Tonsley Innovation District 

Occupying a 61-hectare site located 10km south of Adelaide, Tonsley Innovation District is recognised as the global benchmark for reimagining and redeveloping traditional manufacturing facilities. As a former auto-manufacturing facility, the transformation of Tonsley began in 2012 and now accommodates leading-edge research and education institutions, established businesses and start-ups, business incubators and accelerators, as well as government and the wider community.

Focus Sectors

Tonsley was an inaugural member of the Global Institute on Innovation Districts and is now the most awarded innovation district in Australia, driving world class innovation and future industries as an advanced manufacturing hub across four focus sectors:

  • Automation, software and simulation

  • Mining and energy services

  • Health, medical devices, and assistive technologies

  • Cleantech and renewable energy.

Highlights

Micro-X

Micro-X

Micro-X has achieved the extraordinary, moving beyond century-old boundaries of traditional thermionic X-ray technology. In 2011, a group of engineers and scientists found a way to create a simple, scalable and repeatable X-ray tube that uses carbon nanotube technology. This Nano Electronic X-ray (NEX) Technology forms the core of a common platform for all Micro-X products, delivering quality digital imaging through proprietary high-voltage X-ray tubes and high-voltage generators.

With a vertically integrated design and production facility in Adelaide and a strong technical and commercial team based in Seattle, Micro-X are focused on delivering exceptional innovative products that change lives for the better.

SAGE
SAGE Automation

SAGE Automation is Australia’s leading independent industrial automation and control systems integrator, offering end-to-end project delivery, specialist advanced manufacturing services and maintenance services to support clients across a range of industries including defence, energy, transport, resources, water and manufacturing.

Proudly designing and manufacturing control panels and switchboards from its advanced manufacturing centre, SAGE Automation bring the best results to clients all over the world.

Chrysos

Chrysos Corporation

Chrysos Corporation combines science and software to create technology solutions for the global mining industry. Originally developed at Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, the company’s flagship product PhotonAssayᵀᴹ delivers faster, safer, more accurate and environmentally-friendly analysis of gold, silver, copper and other elements. This technology has rapidly displaced slower, more hazardous and costly processes to become the mining industry’s most innovative and valuable assaying solution.

X-Frame

XFrame

XFrame are a circular economy construction technology platform providing modular demountable spatial systems for commercial, retail, residential, and institutional clients. XFrame takes advantage of a series of proprietary in-house automation workflows to rapidly design and deploy the XFrame technology. Parts are precision-milled from engineered radiata pine plywood and the frame enables all adjoining wall layers (internal wall linings and claddings) to be reversibly connected in a manner that maintains their inherent value.

Flinders

Flinders University

Flinders’ Tonsley campus is a $120 million hub of innovation which centrally locates the University’s teaching and research in computer science, artificial intelligence, defence and national securities, autonomous vehicles, information technology, engineering and mathematics.

This campus incorporates the Flinders Medical Device Research Institute (MDRI), including its large-volume micro-CT imaging facility, The Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology and an incubator for entrepreneurs and future employers creating next generation start-ups through the Flinders New Venture Institute.

Hydrogen Park SA

Hydrogen Park SA

Hydrogen Park South Australia (HyP SA) is an Australian first to deliver a renewable hydrogen blend to customers on the existing gas network. Developed by the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group, renewable hydrogen is produced from water and renewable electricity using a 1.25MW Siemens Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser.

HyP SA commenced production in May 2021, supplying 700 customers with an up to 5% (by volume) renewable gas blend, and has since expanded to supply a further 3,000 customers in Adelaide’s south, including households, businesses and schools. In 2024, the renewable gas blend was increased from 5% to 10%.