Far North Queensland holds significant strategic reserves of critical minerals with Cairns’ major project pipeline over the next five years, worth $3.5b.
How does the region fully capitalise on surging global demand for critical minerals and the most secure pipeline in Queensland?
Join Advance Cairns on November 25 for Our Unique Advantage: Playing to our Strengths which will explore these topics and more.
Our special guest speakers are the Hon Dale Last MP Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development, Diatreme Resources CEO Neil McIntyre and Red Fox Advisory managing director Ben Schnitzerling.
Join us as we hear about the latest developments in Diatreme Resources’ Northern Silica Project near Cape Flattery, why Brisbane-based engineering design consultancy Red Fox Advisory chose the Far North to open a branch and what the State Government is doing to support the region.
Hon Dale Last MP
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Minister for Manufacturing and Minister for Regional and Rural Development
Born
and educated in Bundaberg, Dale spent more than 25 years as a Police Officer at stations throughout regional Queensland before being appointed to the role of Officer in Charge at the Townsville Police Station in 2000. After leaving the Police Service, Dale was elected to Townsville City Council and served as Councillor and Deputy Mayor from 2008 to 2012. Dale has operated his own small business and held roles in Emergency Management Queensland, the employment services sector and in program delivery aimed at increasing employment and school attendance on Palm Island. Dale was first elected as Member for Burdekin in January 2015. Whilst in opposition, Dale’s shadow portfolios included Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Police, Natural Resources and Mines, Fire and Emergency Services, Corrective Services and Rural and Regional Affairs.
Since the election of the Crisafulli government in October 2024, Dale has been Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Minister for Manufacturing and Minister for Regional and Rural Development. Dale also chairs the Resources Cabinet Committee which is tasked with creating an environment for growth in the resources sector while also delivering government accountability. Additionally, Dale plays a key role in projects and programmes including the establishment of a Manufacturing Hub in Toowoomba, increased funding under the Made in Queensland grants program and the delivery of sealed roads in regional Queensland.
Dale was awarded the National Police Service Medal for 25 years of service and the National Police Medal for diligent long service to the community in hazardous circumstances.
Neil McIntyre, CEO Diatreme Resources
Mr McIntyre is a highly experienced and broadly skilled senior executive with specialist skills in capital and public markets and the structuring, funding and running of mineral exploration and development companies in Australia, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Asia. He has a broad corporate background, initially commencing in commercial and merchant banks in various jurisdictions (Australia, PNG, Indonesia and China) with a particular focus on asset and structured finance, then moving on to corporate advisory and project packaging roles in the extractive natural resource sector (timber, mining and petroleum) for various mining (exploration) and petroleum (conventional and unconventional) companies regionally. Mr McIntyre is currently the CEO of Diatreme Resources Limited (ASX: DRX) a publicly listed exploration and development company headquartered in Brisbane, Australia.
He has been recognised with an MBE for his contribution to commerce and finance in PNG.
Diatreme Resources (ASX: DRX) is an emerging Australian producer of mineral and silica sands based in Brisbane. Our key projects comprise the Northern Silica Project (NSP) and Galalar Silica Sand Project in Far North Queensland, located adjacent to the world’s biggest silica sand mine at Cape Flattery, together with the Cape Flattery Silica Project, with the NSP strategically located near the dedicated silica sand export-focused Cape Flattery Port.
Ben Schnitzerling, Managing Director Redfox Advisory
Ben is the Managing Director of Red Fox Advisory, with over 30 years of experience in the delivery of major infrastructure projects. He has been a Registered Professional Engineer (RPEQ) since 2006 with a primary focus on highway, road and bridge engineering.
In 2019, Ben co-founded Red Fox Advisory to assist clients seeking more from their engineering consultants. Since then, Ben has been called on to work on a range of projects in various capacities, including the administration of multiple bridges, contract management, road and highway design management and dispute resolution for major infrastructure projects, for clients from Queensland Government, regional councils and private companies.
Ben is highly active in the engineering industry, including contributing to the industry groups such as Advance Cairns. Ben is engaged on major project review committees and regularly presents at universities through mentoring the next generation of engineers. He is passionate about the evolution of engineering to be more courageous in the industry, and serving the community better.
Red Fox Advisory is an engineering design consultancy for the Transport and Infrastructure sector in Queensland. Led by Ben Schnitzerling, Anthony Schmidt and Michael Price, Red Fox Advisory provides civil, structural and geotechnical engineering design solutions.