On-Farm Automation in Action
The first stop of our Converge Esperance Grain Automate Expo Day took attendees to see a Swarmbot in action – a robotic sprayer capable of saving up to 95% of chemicals through precise weed targeting. This smart system maps weeds, plots a path, and gets to work – even while the farmer is off-farm.
“It will be spraying as you sleep, or if I’m at the pub, it will be spraying away.”
“Having the interface on the phone is key.”
Farmers praised the ease of use, adaptability, and the ability to update paths for better efficiency. And in an era of rising resistance and tight margins, the ability to use the best chemicals precisely where they’re needed is a game-changer.
Autonomous Chaser Bin Demonstration
At the second farm, the focus shifted to an autonomous “follow-me” chaser bin system. This innovation highlighted not just what’s technically possible, but also what’s culturally transformative – younger generations returning to the farm to embrace and evolve these technologies.
“Seeing a concept years in the making to introduce technology on farm come to life – and having the next generation coming home and taking it on too – is amazing.”
Tackling Snails with Smart Tech
Snails may not seem like headline material, but they’re causing serious headaches along the coast – with contamination limits as low as one snail per litre of grain, and some farms reporting up to 70 per litre. Attendees heard about a local Esperance farmer’s ingenuity that led to “Snail Cam” – a camera and software system that maps snail infestations to guide targeted baiting.
“It saved me $25k as soon as we signed up for it.”
“If you’ve got 10 snails in an area and only put out enough lunch for five, it’s not going to make a difference.”
This tech isn’t just saving money – it’s helping farmers make smarter, data-backed decisions, and it’s locally developed, adding even more value for the region.
Afternoon Workshops: Grain Automate in Practice
After a shared lunch and tour of Lucky Bay Brewery’s innovative processes, the Expo shifted to a more hands-on gear, with Grain Automate workshops covering:
- Digital success strategies in agriculture
- VRT (Variable Rate Technology) implementation
- Designing and analysing on-farm trials
- Zoning processes using real farm data
- A practical software session to create zoning prescriptions
These sessions weren’t just theoretical – they helped growers and advisors build capability in using tech on their own terms, for their own paddocks.
Across the day, a few themes echoed loudly
Conversations in the paddocks, around the machinery, and during the workshops painted a shared picture of the challenges and opportunities shaping modern farming in Esperance and beyond. If there was one thing everyone agreed on – it’s that progress comes from pushing boundaries, staying open to change, and working together to make innovation real.
“If you think you’ve got boundaries, you are never going to get anywhere – you’ve just got to push through.”
There was a clear sense that technology isn’t just about tools – it’s about mindset. Many speakers and farmers talked about the need to shift how we approach risk, time, and training.
“It’s really hard for innovators to get in front of a farmer – because they’re really busy.”
The talent crunch also came up repeatedly, with labour shortages and training gaps top of mind for many.
“Getting skilled people is getting harder and harder.”
“We’re seeing next generation come back to the farm because of the tech.”
There was a recurring appreciation for local, farmer-led innovation. People spoke with pride about the value of having solutions developed by and for the Esperance region.
“You can’t put a price on local support – they get it, and they’re here when things go wrong.”
And finally, there was a strong recognition that innovation needs champions – both on-farm and in the ecosystem around them.
As one attendee put it simply:
“Innovation doesn’t work in isolation – it needs a community.”
The Converge Grain Automate Expo Day proved that in Esperance, where problems meet prototypes, the future of grain production is growing fast!