TAMWORTH will be represented at the Smart Cities Australia Summit in Melbourne this week, determined to stay ahead of the game regarding the use of smart technology and processes.
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Tamworth region mayor Col Murray will attend the summit as a VIP guest and hopes to return with greater ideas for the area.
“Tamworth has been at the forefront of so many things – from being the first city to have electric street lighting, in 1888, to having the capacity to draw three abattoirs to one city, and establishing the Glen Artney industrial area, which now has about 7000 people employed in the one precinct,” he said.
“It’s conferences like this, where a lot of ideas and concepts at the leading edge are showcased, which can then spark something great at a local level. If we don’t know about them, it’s a lost opportunity to us.”
Cr Murray said council had adopted smart technology in recent times and the summit would be a chance to hear from others doing the same and share findings.
He said one example was the Tamworth Regional Playground, which boasted state-of-the-art technology including smart sensors in the bins, smart lighting, smart parking and free Wi-Fi access.
“We are already seeing the benefits this technology can bring and I am eager to learn about the efficiencies other councils have experienced, so that we can identify further opportunities,” Cr Murray said.
Council was reviewing the parking meters used in the city, he said, and was researching smart options for their next upgrade.
The summit will feature a range of speakers on topics such as infrastructure and transportation system challenges and economic development through better investment, planning and design.
