’t have to leave the bush to work at the cutting edge. Some of the most interesting problems in agtech lie in (extra)ordinary agricultural operations.”
