Celebrating Innovation: Reef Catchments’ Louise Fitzgerald Wins UniSQ 2025 Innovation Award

TNQ Drought Hub is proud to congratulate Louise Fitzgerald, Drought Resilience Coordinator with Node Partner Reef Catchments, on receiving the University of Southern Queensland’s 2025 Innovation Award. The award recognises individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to innovation through education, community work, research or practical tools that make a meaningful difference.

Louise was acknowledged for her passion for soil health and her ability to turn that passion into something producers can use every day, the pH Textura Spoon.

Developed by Louise, the pH Textura Spoon is a hands-on resource that helps producers better understand their soil pH and texture and what those characteristics mean for long-term productivity and management. The spoon provides two key soil indicators in the paddock, allowing producers to make quick, informed observations without needing lab equipment.

Attached to each spoon is a simple guide that walks producers through interpreting results and considering what that information could mean for pasture management, crop performance or soil amendments. It’s a lightweight, glovebox-friendly tool designed with practicality in mind.

Louise explains, “I wanted to give landholders the ability to investigate and learn more about the dirt beneath their boots. It also fits perfectly in the glovebox of a ute or buggy for easy storage.”

Across agriculture, interest in soil health is rapidly growing, driven by the need to improve productivity, support ecological function and strengthen resilience to drought and climate variability. For many producers, the first step is simply understanding what’s happening below the surface.

Louise saw an opportunity to bridge that gap.

“The importance of soil health is a rapidly growing hot topic within the agricultural industry,” she said.

“I saw that as an opportunity to use my passion for soil and education to design a resource that could be easily utilised by landholders and get the conversation of soil health started.”

The UniSQ Innovation Award not only celebrates Louise’s creativity, but also highlights the value of practical, producer-focused tools that strengthen decision-making on the ground.

“To be awarded the UniSQ 2025 Innovation Award has been such a great honour. I am grateful for Reef Catchments and the TNQ Drought Hub for giving me the opportunity to create this resource.” Louise said of receiving the award.

The Hub extends its warmest congratulations to Louise and looks forward to seeing the pH Textura Spoon continue to support conversations, curiosity and more informed soil management across Queensland.