Immerse Australia is a cross-sector association for businesses, research and educational organisations and individuals across Australia that are interested in immersive technologies. We include software, hardware, products and services related to Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Extended Reality (XR).

Immerse Australia is Australia's membership organisation for immersive technologies. We bring together industry, research and academic organisations, public sector and innovators to help fast track innovation, R&D, scalability, company growth and creative culture. 

We are Australia’s only membership organisation dedicated to supporting content, applications, services and solution providers developing immersive technology solutions or companies creating content or experiences using immersive tech.

We do this by connecting people to explore future collaborations; pointing to the latest funding and finance opportunities from across all industries in the Australian economy; addressing the pressing issues that slow down R&D and barriers to innovation; and identifying the opportunities for growth in this exciting, emerging marketplace, both in Australia and internationally.

Working closely with all levels of government we ensure the needs of the immersive tech sector are represented in the policy making process to ensure the sector's voice and opinions are heard.

Immerse Australia brings together industry, researchers and academic organisations, public sector, entrepreneurs, innovators innovating in immersive technologies. 

The sectors we represent include:

advertising and marketing | aerospace | digital agencies | architecture | automotive | defence and security | design | education & research | engineering | entertainment & media | environmental | financial services | games | hardware & devices | health & medical | heritage & museums | investors | legal | manufacturing | marine | oil & gas | post production | retail | software development | telecommunications | training | tourism | transport.

Meet the Committee

  • Natalie Marinho

    CHAIR

    Natalie is Founder and Creative Director of Voyant Augmented Reality, a studio creating bespoke AR experiences for corporate, creative and social impact applications. With over 15 years experience in digital media production including design and user experience, she is passionate about the XR industry and the intersection of design and technology.

    She has been an invited speaker and panelist on technology and mentors young people interested in XR careers. Natalie sits on the Screenwest Industry Advisory Committee Group and is a committee member of DesignFreo.

  • Justin McArdle

    CO-CHAIR

    Justin is co-founder of Frame Labs where he oversees the strategic and creative direction of the company as well as Executive Producing major VR projects including the award winning Thalu: Dreamtime is Now. Before focusing exclusively on immersive production, Justin started his career in film and television production producing and directing several award-winning projects and working for a host of independent film and television production companies, including Ridley Scott Associates, the BBC, and ITV Studios. He is a member of the Screenwest Industry Advisory Group, as well as Co Chair of Immerse Australia

  • Tanya Fraser

    TREASURER

    Tanya Fraser leads the Immersive Technology Team at Compono Pty Ltd, managing the crafting and delivery of Immersive Training for companies across Australiasia. Since 2019, the team have produced over 25 hours of award winning Immersive Training, focussing on heavy industry needs.

    Previously Tanya managed and produced projects across media, ecommerce and IT, specialising in complex projects that merge creative and technical team. She has worked at the ABC, Channel Ten and Network Seven, as well State Government contracts, ecommerce startups and marketing agencies.

  • Doug Bester

    Doug is Founder and Managing Director of Sentient Computing leading in the creation of immersive 3D environments with specific expertise working alongside resources companies to improve work practices.

    He has held executive roles for IT companies in Australia and the US with over 30 years of experience in technical operation, project delivery and management. He is passionate about using innovative technologies to improve the way companies do business and has worked with companies including Woodside, Rio Tinto, South32, Roy Hill, ConocoPhillips, BHP Billiton, Fortescue Metals Group and Accenture.

  • Dr Ali Fardinpour

    Dr Ali Fardinpour is an XR technologies research scientist and founder and Executive Director of Wise Realities Institute for Healthcare Emerging Technologies Research, a health promotion charity focused on promoting mental health and wellness through Virtual Reality experiences. He pursues his ‘XR for Purpose' passion through XR Avant-Gardes, his new XR innovation start-up company.

    Ali has been conducting research on computer simulations and immersive technologies for more than a decade in education and healthcare. Since 2016, Ali has been the leading voice to advocate for XR in Healthcare in Western Australia. He is deeply passionate about helping those challenged by health issues through innovation.

  • Caitlin Lomax

    After developing her own computer game at age 13, her love of programming and technology was born. Caitlin spent her early career as an international fashion model and continued to develop her programming skills behind the scenes, whilst building relationships across the globe. After settling in Australia, she now dedicates her time to producing XR projects and digital experiences from electronic projects and Arduino art to Augmented and Virtual Reality.

    Caitlin recently opened her own studio, INTR Studio in her hometown, Bunbury, servicing clients locally, nationally, and globally. She regularly speaks and moderates panels for tech events, mentors for RMIT’s Developing an AR/VR Business Strategy course and regularly runs XR related workshops for General Assembly.

  • Jordan Russell

    Jordan is a software developer specialising in AR and VR. He is the developer of the VR game Rifle Dodger, and has contracted with a number of local studios on their AR and VR projects.

  • Dr Andrew Woods

    Andrew Woods is an Associate Professor and Manager of the HIVE at Curtin University, a visualisation facility to support and encourage the use of visualisation technologies in research projects.

    Andrew specialises in visualisation technologies, stereoscopic 3D imaging, 3D reconstruction and shipwreck imaging. He was the technology lead on the Sydney-Kormoran Project which surveyed the wrecks of HMAS Sydney (II) and HSK Kormoran in 2015, and imaging lead for the survey of the wreck of HMAS AE1 in 2018. He has been co-chair of the Stereoscopic Displays and Applications conference since 2000. In 2017 he was recognised as one of Australia's Most Innovative Engineers by Engineers Australia.

1 8