WHEN Atherton Tableland dairy farmer Dan Portegys was bagging grain to feed to dry stock and weaners at the back of his farm, he thought there must be an easier way to do it.
Out of necessity, the Ezyfillbagfilla was invented.
Dan and Zellann Portegys operate a dairy farm at Millaa Millaa.
Dan said his family has always been extremely good with their hands and have always been very practical people.
The Ezyfillbagfilla had its origins seven years ago when Dan stuck a sieve in one of the bags he was filling.
From there, things took off.
Dan and Zellann thought they'd bring the idea to market after seeing people's difficulties with struggling to fill sandbags during the catastrophic floods early last year.
Other farmers have really welcomed the invention after experiencing their own personal dramas and battles with filling bags and material handling on their own properties.
Touted for its obvious benefits of less stress and no mess for its users, the Ezyfillbagfilla makes the job of filling bags with sand, grain, and mulch quicker, safer and easier, with less spillage and waste.
Hand injuries when performing work of this nature are also reduced.
This invention considerably reduces the amount of time needed to bag these materials.
The Ezyfillbagfilla comes in two sizes: a larger size for grain and for filling larger bags, and a smaller size for filling sand bags for levies and other flood emergencies.
Made out of UV-stabilised plastic, the Ezyfillbagfilla is extremely durable, lightweight and portable.
It also features a special lip which makes it easy to handle.
In the future, other sizes and shapes for the handling of other specific materials including gardening applications and specific types of mulch could become available as the need arises.
There is also the possibility of the Ezyfillbagfilla being colour-coded for the requirements of various organisations or people using it.
This invention is generating a huge amount of interest. It was listed as a nominee at both the Rabobank FNQ Rotary Field Days held at Walkamin earlier this year and the 2011 Tropical Innovation Awards.
Dan has also recently returned from Brisbane where he was attending the Big Idea Queensland Grant Program, which is a partnership between the Australian Industry Group and the Queensland Government.
The government also funds the program.
This year, there were 900 entries from Queensland innovators, with Dan's invention one of the 60 selected for the shortlist.
Since developing the Ezyfillbagfilla, Dan has patented his invention.
This invention is unique. There are a lot of elaborate and expensive bag-filling devices out on the market but the system is marketed as the most simple, portable and cost-effective.
Already, it has attracted a lot of interest on the Tableland and in coastal regions. Currently, the SES is interested in trialling Dan's product.
Local hardware shops are also showing strong interest in stocking the product.
Dan is gearing up for overseas inquiries from locations which have the same susceptibility to flooding disasters Australia.
When asked what could be the biggest potential market for his invention, Dan said, "The SES and Emergency Services, the Defence sectors as well as the strong applications for it in the agricultural sector".
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