CSIRO Highlights  2023–24



Cover top: Wajarri Yamaji man and SKA-Low field technician Lockie Ronan 
holds one of the 131,072 antennas that will make up the SKA-Low telescope 
in Western Australia, under Wajarri Yamaji sky and stars.

Being built by the international SKA Observatory (SKAO), SKA-Low will look back 
in time to the Universe in its infancy, when the first stars and galaxies were born.

The first antenna for the telescope was installed in March 2024 at Inyarrimanha 
Ilgari Bundara, our Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. Read more about 
our involvement in this mega-science project on page 23. Credit: SKAO.

Cover bottom: Susan Merry, Our Home, 2023 (detail).

Our Home by Wajarri Yamaji artist Susan Merry was created during the SKAO Council’s 
first visit to Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, our Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory 
on Wajarri Country in Western Australia. Council members contributed to the artwork 
with handprints and detailing under Susan’s guidance. In Susan’s words, she shares the 
story of the painting: 

“Our home: years ago our old people used to walk everywhere hunting for food 
and water. Our home: we used to live on Boolardy and go and stay at the top shed. 
My uncle and brothers and other family members used to go mustering sheep 
for shearing. Today all you can see are the antennas large and small, with the 
wildflowers and hands representing that we all come as one on Land.”

We acknowledge the Wajarri Yamaji as Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders 
of the Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, our Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory site.

Contents
Message from the Chief Executive.....................................................................................................1

At a glance....................................................................................................................................................2Reporting suite...........................................................................................................................................3Corporate Plan Objective 1: Impact translation..........................................................................4Corporate Plan Objective 2: Purpose-driven science and technology...........................8Corporate Plan Objective 3: Engage and empower talent..................................................14Corporate Plan Objective 4: World-class infrastructure......................................................22

Message from the 
Chief Executive

Science and CSIRO have never been more important to 
Australia as the profound challenges we face become 
increasingly urgent and complex. As we confront these 
challenges, we must also look to seize the incredible 
opportunities they present. Over the last 12 months, it 
has been a privilege to lead this remarkable organisation 
and the talented and passionate people at the heart of 
it. We are delighted to present CSIRO’s Highlights for the 
financial year.

This year, our Highlights tell the stories that bring to life 
a number of our more detailed reports. This reporting 
suite includes: our legislated role as articulated in our 
Corporate Plan and Annual Report; our role in advancing 
reconciliation in our Indigenous Collaboration and 
Partnerships Report; benchmarking our research in our 
Science Health and Excellence Report; assessing our 
economic impact in our Value of CSIRO Report; and walking 
the talk on sustainability in our Sustainability Report.

Relationships are at the heart of everything we do at CSIRO. 
Our partnerships with industry, government and academia 
are central to delivering impact, and our conversations with 
the community help us shape our future work.

In particular, our Highlights include partnerships with 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities – 
Australia’s First Scientists.

In addition to the environmental, social and economic 
benefits of our science and research, we aim to instil hope 
and wonder, working hard every day to preserve the trust 
Australia places in us. We hope this collection of highlights 
leaves you with as much optimism as we have about the 
role of science and CSIRO in our nation and region’s future.

Dr Doug Hilton

Chief Executive, CSIRO
(from September 2023)

Ms Kirsten Rose

Acting Chief Executive, CSIRO
(July–September 2023)

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the 
lands, seas and waters of the area that we live and work 
on across Australia. We acknowledge all Aboriginal 
and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their continuing 
connection to their culture and pay our respects 
to Elders past and present. CSIRO is committed to 
reconciliation and recognises that Aboriginal and Torres 
Strait Islander Peoples have made and will continue 
to make extraordinary contributions to all aspects of 
Australian life including culture, economy and science.



At a glance

Where our 
people are 
based*
5 people overseas1,1599801,10134764931We’re fromAge

~28%

130+ 17–80+ from non‑English countriesyearsspeaking backgrounds

Aboriginal and Torres 1.8%2023Strait Islander Peoples 
representation2.5%2024

We engaged with over 3000domestic and international, industry and 


1,718

*Excludes casual employees

government entities, including 1,440 SMEs

416

8.8:1$13.3 billion

return on annual benefit 
Sydney Gay and 
Lesbian Mardi Grasinvestmentto the nationRVInvestigator made its


80 marchers

Read more in the Value of CSIRO report and our 
Annual Report: csiro.au/reportingsuite2024

100th voyage

2

Highlights 202324


Reporting suite

We are Australia’s national science agency, solving the greatest challenges through innovative science 
and technology.

We are one of the largest and most multidisciplinary research organisations in the world, 
creating a better future for Australia.

This Highlights document tells the stories of the people and the science behind our 2023–24 formal 
reporting suite, which includes our Annual Report, our Sustainability Report, our Indigenous 
Collaboration and Partnerships report, The Value of CSIRO report and our Science Health and 
Excellence Report. Its structure follows the four objectives of our 2023 Corporate Plan, which is our 
key strategic planning document.

The CSIRO 2023–24 reporting suite reflected in this Highlights document is outlined below.

CSIRO Annual Report 2023–24Australia’sNationalScience AgencyAnnualReport2023–24CSIRO Indigenous Collaboration andAustralia’sNationalScience AgencyIndigenousCollaborationand Partnerships 202324
CSIRO Highlights 2023–24Highlights2023–24Australia’sNationalScience Agency
Partnerships 2023–24

Australia’sNationalScience AgencySustainabilityReport2023–24Australia’sNationalScience AgencyScience Health andExcellence2023Summary
The Value of CSIRO 

The Broader Impact ofCSIRO’s Portfolio of Activities

2024 Update


Prepared by 
Harmeet Kaur 
Tactuum 
Ridgewood Drive 
Brookwaer QLD 
4300 Australia
Amanda C. WalshJonathan MerkerRTI Inernational 
3040 E. Cornwallis RdResearch Tiangle Park, NC 
27709, USA
Prepared for 
CSIROGPO Box 1700Canbera ACT 2601Australia 
| 

The Value of CSIRO 2024CSIRO Sustainability Report 2023–24CSIRO Science Health and 
Excellence 2023Access the reports at: csiro.au/reportingsuite20243


Impact translation

Corporate Plan Objective 1: We are advancing Australia’s translation 
and commercialisation of science through collaborative networks.

Helping start-ups accelerate their path to impact

CSIRO provides start-ups and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with research and 
development (R&D) resources, mentorship and industry connections to accelerate their growth 
trajectories and facilitates the development of impactful solutions that address global challenges.

Rainstick: Harnessing Traditional Knowledge 
for environmental solutions

Rainstick, an Indigenous biotech start-up from James 
Cook University (JCU), utilises electricity to enhance 
plant and fungi growth, optimising crop yields, reducing 
pesticide use and strengthening food systems. By merging 
Traditional Knowledge of the Maiawali People of central 
west Queensland with western science, Rainstick have 
pioneered sustainable agriculture innovation that builds 
on a 10,000 year old practice to harness the influence of 
lightning on how plants grow.

The founders received guidance and support through 
CSIRO’s ON Program, which helps researchers translate 
their research to impact, providing the skills and confidence 
needed to understand and achieve the full potential of their 
research. They also took part in our Kick-Start program, 
which matches funding up to $50,000 per project, 
specifically aiding start-ups and SMEs (less than 3 years old) 
with an annual turnover below $1.5 million. Rainstick have 
now secured investment and funding through Main 
Sequence, which was established to manage the CSIRO 
Innovation Fund.

Rainstick has scaled their seed treatment technology and 
are working with producers and researchers to improve 
global food security.

Team Rainstick pictured at the CSIRO ON Accelerate 7 Bootcamp event held in Sydney in late 2022. L–R: Chris McLoghlin, Darryl Lyons 
and Mic Black.



Alt. Leather: Pioneering 
sustainable alternatives

Alt. Leather, an Australian company supported by CSIRO’s 
India Australia RISE Accelerator and Kick-Start programs, 
aims to revolutionise the fashion industry with Australia’s 
first 100% plant-based leather alternative.

The India Australia RISE Accelerator, a bilateral initiative 
between Australia and the Indian government’s Atal 
Innovation Mission (AIM) and NITI Aayog, supports start‑ups 
and SMEs in scaling technologies addressing global climate 
and environmental challenges between India and Australia.

Through the RISE Accelerator, Alt. Leather gained insights 
into the Indian market, establishing critical in-country 
connections to refine their plant-based leather for global 
adoption. They have now progressed and will start CSIRO’s 
Kick-Start program which will provide matched funding 
and essential resources to enable Alt. Leather to refine 
their technology.

AloxiTec: A journey in sustainable packaging 

AloxiTec, a participant in CSIRO’s Gap Blitz Program and 
resident at the CSIRO Lindfield Collaboration Hub in NSW, 
is at the forefront of developing specialised packaging that 
significantly extends the shelf life of fresh food.

Founded in 2019 by Dr Jinghua Fang, a materials scientist, 
AloxiTec has leveraged various CSIRO innovation programs 
including ON Prime, ON Accelerate, Connect @ Lindfield, 
and the Gap Blitz Program. The Gap Blitz Program provides 
a 12-week gap analysis program for early-stage start-ups, 
with customised support for commercialisation and strategy 
development coupled with 1:1 coaching.

In 2024, AloxiTec is poised to undertake a Kick-Start 
project with CSIRO, marking another milestone in their 
journey from prototyping through proof of concept to 
pilot production.

Tina Funder, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Alt. Leather together with Alt. Leather’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Tuan Nguyen.



Honouring knowledge through collaboration

This year we developed Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual 
Property (ICIP) Principles for CSIRO to demonstrate our 
deep commitment to honouring and respecting the 
cultural heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 
Peoples. Informed by our collaborations with Aboriginal 
and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations, 
we developed our principles with support from external 
experts, including internationally recognised ICIP expert 
Dr Terri Janke and the CSIRO Indigenous Advisory Group.

Our collaborations with Indigenous Knowledge holders, 
including the Gulumoerrgin, Gooniyandi, and Ngan’gi 
peoples on the co-production of seasonal calendars, 
exemplifies how we put the ICIP Principles into action. 
The typical western four-season calendar often falls short 
in representing the weather patterns and associated 
ecological relationships of Australia. That’s where the 
wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 
Australia’s first scientists, comes to the fore.

We worked collaboratively to document and translate 
seasonal-specific Indigenous Knowledge into a format 
that respects the unique and highly localised ecological 
knowledge of these groups. The seasonal calendars are a 
tool for communicating their understanding of Country. 
They also support learning about Indigenous values, 
knowledge systems and connection to place – all essential 
parts of their cultural heritage and Traditional Knowledge. 
The co-produced Indigenous seasonal calendars have 
informed water resource planning and the development 
of school curricula, to name just two areas. 

We continue to work on addressing challenges to the 
ongoing appropriate use of ICIP, including attention to 
benefit sharing and attribution. Aligning with our ICIP 
Principles, the Indigenous seasonal calendars show cultural 
integrity in how they were documented and compiled and 
how they are shared: respecting the interests of Aboriginal 
and Torres Strait Islander partners, their knowledge, and 
cultural heritage. The calendars have embedded ICIP 
and copyright notices and are available to download 
on our website, requiring users to agree to ICIP terms 
and conditions and share how they propose to use the 
calendars for educational outreach.

Gulumoerrgin/Larrakia Seasonal Calendar. © Gulumoerrgin/Larrakia language and ecological knowledge contributors: 
Lorraine Williams, Judith Williams, Maureen Ogden, Keith Risk, Anne Risk; and CSIRO. All rights reserved.



Main Sequence surpasses $1 billion

Main Sequence, the deep tech investment fund founded 
by CSIRO, surpassed $1 billion in total funds under 
management with the close of its third fund in July 
2023. The $450 million raised for Fund 3 included new 
and returning investors such as Hostplus, LGT Crestone, 
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Temasek, NGS Super, 
Australian Ethical Investment, Daiwa Securities Group and 
The Grantham Foundation. The fund also includes the first 
half of $150 million committed by the Federal Government 
through CSIRO.

Main Sequence invests in companies that reflect Australia’s 
national priorities and aim to diversify and transform 
Australia’s industries and economy. Since its founding 
in 2017, Main Sequence has backed over 60 companies, 
including Regrow, Advanced Navigation and Q-CTRL. 
These Australian deep-tech companies have created over 
2,200 new jobs and their combined market value has 
grown to over $6.7 billion.

Main Sequence team celebrating portfolio company 
Cauldron’s first birthday on a site tour of their precision 
fermentation facility.

Innovation across borders

Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 
encourages engagement with the region to ensure 
Australia’s long-term economic stability and growth. 
Through our collaborations, we make connections and 
build partnerships to ensure prosperity for our nation 
and momentum to address areas of mutual opportunity, 
including food scarcity, disease, pollution, plastic waste 
and mismanaged pests.

Some priority multilateral partnerships include:

• Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network (IPPIN): 
Supporting emerging innovators to develop 
commercial‑ready innovations focused on ending 
plastic waste. 
• Regional health partnerships: Supporting infectious 
disease resilience to tackle emerging and endemic 
infectious diseases in Australia and our region. 
• SEA Data Cube: Unlocking Earth Observation data for 
Southeast Asia with the Open Data Cube, which supports 
climate smart innovation in Asia. 
• Innovations in food for sustainability: Encouraging 
development and research opportunities in various 
areas of the food spectrum including novel ingredients, 
complementary protein and waste valorisation. 
• Australia-Singapore Low-Emissions Technologies 
(ASLET) initiative: Aiming to accelerate demonstration 
and industry deployment of zero and near-zero emissions 
fuels and technologies in maritime and port operations. 
• Aus4Innovation: Uniting Australia and Vietnam by 
providing development assistance to explore emerging 
areas of technology, digital transformation, scenario 
planning, commercialisation, innovation policy and 
strengthen Vietnamese capability in digital foresight. 
• ASEAN Fall Armyworm Action Plan: Bringing together 
key stakeholders to build a strategy for managing 
and monitoring Fall Armyworm and plan for future 
biosecurity threats. 
• Partnerships 4 Infrastructure: Providing technical 
assistance to partner agencies across 8 ASEAN 
countries to ramp up the regions transition to 
cleaner energy systems.




Purpose-driven science 
and technology

Corporate Plan Objective 2: We are delivering impact at‑scale 
aligned to the challenges we are solving and portfolios of 
research directed to them. We are investing in the right future 
science and technology to solve tomorrow’s challenges.. 

Food security and quality

Grow the triple bottom line value of Australia’s agri-food and fibre industries

Boosting crop resistance to disease

We’ve developed a new rapid gene-screening platform 
that can identify genes that protect plants from pathogen 
infection, helping us get ahead of disease outbreaks and 
to breed durable, disease-resistant crops. 

The technology identifies ‘pathogen effector’ genes, which 
can be recognised by a plant’s immune system. Plants and 
diseases evolve together, so changes in pathogen effector 
genes pose a constant threat of outbreak from a new, 
virulent disease that escapes immunity. 

Our advanced screening technology represents a 
technological leap forward in our ability to study 
the processes that give plants enduring resistance to 
disease, allowing new genetic strategies to safeguard 
crop production and manage disease in Australia and 
abroad. It enables high-throughput screening of complex 
genetic libraries in a plant’s cellular environment at an 
unprecedented speed.

Already, the technology has enabled researchers to identify 
several new effector genes in wheat, reducing the time 
from years or even decades to mere months. This will be 
a vital defence against the increasing rate of crop disease 
caused by climate change. 

New way to source region of 
agricultural products

Australia’s top research agencies have teamed up to create 
a new isotopic data platform to help verify the claims 
and environmental credentials of Australian agricultural 
and food products in an increasingly competitive 
international market.

Isotopes are unique chemical signatures that can be 
used to determine the origin and production conditions 
of food. Accurate isotopic data can be used to verify a 
product’s credentials, allowing for better market access. 
This includes meeting increasing demand for low-emission 
or deforestation-free commodities across Europe.

The collaboration, which includes CSIRO, Geoscience 
Australia, ANSTO and NMI, combines data from different 
sources into a single national collection by connecting 
datasets and insights across the supply chain to improve 
and grow Australia’s access to overseas markets. 

The isotope data platform will help tackle Australia’s export 
challenges and support research for the public good, as well 
as commercial outcomes for Australia’s agriculture, food, 
and water systems. As the market demand for sustainable 
agricultural practices is increasing, this data platform can 
support innovation and insights to differentiate Australian 
products. This data can assist in evaluating trade-offs and 
decisions, allowing Australian agricultural commodities 
to reach premium markets and diversify their offerings 
to meet changing demands.

Currently, agricultural and food export trade is critically 
important to the Australian economy, bringing in about 
$80 billion a year. A verification tool will help the nation 
maintain and grow new high-value market opportunities, 
supporting the agriculture industry’s goal to increase 
export value to $100 billion by 2030. 

The development of the national data platform will 
be informed by use cases from industry, peak bodies, 
universities and other research organisations, ensuring 
that it is relevant, accessible and serves the needs of 
different sectors.

This project received co-investment from the ARDC. The ARDC is funded 
by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).



Secure Australia and region

Safeguard Australia and our region from threats

Investing in technology to improve water 
quality and seafood futures 

The Spencer Gulf in South Australia, known as ‘Australia’s 
seafood basket,’ is a key contributor to the nation’s seafood 
supply, generating roughly $238 million annually through 
local aquaculture. However, issues like algal blooms can 
arise in the Gulf, with potentially devastating impacts for 
seafood farms and marine environments.

The Spencer Gulf is one of a handful of locations around 
Australia where we’ve been testing AquaWatch Australia, 
our water quality monitoring and forecasting service. 
The same system is used at another AquaWatch test 
site on Darumbal Sea Country in QLD near the Southern 
Great Barrier Reef to help monitor and forecast sediment 
run-off, which impacts the UNESCO World Heritage site’s 
marine ecosystem.

The water-based sensors monitor the flow of sediment 
and dissolved organic carbon – an indicator of the carbon 
exchange between land and ocean – while the satellites can 
give us a broader geographical view from space. The data 
from both sources is processed using Artificial Intelligence 
(AI) and computer models to give a forecast and provides 
early warning of potential issues to decision-makers. This 
can range from businesses like the aquaculture industry in 
the Gulf, through to governments that can make planning 
decisions to respond to high-risk areas.

While this test data will only be available to research 
partners and Traditional Custodians initially, the long‑term 
goal for AquaWatch across all project sites is to provide 
national water quality monitoring and forecasts to 
all Australians.

Partnering across multidisciplinary agencies 
and industry to boost biosecurity defences 

Better coordination and alignment of biosecurity research 
and development is at the heart of the newly launched 
Catalysing Australia’s Biosecurity (CAB) initiative, with an 
initial co-investment of over $55 million over 6 years from 
CSIRO, the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries 
and Forestry, industry and other partners.

The initiative will invest in emergency animal disease 
preparedness, trialling new technology to detect Varroa 
mites in bee hives, delivering a real-time biosecurity alerts 
service, deploying advanced pest management systems, and 
developing an Australian Biosecurity Research Database.

It also focuses on empowering Aboriginal and Torres 
Strait Islander communities to contribute their expertise 
towards national biosecurity efforts and has the potential 
to enhance regional prosperity and security.

Above, CSIRO scientist Gemma Kerrisk reviews AquaWatch data.



Health and wellbeing

Enhance the health and wellbeing of all Australians

AI unlocks Alzheimer’s data 

Tools we developed to harness AI have now identified 
two new genetic variants and 95 new gene interactions 
associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Identification of 
variants helps to predict the occurrence, severity and 
potential treatments of the neurodegenerative disease. 

By using our VariantSpark and BitEpi tools, we’ve been able 
to examine the interactions between variants, something 
not easily done using other research methods but known 
to be a key in understanding Alzheimer’s. In this way, we 
captured 10.41 per cent more ‘phenotypic variance’ than 
past methods, which means an increase in our ability 
to record the drivers of disease so we can identify and 
intervene with patients sooner. 

VariantSpark offers a solution to the challenge of genomic 
information being stored in disparate geographical 
locations and constrained by data privacy through 
‘federated learning’, where a machine learning model can 
be generated from siloed data sources and the insights 
can be delivered without the entire dataset needing to be 
revealed. Our researchers plan to apply these AI-driven 
tools to many more health data challenges.

Alzheimer’s disease affects the activity of neurones 
(brain cells, pictured) in certain regions of the brain. 
It is a neurodegenerative disease. © Chloe Rankin.

Benchtop bunnies 

We’ve developed a new tissue culture system to grow and 
study rabbit caliciviruses, which are used for biological 
control (biocontrol) of rabbits, outside of live animals. 
It will make our research faster and easier and reduce 
animal testing. 

Previous biocontrol releases have shown that the 
effectiveness of biocontrol agents tends to wane after 
10 to 15 years as they co-evolve with rabbits, but studying 
the viruses has been difficult without a reliable cell 
culture system. 

Our new rabbit ‘organoids’ are tiny 3D cellular structures 
that mimic the organ the cells come from—in this case liver 
cells cultured from already culled wild rabbits and hares. 
It’s the first time scientists have been able to reliably grow 
these biocontrol viruses in a cell culture outside of the 
animal, despite attempting it for more than 40 years.

We found that Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) 1 
replicated successfully in the rabbit organoids, and RHDV2 
replicated in both rabbit and hare organoids, which exactly 
replicates their respective properties in the animal hosts. 
We also made organoids derived from cat, fox and mouse 
livers. RHDV did not replicate in these, which highlights 
the additional value of the organoid system for species 
specificity testing of viral biocontrols.

This research complements our citizen science-based rabbit 
disease monitoring program tracking rabbit viruses across 
Australia, which revealed that rabbit caliciviruses recombine 
frequently to generate new variants, much more frequently 
than we previously anticipated. 

This foundational research is the result of our international collaboration 
with the University of Canberra and the Baylor College of Medicine in 
Texas, with the support of Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA). Funding for the 
citizen science disease monitoring program is currently being provided by 
the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Above, close up of rabbit liver organoid cells, showing the 
virus proteins in green, cell nuclei in blue and liver cells in red. 
© Dr Egi Kardia.



Sustainable energy and resources

Lower emissions to net zero while sustaining Australia’s prosperity.

Hydrogen refuelling station a boon for 
green technology 

In November 2023 we opened a hydrogen refuelling station 
at our Clayton campus in Victoria, as part of the Victorian 
Hydrogen Hub led by Swinburne University. The station, which 
cost $2.5 million to construct, generates ‘green’ hydrogen 
using renewable electricity purchased from the grid.

Hydrogen can help to decarbonise the transport sector, as 
a fuel for cars, buses, trucks or even as a building block for 
clean aviation fuel. It also shows significant promise for 
decarbonising ‘hard to abate’ heavy industries such as iron, 
steel and aluminium; and could be a useful mechanism to 
firm electrical grids exposed to high levels of intermittent 
renewables (solar and wind).

The hydrogen refuelling station provides research 
infrastructure for hydrogen generation, storage and utilisation 
and is a tool to educate stakeholders about hydrogen’s 
potential as a clean energy source for transportation. It is 
being used in conjunction with our Hydrogen Technology 
Demonstration Facility in Clayton to test new hydrogen 
technologies and to train the next generation of hydrogen 
professionals, helping to ensure that Australia remains at 
the forefront of the global hydrogen industry.

We have already started sharing our learnings from the 
planning, construction, operation and maintenance of the 
refuelling station, as we refuel our hydrogen vehicles and 
those of our partners. The refuelling station has also been 
used for training and demonstration to several national and 
international delegations.

Fire and emergency responders are particularly interested 
in preparing themselves for safe responses to hydrogen 
emergencies including hydrogen refuelling stations and 
vehicles, with many groups visiting our refueller to learn 
more about hydrogen infrastructure. Deakin University have 
used the hydrogen refuelling station to demonstrate safety 
features in a video for emergency response teams.

The Victorian Hydrogen Hub will use the hydrogen 
refuelling station for the training and skills development of 
Swinburne University of Technology personnel and industry 
partners, as well as to demonstrate hydrogen technology to 
the community. Swinburne staff and students will have the 
opportunity to leverage existing research capabilities and 
the refuelling technology to engage in impactful research 
projects in the hydrogen space, including in fuel cell 
vehicles and hydrogen refuelling technology.

Partnering for a greener minerals future 

We’ve partnered with Australian critical minerals company 
Tivan Ltd to further develop our novel vanadium processing 
technology, in a step towards advancing the energy 
transition through sovereign capabilities. Vanadium is a 
critical mineral and demand is forecast to grow significantly 
as it is increasingly being used for renewable energy 
storage systems, like redox flow batteries.

Our novel vanadium processing technology can deliver three 
products – vanadium, titanium and iron – from vanadiferous 
titanomagnetite (VTM) ore. The patented CSIRO process 
operates at atmospheric pressure and temperature and 
produces less ore-based waste, which no other existing 
commercial process can achieve. The use of conventional 
equipment enables a lower capital cost, whilst lower energy 
usage results in a lower carbon footprint. It also recovers 
high purity (>99.5%) vanadium as V2O5, which will help 
facilitate a downstream vanadium industry in Australia.

This long-term strategic partnership facilitated the 
collaborative development of CSIRO’s VTM intellectual 
property, patents, know-how and further improvements 
for the recovery of vanadium, to deliver the TIVAN+ critical 
minerals processing technology.

The partnership will also facilitate the commercialisation 
of TIVAN+ which will present an opportunity to establish 
a domestic vanadium production industry for Australia, 
increasing our market share in greener energy materials, 
and creating a stream of opportunities in the economy, 
through job creation and community participation.

Above, the above $2.5 million refuelling station allows hydrogen 
cars to travel over 600 km emissions-free on a full tank.



Resilient and valuable environments

Enhance the resilience and value of our natural and built environments

Protecting and understanding the 
Murray–Darling Basin ecosystem

We worked with the Murray–Darling Basin Authority to 
deliver the award-winning Ecosystem Functions project. 
The project addressed key knowledge gaps in the Basin 
essential for maintaining health, structure and integrity 
of an ecosystem. Traditionally, there has been a focus 
on selected species and key sites rather than a holistic 
approach to managing water-dependent ecosystems.

This project focused on the entire Murray–Darling Basin 
across four main themes of research. They included:

• Hydrological connectivity: this generated new 
datasets that support applications such as determining 
the volume of water present in the Basin and 
assessment of historical inundation of different 
vegetation communities.
• Biological habitat: a statistical modelling approach was 
applied to generate predictions of species occurrence 
and habitat quality across several decades (1995–2020) 
for the entire Basin.
• Productivity including flow: this demonstrated that flow 
and the connectivity between floodplains and rivers is 
an important determinant of riverine dissolved organic 
carbon supply.
• Biological connectivity for waterbirds and native 
fish: this quantified the drivers and likelihood of 
long‑distance, basin-scale movements of waterbirds 
as well as native fish movements, which is useful 
knowledge for managers to enhance movement 
opportunities through the strategic use of environmental 
water. River regulation in the Basin has altered the 
hydrology and hydraulics of rivers, and created barriers 
that impede fish movement along rivers.


The project delivered new products such as floodplain 
inundation extent and depth estimation, long-term 
habitat mapping for vegetation, waterbirds and fish, 
and waterbird movement modelling and prediction. 
The research has found causal relationships between 
ecosystem functions and flow/connectivity, which 
is imperative to inform improved environmental 
water management focusing on ecosystem functions. 
Modelling outputs generated from the hydrological 
connectivity theme are being used and extended by 
Australian Government-funded projects including the Flow 
Monitoring, Evaluation and Research program and the 
Murray–Darling Water and Environment Research Program. 
The research has been published in prestigious journals and 
won the R&D excellence award at the 2024 Australian Water 
Association’s national awards.

Genome sequencing to reveal biology 
of rare Night Parrot 

We’ve sequenced the first genome of the Night Parrot, one 
of the world’s rarest and most elusive birds. It will unlock 
previously unknown data about the rare bird’s genetics 
and biology. This will help scientists better understand the 
bird’s biology and nocturnal habits. 

Researchers will be able to compare this annotated genome 
with those of other, closely related parrots, shedding light 
on the reasons behind its scarcity and limited distribution 
compared to many of its relatives. It’s unusual for a parrot to
be nocturnal, so researchers will investigate the bird’s faculties
like navigation, smell, bill shape and its less‑than‑optimal 
night vision. They will also be able to run statistical analyses 
on the genome of this individual to estimate past population 
sizes of Night Parrot populations in Australia.

We sequenced the Night Parrot genome by applying our 
high-throughput DNA sequencing technology to tissue 
obtained from a specimen held in the Western Australian 
Museum, and that was found deceased by Traditional 
Owners in the Pilbara. The specimen, which is the 
best‑preserved on display in the world, is now open to 
public viewing at the WA Museum Boola Bardip.

Our Applied Genomics Initiative is accelerating genomics 
research in Australia, providing a level of quality and detail 
that just wasn’t possible even five years ago. The genetic 
data can be used to ensure that conservation programs 
maximise diversity in rare species, so that they are resilient 
and have the best chance of long-term survival.

Above, waterbirds, like the straw-necked ibis above, are 
indicators of a healthy environment. They play an important role 
in the Murray–Darling Basin ecosystem.



Future industries

Create Australia’s future sustainable jobs and industries

Printed solar cells one step closer 
to commercialisation 

We’ve led an international team to a clean energy 
breakthrough by setting a new efficiency record for fully 
roll-to-roll printed solar cells, which are more flexible 
than traditional silicon panels and can be deployed in 
previously unimaginable ways across space projects, 
urban construction, mining operations, emergency 
management, disaster relief, defence and personal devices 
like smartphones and watches. 

Our new method has been able to produce solar cells with 
11 per cent the efficiency of typical solar panels, where 
previous attempts have only achieved efficiency levels of 
1–2 per cent. The record results were achieved with support 
from the University of Cambridge, Monash University, the 
University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales.

Our flexible solar was sent into space in March onboard 
Space Machines Company’s Optimus-1, launched in Florida 
on Space X’s Transporter-10 mission. The intent was to 
measure the cells’ performance in low Earth orbit and not – 
at this stage – to power the satellite. Unfortunately, it was 
not possible to establish contact with the Optimus-1 satellite 
in orbit, so the performance data could not be collected. 
However, simulated space radiation exposure upon the 
solar cells demonstrated they should survive the tough 
conditions of space for the mission duration.

Cultivating Australia’s farming future 
to 2050

This year we published our CSIRO Ag2050 Scenarios Report, 
developed in collaboration with industry, research and 
government stakeholders to explore the future of farming 
in Australia by 2050, identifying key trends, trade-offs 
and opportunities.

Over six months, 100 stakeholders from 54 organisations 
participated in workshops, reviews and analyses to consider 
what productive, resilient and sustainable farming systems 
could look like in Australia by 2050. The report presents 
four evidence-based plausible future scenarios:

• Regional Ag capitals: A consolidated and technologically 
advanced sector, thriving and prioritising production of 
food and fibre goods.
• Landscape stewardship: A forward-thinking sector 
embracing new opportunities, novel technologies, and 
supporting the environment to flourish.
• Climate survival: A sector focused on climate adaptation 
and incremental changes allowing it to survive.
• System decline: A sector failing to address growing 
challenges and at a tipping point.


The report emphasises the importance of immediate action 
and collaboration across the agricultural sector to drive 
long‑term transformative change to realise opportunities. 
The report is now being used in collaboration with industry 
and government stakeholders to tailor the four scenarios to 
local and regional contexts, identifying specific technological 
and innovative requirements to make cutting‑edge scientific 
solutions accessible to achieve their desired future.

The Ag2050 Scenarios Report was led by CSIRO with financial and in-kind 
support from the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and 
Forestry (DAFF).

CSIRO attendees at Australia’s premier agtech event, EvokeAg, 
Perth, February 2024. L–R: Pamela Tyers, Jen Taylor, Rose Roche 
(Ag2050 Lead) and Marty Mooij.

Above, our new method of generating printed flexible solar 
offers game-changing opportunities across major industry 
sectors in Australia.



Engage and empower talent

Corporate Plan Objective 3: We attract world-class talent and 
strengthen our nation’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and 
mathematics) pipeline. We build a culture that makes us an employer 
of choice and operate in an adaptable, resilient and responsive way.

A national STEM pipeline

Connecting schools and industry for 
long‑term impact

As the national science agency, we support the growth 
of Australia’s science, technology, engineering and 
mathematics (STEM) talent pipeline and future workforce. 
We do this through evidence-based programs, events and 
curriculum‑linked resources to deliver greater access to 
cutting-edge knowledge, exciting hands-on learning and 
authentic insights into the career possibilities of today 
and tomorrow.

Our STEM Professionals in Schools program creates 
custom partnerships directly between teachers and 
STEM professionals to strengthen the links between key 
learning areas of the Australian curriculum and real-world 
STEM industry practices. There are currently more than 
800 partnerships in the program nationwide.

A partnership enrichment campaign in 2023 saw a 
concerted effort across the program to assess partnership 
compatibility, and offer individualised support and 
assistance. There was also opportunity to action feedback 
towards enabling positive partnership experiences 
for everyone.

In 2023 we also delivered virtual and online interactions 
to broaden the reach of the program, including an entire 
school in NSW joining a live video link to meet with an 
environmental scientist working in the field in Antarctica. 
Students received a virtual tour of the polar research base 
and could ask their questions in real time.

Over the past year, roughly 30 per cent of the program’s 
partnerships have involved schools based in regional and 
remote parts of Australia. This includes a school based in 
Far North Queensland who connected with a bioscientist 
from Australian Catholic University, which is also home to 
an Indigenous garden that can also be experienced via an 
interactive online tour. Students have gained knowledge 
of the cultural significance of the plants as well as their 
biochemistry. They have applied these learnings to identify, 
label, and propagate native seedlings on their own 
school grounds.

Five independent external evaluations of the program have 
consistently highlighted STEM Professionals in Schools’ 
positive impact. The most recent report identified STEM 
Professionals in Schools as one of the only nationally‑funded 
STEM education programs to target discrete equity groups 
with the inclusion of industry and business involvement, 
providing participants with highly valuable exposure to 
real‑world STEM experiences and learning.

Opposite, CSIRO ecologist Dr Bruce Webber is partnered through the STEM Professionals in Schools program with teacher Hannah 
Reid from Churchlands Primary School in Perth Western Australia. He visits the school several times a year to support STEM learning 
activities, including observing the school frog pond’s thriving ecosystem. 



Connecting STEM PhDs with 
industry opportunities 

Our Industry PhD (iPhD) program brings together an 
industry partner, a PhD candidate, a university and 
CSIRO to co-develop a four-year industry-focused PhD 
project, providing PhD students with a unique skill set to 
focus on impact-driven research and delivering R&D to 
Australian businesses.

This year, our iPhD students attended launch camps in 
Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne facilitated by our ON 
Program to dissect their work, discover what others 
are researching, uncover new insights, and develop 
their understanding of the research journey with 
the expert guidance of an experienced facilitator. 
The ON Launch Camp events encourage students to reflect 
on the purpose and impact of their work, with a more 
profound consideration of the broader industry-focused 
research ecosystem and an ever-evolving market. Students 
present their pitch and receive the support and feedback of 
their peers, supervisors and program facilitator, as well as 
attending networking events with members of the broader 
research community.

One of the iPhD projects underway combines educational 
research, information technology and science to help 
primary school students learn positive social behaviours. 
The Biobot Academy is a collaboration between Griffith 
University, Brisbane-based production studio Hyper Theory, 
CSIRO and PhD candidate Kristin Magarry aiming to use 
gamification to break the cycle of domestic violence. 
The project helps children improve their empathy and 
self-regulation skills by using technology and fun games 
to engage them, focusing on the importance of making 
authentic connections with others and leading with 
kindness. The modules have been mapped to the Australian 
Curriculum and aim to equip students with tools to 
maintain their mental health.

Members of the CSIRO iPhD team, with project supervisors and students.



Future science and technology

Shaping our future science and technology

Science problems and the methods we use to solve them 
evolve significantly over time, driven by technology 
advancements, new discoveries and changing societal 
needs. Planning for Future Science and Technology 
(Future S&T) ensures we are well-positioned to tackle 
increasingly complex global challenges and work towards 
a brighter, more resilient future.

To ensure CSIRO remains at the forefront of innovation, we 
embarked on a co-design process to shape our Future S&T 
focus. Through collaborative engagement with internal 
and external stakeholders, we identified key opportunities 
and priorities to help guide our research and development 
efforts into the future.

Central to this initiative was a robust co-design 
methodology. We established cross-disciplinary internal 
working groups made up of science experts across twelve 
distinct domains. These groups explored potential emerging 
science and technology and identified the cutting-edge 
capabilities and methods needed to realise them.

Additionally, we consulted extensively to gather insights, 
experiences and new ideas from across the organisation. 
Our people engaged through surveys, workshops and 
online discussions. Over 750 staff attended workshops, 
560 completed surveys, and 700 actively participated in 
online community forum discussions.

To enrich our understanding of the external environment, 
we conducted 33 interviews with industry, academic and 
innovation thought leaders to validate our internal findings 
and incorporate diverse perspectives. This external input 
was crucial in refining our strategy and ensuring our Future 
S&T priorities align with broader societal and market needs. 
The combined insights from our internal and external 
engagement efforts enabled us to identify and prioritise 
convergent and disruptive science areas. 

Some of the key themes that emerged include:

• revolutionising materials discovery, design, and delivery 
with applications across various industries
• integrating Indigenous science and knowledge systems 
to address complex national challenges
• creating an integrated energy network for an 
emission‑free future
• designing and controlling our climate
• developing ingestibles to predict and prevent diseases.


The Future S&T priorities will help guide our research 
portfolio and strategies, infrastructure investments and 
talent development, positioning us to tackle the complex 
global challenges of the future and create national benefit.

Science excellence

CSIRO performs excellent science to deliver impact to 
industry, society and the environment, maintaining our 
reputation and trust. Each year, we review and evaluate 
our science performance to produce a Science Health 
and Excellence report. We analyse various indicators to 
report on our science output (excellence) and the state of 
our scientific capability (health). We compare ourselves 
to similar organisations whenever possible to get a clear 
picture of how we’re performing.

The 2023 Science Health and Excellence Report highlights 
CSIRO’s critical role in Australia’s innovation ecosystem. 
As a key player in Australian research, we significantly 
impact fields such as agricultural sciences, environment 
and ecology, geosciences, plant and animal science, 
space sciences, computer science, materials sciences, 
and chemistry. Our contributions are notable not just in 
terms of national output but also in academic impact. 
We act as essential connectors within the nation’s 
collaborative network, enhancing the integration and 
effectiveness of research efforts.

A standout indicator is our production of high-value 
Australian Intellectual Property in specialised domains 
like biological analysis, nanotechnology, biotechnology, 
food chemistry, polymers, and materials. These areas 
often receive less attention from universities and private 
inventors in Australia, highlighting our unique role.

Continued on next page.



Our research aligns strategically with government-identified 
high-priority areas, including Industry Growth Centres and 
Critical Technologies in the National Interest, supporting 
key national interests and contributing to economic and 
technological growth.

Organisation‑wide, our citation impact remains excellent 
compared to similar applied research organisations. At the 
Research Unit or Research Field level, 46 per cent of our 
research ranks in the top 25 per cent against peers, with 
an additional 25 per cent in the top 50 per cent.

Approximately two-thirds of our publications involve 
Australian collaborators, and another two-thirds involve 
international partners, enhancing the quality and reach 
of our research. China has become our most frequent 
international collaborator, followed by the USA and 
the UK. We also collaborate heavily with the Group 
of Eight universities in Australia and global applied 
research organisations.

The 2023 Science Health and Excellence Report 
underscores our vital role in advancing scientific research 
and innovation in Australia. We continue to deliver 
high‑impact research and maintain a robust collaborative 
network, reinforcing our position as a leader in the 
scientific community.

Read more in our Science Health and Excellence Report: 
csiro.au/reportingsuite2024

Tackling challenges is 
Impossible Without You

In recent years, we’ve grown our workforce through 
a focused recruitment campaign called ‘impossible 
without you’, that recognises we need diverse talent to 
solve Australia’s challenges. Our Impossible Without You 
recruitment has strengthened CSIRO’s research workforce.

For example, 8 new researchers joined our team to tackle 
the challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR 
is caused by bacteria and other microbes developing 
increased resistance to the drugs designed to kill 
them, largely due to increasing overuse and misuse of 
antimicrobials in human and animal medicine. The program 
aims to halt the rising death rate and economic burden of 
AMR in Australia by 2030 by enabling R&D and providing 
pathways to market for new One Health solutions.

Similarly, 2 early career researchers joined Towards Net 
Zero, our mission-oriented approach that brings together 
research, industry, government and communities to help 
Australia’s hardest to abate sectors – including steel, 
aviation, and agriculture – halve their emissions by 2035. 
Our new recruits are working towards a low emissions steel 
value chain, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of 
the iron ore to steel value chain. This includes investigating 
less water-intensive methods to extract magnetite to 
produce iron ore, as well as exploring options for a pilot 
facility for low emissions ironmaking.

E. coli, pictured, can mobilise resistant genes more easily than other bacteria populations and act as a reservoir for AMR genes.



Indigenous-led science for 
drought resilience

We are co-designing an approach for embedding 
Traditional Owner Knowledge and perspectives into 
drought research to build resilient communities. 

By partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 
communities, we are co-developing innovative approaches 
to address the complex challenges posed by drought. 
A key focus has been the recruitment of Aboriginal and 
Torres Strait Islander researchers, such as Max Fabila, to 
lead projects that prioritise Traditional Owner Knowledge 
and values. 

Max is a Jabirr Jabirr man with deep roots in the West 
Kimberley. He has a background in Indigenous design and 
a passion for preserving cultural knowledge. 

Max’s work with the Yuwaalaraay People in New South 
Wales and Fitzroy Catchment Traditional Owners in 
Queensland exemplifies this approach. Through co-design 
and collaboration, Max and the team are developing 
new research methodologies that respectfully explore 
and strengthen Traditional Owner Knowledge systems 
and science. For instance, by incorporating Traditional 
Ecological Knowledge about water-dependent species, 
such as birds and plants, with hydrological modelling, 
researchers can develop more accurate drought prediction 
models and early warning systems.

“I’m excited to apply my experience in co-design from the 
Indigenous creative industry to the big challenges we are 
trying to solve,” Max said.

“Our culture has the power to reshape science and research 
in Australia, underpinned by 60,000-plus years of this 
continent’s stories and knowledge.”

By prioritising this input at every stage of the research 
process, we’re ensuring outcomes are culturally relevant 
and beneficial to the community. This Indigenous‑led 
research is not only advancing our understanding 
of drought from Australia’s First Scientists but also 
empowering communities to develop their own solutions. 
By recognising the deep connection between Aboriginal 
and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their land, we can 
work towards a future where drought resilience is built 
upon a foundation of respect, collaboration and sharing 
of knowledges. 

Read more in our Indigenous Collaboration and 
Partnerships report: csiro.au/reportingsuite2024

Max Fabila at Dharriwaa (Narran Lakes, New South Wales), which has been severely impacted by dry conditions.



Diversity floats to show support

This year we celebrated the diversity of CSIRO’s people 
with both a float at the 2024 Sydney Mardi Gras Parade 
and by lighting up our floating lab, the research vessel 
(RV) Investigator. 

‘Science for a rainbow future’ was the theme of CSIRO’s 
2024 Mardi Gras Parade float and something Maddy Lahm 
(she/her), a seagoing hydrochemist and proud lesbian, is 
working towards onboard RV Investigator. “I feel so lucky to 
be in a workplace where I can be openly gay,” Maddy said.

This year, CSIRO’s Mardi Gras Parade participants included 
the largest cohort of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander 
marchers and allies, as well as many members of CSIRO’s 
Neurodivergent Employee Network. CSIRO’s Chief Executive 
Dr Doug Hilton marched to emphasise the importance 
of diversity and inclusion at CSIRO, saying: “We need 
diversity to tackle those really difficult scientific questions 
Australia is facing and anybody, irrespective of their sexual 
orientation or their background, can feel welcome at CSIRO 
and be part of that.”

RV Investigator is part of the CSIRO Marine National Facility, which is 
supported by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research 
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).

Skills exchange marketplace

This year we launched a professional development 
opportunity for our people with a new online ‘Talent 
Marketplace’, offering opportunities to gain experience 
by working across different parts of CSIRO. It provides our 
people with new pathways to engage in fulfilling short-term 
projects and creates opportunities for collaboration with 
people with different skillsets. It also aims to address the 
ebbs and flows of seasonal workload requirements, build 
workforce agility, and provide development opportunities 
for people to grow their network and skills with 
meaningful, on-the-job experiences.

Leaders can list short-term resourcing requirements and 
employees can reach out to fill those opportunities or 
get matched by the system – much like AirTasker meets 
LinkedIn. Since launching in February 2024, over a thousand 
people are already on board the platform.

CSIRO’s costumes for the 2024 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras are modelled here by CSIRO people (L–R): Alex Caputo, 
Mark Woodcock, Jayashree Srinivasan and Sarah Landers.



RV Investigator lit up in the colours of pride in her home port of Hobart.



World-class infrastructure

Corporate Plan Objective 4: We share our world-class national 
labs and facilities with universities, industry and government.

Shared national labs

We open and share our world‑class infrastructure with industry, universities 
and governments to strengthen Australia’s sovereign research capability.

Solving 120-year-old maritime mystery

A CSIRO team aboard research vessel (RV) Investigator 
has helped Heritage NSW solve a 120-year mystery with 
the discovery of the SS Nemesis, a 73-metre iron-hulled 
steamship that was lost at sea in 1904, resulting in the loss 
of 32 lives on board.

Australian company Subsea Professional Marine 
Services located the wreck during an underwater 
survey off Wollongong, NSW, and conducted an initial 
inspection using a remotely operated vehicle. Using the 
RV Investigator’s advanced multibeam echosounders, 
CSIRO researchers mapped the wreck site and surrounding 
seafloor in high resolution and conducted a systematic 
visual inspection using a specialised underwater drop 
camera system.

The bathymetry (assessment of water depth) and camera 
survey data from RV Investigator, along with the previous 
imagery collected by Subsea, allowed Heritage NSW’s 
maritime archaeology experts to conclusively identify the 
wreck as the SS Nemesis.

Like many wreck discoveries, locating the SS Nemesis was 
the result of a highly collaborative effort between research 
and heritage agencies and the maritime community. It’s just 
one of many thousands of shipwrecks that lie along the 
Australian coastline, with many still to be found.

This project was supported by an allocation of sea time on RV Investigator 
by the CSIRO Marine National Facility, national research infrastructure 
supported by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research 
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and operated by CSIRO, Australia’s national 
science agency, on behalf of the nation. 

Telescope gives closer look at 
theory‑breaking stars

Researchers using Murriyang, our Parkes radio telescope 
on Wiradjuri Country in NSW, made a discovery this 
year that has shaken our understanding of physics in 
extreme environments.

The team detected unusual radio pulses from a magnetar, 
which is a type of neutron star and the strongest magnet 
in the Universe. Most are known to emit polarised light, 
however, our research found that this magnetar is emitting 
circularly polarised light, where the light appears to spiral 
as it moves through space.

Studies of magnetars such as this provide insights into a 
range of extreme and unusual phenomena, such as plasma 
dynamics, bursts of X-rays and gamma-rays, and potentially 
fast radio bursts. This magnetar’s mysterious behaviour 
implies that interactions at the surface of the star are 
more complex than previous theoretical explanations. 
Researchers think that a superheated plasma may be acting 
like a polarising filter around the star.

Murriyang has been crucial to observing the magnetar’s 
radio signals since 2018. The telescope is equipped with 
a cutting edge ultra-wide bandwidth receiver, which 
was designed by our engineers who are world leaders in 
developing technologies for radio astronomy applications. 
This means Murriyang will remain the radio telescope of 
choice for many astronomers and keep Australia as one 
of the best places in the world to discover more about 
our Universe.

CSIRO acknowledges the Wiradjuri People as the Traditional Owners of 
the Parkes Observatory site where Murriyang, our Parkes radio telescope, 
is located.



The first two completed stations of the SKA Observatory’s SKA-Low telescope at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, 
our Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory on Wajarri Country in Western Australia. Credit: Birds Eye Media. 

Sharing the sky and stars into the future

In Australia, the global SKA Observatory (SKAO) is 
partnering with CSIRO to build and operate the SKA-Low 
telescope – Australia’s first mega-science facility – on 
Wajarri Country in Western Australia. The Wajarri Yamaji, 
Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders, have been 
observing the sky for tens of thousands of years from the 
lands on which Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, our Murchison 
Radio-astronomy Observatory, sits. Now, they’re sharing 
their sky and stars with the world through the telescopes 
on site and partnering in work across the observatory.

Protecting Wajarri heritage underpins all activity on 
site, flowing from the strong protections provided by 
the Indigenous Land Use Agreement we signed with 
Wajarri Yamaji and the Australian and Western Australian 
governments in 2022, paving the way for the SKA-Low 
telescope. Our teams work closely with heritage service 
providers, the Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation and 
the SKAO to ensure Wajarri heritage monitors are on site 
for any ground disturbing activities during construction, 
protecting Wajarri heritage and significant sites.

Ongoing SKA-Low telescope construction activities 
have seen up to 40 Wajarri people at any one time 
working at the observatory for the SKA project. 
This is in addition to our Wajarri team members who 
support our Boolardy Accommodation Facility and teams 
maintaining the existing instruments on site.

In March, the SKAO installed the first of the 131,072 
antennas that will make up the SKA-Low telescope, built 
on site by the first cohort of 10 SKA-Low field technicians, 
seven of whom are Wajarri. Together with the SKAO we 
established these new roles, co-designed and delivered 
with representatives from the Wajarri community and 
Central Regional TAFE in Geraldton, Western Australia. 
The field technicians will become experts in building and 
maintaining SKA-Low antennas and their components 
on site.

The new roles are intended to provide the skills needed to 
build the SKA-Low telescope, as well as transferable skills 
for roles in other industries, such as telecommunications 
and mining. The field technicians are assembling and 
installing the first groups of antennas that will make up the 
SKA-Low telescope, before taking on a leading role training 
and managing further teams of technicians in the future.

The SKA-Low telescope is hosted in Australia with support from the 
Australian and Western Australian governments. We acknowledge 
the Wajarri Yamaji as Traditional Owners and Native Title holders of 
Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, our Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory 
site, where the SKA-Low telescope is being built.



Research infrastructure

We develop collaborative research infrastructure integrated with digital technologies 
that optimises our safety, efficiency and scientific excellence.

Embedding responsible AI in 
Australian industry

CSIRO has developed breakthrough science, comprehensive 
guidelines and practices to ensure Australian industries can 
safely and responsibly manage AI throughout its lifecycle.

Our new book, Responsible AI: Best Practices for Creating 
Trustworthy AI Systems (Dec 2023), provides practical advice 
on the design, deployment and governance of AI systems, 
including more than 60 reusable best practices to help 
embed responsible AI practices into systems, supporting 
ethical development and governance.

We have also created tools such as QB4AIRA 
(May 2023), a comprehensive question bank for AI risk 
assessment; Towards a Responsible AI Metrics Catalogue 
(November 2023), which offers detailed metrics to enhance 
transparency, auditability, and trustworthiness in AI 
systems; and, in partnership with Alphinity Investment 
Management, delivered an adaptable, open-source solution 
for investors assessing AI’s impact on portfolios.

Start-ups TrueRecognition and Reejig have used these tools 
to improve product features and trustworthiness, while 
larger organisations, including Westpac, Telstra, SEEK 
and ABC, have utilised these solutions to enhance their 
internal and external AI use. By driving and championing 
proactive measures in responsible AI, CSIRO aims to 
accelerate responsible AI adoption across industry and 
cement Australia’s reputation as a global leader in safe 
AI deployment.

Innovating IT for stronger science

We transform how we do research by investing in new 
technologies to support cutting-edge science across CSIRO, 
with highlights this year including the launch of our new 
Virga high performance computer, as well as a laboratory 
information management system (LIMS) and Cloud 
Right project.

To meet the growing data needs of increasingly digital 
research, we worked with Dell Technologies to build a 
high‑performance computer (HPC) system which will 
speed up scientific discoveries and help grow Australia’s 
industry and economy. The HPC is named Virga after the 
meteorological effect of rain that evaporates before it 
reaches the ground and was named in recognition of 
CSIRO’s decades of research into cloud and rain physics.

Virga HPC is a state-of-the-art Dell PowerEdge XE9640, 
the first of its kind in Australia, designed to optimise AI 
workflows while also being power-efficient. Sixty per cent 
of Virga is cooled by hybrid direct liquid cooling, which 
means liquid is predominantly cooling the unit, reducing 
the need for energy intensive air cooling.

The installation of Virga has not only modernised our 
IT infrastructure but also keeps us at the forefront of 
accelerated computing and Australian innovation, which 
will deliver significant benefits to our researchers and paves 
the way for future growth in AI, machine learning and 
digital science.

We’re implementing a new enterprise laboratory 
information management system (LIMS) in partnership 
with research units to improve data management, storage 
and sharing of test results across our labs. LIMS will enable 
better understanding of workflows and standardisation 
of best-practice processes in labs by tracking samples, 
automating data collection and generating results.

Having a single LIMS across all of CSIRO will support the 
reproducibility and defensibility of our science, evolve 
and modernise our lab operations and simplify our work, 
making it more efficient. It will deliver significant benefits 
to our science by simplifying processes, increasing visibility 
of data and enabling greater collaboration between 
our science areas. LIMS will automate the collection of 
data and generate results so they can be easily shared 
across our labs and with our customers. Teams who have 
adopted the LIMS in their labs have reported time savings, 
improved data quality and visibility, as well as streamlined 
workflows. The new system also meets all our accreditation 
requirements and saves time when being audited by 
providing an audit trail.



Our Cloud Right project was recognised for excellence in 
the application or innovative use of digital technology 
in support of research activities at the 2023 Council of 
Australasian University Directors of Information Technology 
(CAUDIT) Awards. Cloud Right makes CSIRO one of the 
first research organisations in Australia to establish secure, 
managed access across three public cloud providers, 
delivering benefits and services only available in the 
public cloud.

Cloud Right has made it safer, easier and cheaper for our 
researchers to analyse, collaborate and store their scientific 
data in the public cloud, and this data can be used for 
important research, significantly impacting people around the 
world. Our researchers have found the processing and analysis 
of data much faster and have been opened up to new fields 
of research, while our customers can tap into some of the 
world’s best science and apply the knowledge directly from 
the platforms, all with strong security to protect our research.

Driving sustainability at CSIRO

As Australia’s national science agency, we’re focused not only 
on promoting sustainable practices through our research, 
but also through our operations. This year, we supported 
our people in discovering and adopting sustainable practices 
that have a positive social and environmental impact at 
CSIRO as well as in our homes and communities.

Over 14 weeks in 2023, 17 CSIRO teams with 72 active 
participants took part in a pilot of the Green Impact 
program, supported by Australasian Campuses Towards 
Sustainability. Together they completed more than 
350 actions aligned with our Sustainability Strategy 
objectives and the United Nations Sustainable Development 
Goals. Through their participation they also engaged 
hundreds of colleagues through onsite events and activities.

Following the successful pilot, we ran our 2024 program 
over six months, challenging teams to complete up to 
100 actions addressing active transport, biodiversity, 
energy, resource recovery, health and wellbeing, 
sustainable procurement, diversity and inclusion, and 
Indigenous culture and engagement.

Participants in our Green Impact programs are actively 
developing their own sustainability literacy and capacity 
and promoting a culture of sustainability at CSIRO.

Read more in our Sustainability Report: 
csiro.au/reportingsuite2024

The Eveleigh Sustainability Champions were active 
participants in CSIRO’s Green Impact pilot program.



As Australia’s national science agency, 
CSIRO is solving the greatest 
challenges through innovative 
science and technology.

CSIRO. Creating a better future 
for Australia.

csiro.au/work-with-us

Contact us

1300 363 400
+61 3 9545 2176
csiro.au/contact
csiro.au