Are You There God? It's Me, King Island

Using Regional Development Platform theory as proposed by Cooke (2007), is it possible to envision an adaptive King Island: as stoic in the face of the current global agri-food paradigm as it is in the face of swells and storms? Having survived commodity rollercoaster rides through niche product branding and mining busts and booms resulting in a renewable energy and enviro-tourism focus, King Island is still there; home to approximately 1700 people; buffeted by sea, blown by gales, laden with both sunshine and rain. Presently it is also ‘home’ to an internationally recognised food brand, but for how long? And what may happen next? A preview of research conducted as part of PhD candidature, this paper explores the dilemma of a small, isolated, peripheral economy in the middle of Bass Strait.