Queensland mayors and local government leaders have met in the middle of the outback to talk technology.

The summit in the town of Winton allowed community leaders to discuss the direction of Queensland’s regional economies and the role local councils.

The annual regional meeting of the Local Government Association of Queensland’s Policy Executive received an update on a cutting-edge renewable energy project that may unlock the potential for regional Queensland to generate much of its own power needs.

LGAQ President and Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson said the Winton geothermal project, due to come on line later in the year, will be able to supply the power needs of the local council and may end up powering the entire town.

“There are several other towns looking at using the same technology, which is completely renewable as it uses the naturally heated water from the Great Artesian Basin to generate electricity,” Mayor Jamieson said.

The Policy Executive meeting also discussed how councils are tackling the challenge of adapting to climate change.

Mayor Jamieson said this annual regional meeting provided the opportunity to experience the challenges and opportunities confronting councils in remote areas of the state.

“There are many challenges that are common for all councils right across Queensland but often the impact is different and more profound in remote and rural areas,” Mayor Jamieson said. 

“It is meetings such as this that help to emphasise to our Policy Executive and the LGAQ the need for flexibility in how governments implement new legislation and programs so that the opportunities can be better captured by more councils.”

Mayor Jamieson said that local councils are often key drivers of economic growth in the regions and it was important that the local government sector was included in any strategy aimed at boosting growth and creating sustainable jobs in Queensland.