Building a future for medical cannabis in australia

In 2017, Cann Group was issued with Australia’s first Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Research Licences, unlocking the company’s goal to lead development and supply of cannabis, cannabis resin and medicinal cannabis products in both Australia and beyond.

They chose Mildura to build their $120 million facility – the largest in Australia – because the region boasts an established horticultural and manufacturing base, a sizable population, a skilled workforce, a pipeline of local university graduates and the right natural resources for sustainable production.

Now, alongside the CSIRO and university partners, Cann are pushing the boundaries of protected cropping and pharmaceutical manufacture. They’re implementing solar and irrigation systems that tackle energy consumption and water usage sustainably; and they’re helping put Mildura on the global map as a leader in advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Availability of land and light were key factors to Cann’s decision to build their custom factory in Mildura. “The greater levels of photosynthetically active-light make the energy savings considerable,” says Russel McGifford. “And the high-tech protected greenhouses treat precious water resources carefully.“ 

“The local wine and fruit industries have an established talent pool of skilled workers and accompanying support services, especially in engineering and recruitment – everything needed to get a factory up and running well.”

“We’ve also had great support from local government bodies and representatives, and Regional Development Victoria. The presence of Latrobe University and SuniTafe in Mildura has meant that the strong academic links Cann has built in Melbourne can be carried to the Mildura site.”

“Mildura is a great regional centre with key services in place thanks to the strong agricultural and food production industries. It’s a great place to do business – giving you multiple options for sourcing services and materials, as well as a strong base of experienced labour. The local staff are really focused. They have a can-do attitude without sacrificing quality of work and our vision is to become an employer of choice in the region.”