From subsea to space: geospatial transformation

As published on InnovationAus.com on 10 March 2026.

Written by technology reporter Brad Howarth

Sometimes a grassroots initiative can achieve lofty ambitions – all the way to low earth orbit. 

What began as an effort by the Sunshine Coast Council to attract high-value, technology-based jobs has evolved into a collaborative initiative spanning schools, industry, researchers and government, all working to build a sustainable geospatial capability in the region. 

The initiative’s origins stretch back to the early 2010s, when Council began developing plans to connect the region to the world via a high-speed underwater fibre cable. That cable became operational in 2020, attracting interest from data-intensive industries, and significant investment from data centre operator NEXTDC.

A second subsea cable, delivered as a partnership between Sunshine Coast Council, NEXTDC and Google, is scheduled to come online in 2026, giving the Sunshine Coast Australia’s fastest direct data connection to the United States. 

These efforts caught the attention of Geospatial Intelligence, a provider of high-resolution optical and radar satellite imagery, which plans to create a capability hub in the region. 

Chief executive Rob Coorey said the importance of what was happening on the Sunshine Coast went well beyond local economic development, with the Geospatial Council of Australia estimating the sector would deliver economic impacts of $689 billion in the decade to 2034.  

“A sovereign geospatial industry is critical to all aspects of Australian life – from natural disaster management to agriculture, mining, and national security,” Mr Coorey said.

“Australia and its maritime areas of responsibility are massive. Space-based sensors are the most efficient and cost-effective method of monitoring, with the benefit of not disturbing the environment.” 

Mr Coorey said the Sunshine Coast was uniquely positioned to demonstrate the real-world value of these technologies. 

“The impact of change is obvious here, from rapid urban expansion and environmental pressures to climate change,” Mr Coorey said. “Those impacts are being recognised across ecosystems from the coast to the tablelands. This region is the perfect place to apply geospatial capabilities and realise their benefits.” 

However, creating a local capability requires more than infrastructure – it also requires a skilled workforce. One educator to take up the challenge is Graeme Breen, a teacher at Mountain Creek High School, who became involved after hearing about Council’s vision.  

With support from STEM and space education advocacy organisation One Giant Leap Australia and its founder and director Jackie Carpenter, Mr Breen developed a year-long extracurricular pipeline for Year 9 and 10 students that connected them with scientists around the world, including a live conversation with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. 

“The kids loved it,” Mr Breen said. “Not only were they finding out about an emerging technology on the Sunshine Coast, but they were also engaged with students, scientists and astronauts from all around the world, culminating in a presentation at the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Forum.” 

For Mr Breen, the program also addressed the challenge of students leaving the region to pursue advanced STEM opportunities elsewhere.  

“If we can offer that here with an industry-supported program, then so much the better,” he said. 

Environmental scientist Professor Stuart Phinn of the University of Queensland agreed that building a lasting geospatial capability required both skilled people and access to data processing and communications infrastructure.  

“For this region to become recognised as an area that is coming up with unique ways of using geospatial technologies, you first need skilled people in place, who can work together in processing data to build critical mass,” Professor Phinn said.  

He said applications for geospatial technology spanned insurance, surveying, logistics, planning and food production, while also strengthening Australia’s sovereign capability. 

Industry engagement was further supported through the Space to Sea Accelerator at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC). 

According to Tim Kelly, an Adjunct Fellow in the University of the Sunshine Coast’s School of Science, Technology and Engineering, the program supported startups and scaleups working at the intersection of geospatial intelligence, autonomous systems and real-world applications.  

“Businesses have made meaningful connections that have helped them move forward in a range of ways,” Mr Kelly said. “That includes progressing their thinking, finding funding, finding customers, finding suppliers, and making better business decisions.” 

This initiative was also supported by the Queensland government Department of Innovation and Sunshine Coast Council.  

Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli said the geospatial initiative aligned with Council’s long-term goals, envisioned at the beginning of the digital connectivity strategy more than a decade ago.  This forms part of the broader Sunshine Coast Regional Economic Development Strategy.  

“This investment has been a catalyst for private industry, education providers and the community to come together, with the assistance of Council, to create something that none of us could have brought to life on our own,” Ms Natoli said. 

“We hope this project will inspire others in the community to collaborate in similar ways, creating new opportunities for the people of the Sunshine Coast.” 

From lunchtime classrooms to orbiting satellites, the Sunshine Coast’s geospatial journey shows what can happen when grassroots ambition is matched with collaboration, capability and vision. 

To find out more about Sunshine Coast Council initiatives, visit invest.sunshinecoast.com.au or speak to Council’s Investment Attraction officer Wendy Macdonald on 0408 731 999.