"Let's have a go:" Trevor Meldrum on tech, tradition, and tapping Cape York's potential

With decades in environmental management and deep roots in Cape York, Trevor Meldrum has seen what works in Indigenous land management, and where the untapped potential lies. In this evokeAG 2025 conversation with host Elizabeth Brennan, he reflects on an AgriFutures-backed weed tech trial, the promise of technology in the bush, and the need for genuine partnerships to support local jobs and knowledge. 

Q: What makes Cape York so unique? 

A: Our part of the world has largely been looked after by us – Indigenous people and Indigenous food producers – over millennia. That’s what makes it so special. We’ve got flora, fauna and food production you won’t find anywhere else in Australia. 

Q: You led one of AgriFutures’ Producer Technology Uptake Program (PTUP) trials in partnership with InFarm. What challenge were you tackling, and how did the tech come into play?  

A: One of our biggest challenges is invasive species, and particularly weeds. We worked with InFarm to trial their AI technology for targeted weed spraying. It was important, because we’ve got a fragile reef system here, and we need to reduce chemical runoff. The trial showed that AI can help with that. 

Q: Both Indigenous custodians and White fella farmers are known for their ability to “read country.” Where does technology fit in? 

A: Technology has a way of reading country that’s not necessarily better, just different. But when you combine ancient ways of reading country with modern technology, you get a much richer outcome. The problem is, we tend to see one knowledge system fighting against the other. 

Q: You’ve got a great yarn from the trial that shows how that kind of combination can work… 

A: One of our indigenous cattle producers was part of the trial. And he was convinced the AI sprayer couldn’t possibly do a better job than him. We trialled it on about an acre and a half, and when the machine started spraying, the producer said, “I think it’s broken!” But it was picking up weeds we couldn’t even see.  

“Well, I’ll be buggered,” he said. And now he tells everyone who cares to listen how good this technology is. 

Q: How do you see technology – what you jokingly call “White Man Magic” – integrating with traditional knowledge systems? 

A: We call it that, but our younger people – not so much me, I’m a dinosaur – they’ve grown up with technology. And they’re still tutored by their elders.  

We’ve already proved that ancient cultural knowledge can complement or even instruct technology. Talking to our ancestors and listening to country – that can go hand in hand with the tools and data. 

Q: Beyond just targeted weed control, what else could agtech unlock for the Cape York community? 

It’s not just about the technology. It’s about people being willing to work with us. There aren’t a lot of job opportunities on the Peninsula, and Cape York is one of the few places in Australia that’s still almost entirely reliant on welfare. 

We want to change that. We want employment pathways for our people, especially our young Indigenous people. There’s a real opportunity here to work with the rest of Australia to tackle our land challenges and our social ones. 

Q: From the outside, people often assume that Cape York is untouched wilderness. But what do outsiders get wrong about life and business up there? 

A: The people down south have it in their minds that we’re a pristine region, but we’re not. We’re still dealing with 150 years of human impact on both our population and our environment.  

The other misperception is that there’s nothing up here. But we’ve got a big and diverse population: mainland Aboriginals, Torres Strait Islanders, Europeans.  

And we have a different growing region to the rest of Australia, so a lot of crops thrive here. If people want to future-proof their businesses, come to Cape York. There’s income potential year-round, not just in one season. 

Q: I’d be interested in your thoughts around the importance of having local decision making in the Cape York community? 

A: If people from the area are making decisions, they’re going to own it – lock, stock and barrel.  

Most of us who live here aren’t going anywhere. When the country calls you, you stay. And we’re quite willing to share our knowledge with people who come up – but if they come with a ‘fly in, fly out mentality’ it’s hard to build a connection that values place-based knowledge. 

Q: What would it take to unlock the Cape’s full potential? 

A: We need partners on the ground. It doesn’t cost a lot; the overheads aren’t much different to anywhere else in regional Australia.  

But business establishment is largely beyond our means. We lack the infrastructure, but with a bit of investment – public and private – we could transport crops and diversify and grow, and that would lead to more employment in the community. 

Q: Final thoughts? Anything you want to leave us with? 

A: Well, if anybody’s got to spare few million, I’ll take it home! 

And we’ll use it to bring in technology, help our producers, and generate employment for our younger people. 

We know we can do it. Let’s have a go.