Like all businesses, the Darwin-based company had to grit its teeth and battle through the covid pandemic.

But it has bounced back – and is now a vibrant, thriving operation with a reputation as one of Northern Australia’s most innovative information technology companies.

SRA, which has won a swag of awards since it was founded by Steve Rowe in 1992, is active in all Australian states and territories.

“Covid was tough for us, as it was for all businesses. But we got through and have enjoyed a succession of quite profitable years.”

It seems that nothing is too challenging or offbeat for the business.

One of its latest innovations is developing a product using AI to identify and count fish, with trials being run at the Humpty Doo Barramundi farm.

The technology is used as the fish are moved from one pond to another as they grow.

“The software can identify what is a fish and what’s not,” says Steve. “And if two fish are lying across each other, it can separate them and count them as two.

“It can count accurately through sun glare, water disturbance and fish movement, and the environmental factors of operating in the Top End.”

The scalability of the product also enables it to be adaptive to other animal recognition uses.

SRA has developed another extraordinary piece of software for Chevron on Barrow Island in Western Australia.

The energy giant is under an obligation not to introduce exotic animals to the island, especially the feral Asian House Gecko.

SRA has created software that can detect the gecko and send an alarm to environmental scientists.

The company is bolstering its reputation as a business that develops software solutions for social challenges by working with the Tasmanian Government’s Department of Education, Children and Young People to create a child safety system.

SRA has spent the past two years perfecting software that will use a mass of information to suggest the best ways to care for at-risk children.

“One of the main aims is to keep the kids in a safe and thriving environment,” says Steve. “It uses data such as contacts with the child, family, carers and professionals.

“There are links to education, health, housing and community services.”

Steve gained a degree in information technology followed by a diploma in education at the University of Adelaide.

He met his wife-to-be Kim while working as a teacher for three years before moving into software development full-time.

SRA was founded in Adelaide in 1992 but the headquarters moved to Darwin with the family five years later.

“We were doing a fair bit of fly-in fly-out from Adelaide before moving permanently.”

SRA has always been a community minded company.

Steve is still playing masters hockey and has sponsored Territorian Jeremy Hayward since he was first spotted as a rising hockey talent – he is now the captain of Australia.

The company also supported Jeremy’s brother Leon, who opted to play for his mother’s home country of New Zealand, and still backs the NT Stingers, who play in the Malaysian league.

And SRA sponsors Territorian Lizzy Duguid in the national indoor hockey team, and the Waratah hockey club.

Steve also provides mentoring to emerging businesses, such as Northern Australian SeaCulture – innovating in the farming and development of seaweed products.

Kim founded the Pumper Jumpers, a competitive jump rope club, also sponsored by SRA, who have represented the Territory nationally and Australia internationally.

The Rowe family are a big part of the Territory. Kim is a teacher at Parap Primary School, and two of their three children are embedded in the NT, one as a teacher at Larrakeyah Primary School, and one as a part-time teacher and performing musician.

“In the Territory, you feel part of the very fabric of society,” says Steve. “It’s a great place to bring up kids. You just want to give back.” TQ

CONTACT

SRA
Level 2, 12 Salonika Street, Parap NT 0820
08 8995 0000
sra.com.au