Beating Around the Bush is focusing on the Charters Towers region of North Queensland.

Rural Business Collective champions the small businesses and entrepreneurs of rural Australia, so we thought it would be fun to take 'economic pulse' of some of its regions, starting in the North.

Jayne Cuddihy spoke to Phil Hill-Warner, a former president of the local Chamber of Commerce and Mines who owns Rural Mechanical Repairs, Ben North from the Hollimans Group - an employer of 60 people through six local business arms, and entrepreneur Bernie Kruger, who takes change in his stride. He owns Bits for Cars, but is trialling new technology for the agricultural sector with mind to diversifying.  

All three agree that it's a strong economic region, but the strength has switched from the mining sector, to the agricultural.

Phil Hill-Warner says while the community is resilient, not enough is done to educate people on the economic issues and how attitude and buying choices effect everyone.

He said a lot of positive outcomes came out of an incubator program run by marketing guru Mellissah Smith a few years ago.

https://www.marketingeye.com.au/marketing-blog/entrepreneurship/why-a-melbourne-company-is-setting-up-an-incubator-in-rural-queensland.html

Including Koorca, a crime prevention app designed and built by two cattlemen.