The most recent region to participate in the PURE project has been the Darling Downs and South West Queensland region in Australia. It is a large and very diverse region which has very significant agricultural and mineral resources within its boundaries. The key partners, the Regional Development Australia (RDA) committee for the region and the University of Southern Queensland are two key organisations that are at the heart of significant debates about the future of the region, one that could be a significant laboratory for the reconciliation of competing interests over the sustainable use of rich resources.