CSIRO maps Australia’s digital hotspots

Australia’s digital technology clusters have been mapped and analysed on a national scale as part of a new report – ‘The geography of Australia’s digital industries’ – released today by CSIRO and the Tech Council of Australia.

The report identifies 96 digital clusters across Australia and explores how the geographical concentration of innovation – like Silicon Valley in California – boosts growth and productivity.

Lead report author and CSIRO principal researcher Dr Stefan Hajkowicz said: “We’re not searching for Australia’s Silicon Valley, we have our own clusters with their own unique blend of technology specialisations, companies, and cultures.

“But we do see the same patterns of intense spatial clustering of technology industry occurring in places like California (USA), Cambridge (UK), Toulouse (France) and other places worldwide.”

The report said the clusters accounted for 63 per cent of all tech job creation in Australia, even though they cover only four per cent of Australia’s geographic area.

Australia has four superclusters, which are mega groupings of multiple clusters in the same city – the Sydney arc, the Melbourne diamond, the Brisbane corridor, and the Canberra triangle.

Dr Hajkowicz said as well as super clusters along the east coast there were smaller clusters in places like Perth, Hobart and Darwin.

“The report has also noted the rise of highly specialised clusters in regional areas, for example we are seeing the rapid growth of the graphic design profession in coastal areas like Burleigh Heads,” Dr Hajkowicz said.

Australia also has 60 greater city clusters, which are single clusters in greater capital city areas that have large and diversified tech workforces and companies.

This includes areas such as Parramatta, Hobart, Northbridge in Perth, Darwin and Adelaide.

Tech Council of Australia CEO Kate Pounder said the 36 regional specialist clusters – which includes Noosa, Newcastle, Queanbeyan, Geelong and Torquay – proves that digital innovation can happen anywhere in Australia.

Ms Pounder said: ”This research shows that great ideas and industries can spring up anywhere in Australia.

“Given tech jobs are amongst the fastest-growing, best-paid and most flexible jobs in the country, it’s a great advantage for any community to have a cluster in their area.”

CSIRO’s acting Chief Executive Kirsten Rose said that understanding these patterns was important as international research shows their many benefits.

“The experience globally has shown that firms in clusters grow, employ and innovate at a faster rate,” she said.

“We know comparatively little about this in Australia, but what this report tells us very clearly is that geography matters and understanding that geography can help us catalyse growth.”

Picture: CSIRO/Tech Central Sydney