Priority Industries

Agriculture is a longstanding strength of the region. Livingstone Shire is well-known for its production of Pure Gold Pineapples and is the only location in Australia able to grow pineapples year-round.  Importantly, the region has a climate and the soils to grow a much wider range of food products, if markets can be identified. Livingstone Shire has several food product manufacturers that have recently increased their investment in business operations and jobs.   Cattle production is the most valuable agricultural activity in the Shire, comprising approximately 70% of all agricultural production, by value. Nearly all the existing product is processed through two local abattoirs, (one in Livingstone and one in Rockhampton) and exported. There are immediate opportunities to build on the region’s reputation as the “Beef Capital of Australia” by creating local brand awareness and supplying local and select export markets via partnerships in value-added processing. 

Modern manufacturing includes both advanced design, engineering and metal manufacturing, and food product manufacturing. Both are key sectors of employment and one of the largest industry value-add contributors to the local economy. Livingstone Shire is home to growing manufacturing companies, specifically, food product manufacturing companies (Keppel Brand and JBS Meatworks). The future of manufacturing is in highly specialised products and processes in areas such as automated farming / ag-tech, agri-business, biopharmaceuticals, mining and processing technologies, aerospace and defence. In Livingstone Shire, the future of manufacturing depends on capitalising on these emerging sectors, particularly in  agri-food, modern machinery and equipment manufacturing, maintenance and repairs. These modern manufacturing activities rely heavily on new and emerging skills as well as the capacity for firms to innovate in order to grow.  Livingstone Shire Council, working with the other tiers of government, education providers and industry is committed to strategies which address skills gaps, new technology uptake, innovation and critical research. 

Livingstone Shire, through the ‘Capricorn Coast’ brand is an emerging coastal destination and gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Tourism experiences are gradually expanding and diversifying in response to evolving visitation demographics but the potential for substantial expansion is considerable.  Livingstone Shire is already home to several major festivals and events including CQUni Village Festival, The Yeppoon Tropical Pinefest, Yeppoon Running Festival, Yeppoon Triathlon Festival and Emu Park Festival of the Wind, all designed to capitalise on and highlight the outstanding natural and built resources the region has to offer.  The proposed new convention centre offers the potential to substantially expand this offering. The region’s primary visitor markets are Queensland-based families with children, dual income families with no kids (DINKs) and self-funded retirees, although the growing representation of both interstate and international visitors indicates considerable growth potential. The region’s outstanding local assets include Great Keppel Island, Capricorn Caves, Byfield National Park, and long stretches of stunning coastline. 

Read more about tourism on the Capricorn Coast.

Construction is Livingstone Shire’s largest employer and one of the major contributors to industry value-added. Over 1,600 people are employed in the sector, contributing more than $600 million to Livingstone Shire’s economy. Current and pending major projects include Rookwood Weir, East-West Connector, Rockhampton Ring Road, duplication of the Rockhampton-Yeppoon road, renewable energy projects at Clarke Creek, Moah Creek and Boulder Creek and  expansion of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Still to come are the Keppel Bay Convention Centre, Surf Lakes, Great Keppel Island revitalisation, as well as several residential and industrial land developments including the Mint Apartments, as well as multiple new tenants at the Gateway Business and Industry Park and the Capricorn Coast Homemaker Centre. With residential building approvals exceeding $100 million again in the 2021-2022 financial year to date, the construction industry will remain one of the major contributors to Livingstone Shire’s economy for a long time to come.

Shoalwater Bay Training Area encompasses nearly half of the Livingstone Shire local government area. Recognised as one of the best training facilities in the world, it is the only area in Australia where the army, air force and navy can engage in joint military exercises. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) and allies including the Singapore Armed Forces and United States Military conduct regular training exercises at this location each year.  Livingstone Shire (as the home of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area) is positioned to support the development of new Defence Force capability and is actively advocating for this expansion as a member of the Central Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (CQROC) through the CQROC Defence Strategy.  This advocacy includes the proposed establishment of a new School of Armour in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.  The case for the Federal Government relocating the School of Armour to Shoalwater Bay involves reducing reliance (and impacts) on the civilian road network, reducing transport costs, increasing operational efficiencies and addressing the problems resulting from having such a key defence asset within an entirely urbanised area (currently located at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane’s northern suburbs). Establishment of a School of Armour, RAAF Rockhampton and Army Barracks in the advocacy plan will boost the Rockhampton and Livingstone Shire economies by $3.3 billion and create over 16,000 new jobs. If this occurs, the multiplier effects on the regional economy will be substantial. 

Read more about our growing Defece indistry.

Substantial investment in mining in Central Queensland provides significant investment opportunities for service companies resident in or considering locating to Livingstone Shire. Beyond traditional energy sources, the region is also ideal for supporting a more diversified energy mix centred on wind and solar and increasingly, hydrogen. While mining support services or METS (mining equipment, technology and services) will continue to provide an important foundation for the Livingstone Shire economy into the foreseeable future, the continued development of this important sector will require a pro-active response to the seismic global forces at play and the opportunities being created by the emergence of a new energy economy.  There is an opportunity to be at the forefront of this shift and emphasis should be placed on being amongst the first at the table. Already, Central Queensland is investing billions of dollars into green hydrogen projects and the exploration of minerals needed for renewable industries.   Livingstone Shire’s comparative and competitive advantages in this regard include its strategic location, wealth of industrial land and industrial expertise, capacity to innovate, mature transport and logistics sector and strong industry supply chains and construction capacity. 

The Clarke Creek wind, solar and battery farm is located in the Livingstone Shire and Isaac Shire areas. The proposed wind farm is in the advanced planning stage, Stage Two, and will consist of 94 turbines with an expected capacity of 564MW. It is expected to produce enough electricity to power around 350,000 homes and avoid 625,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.