Tracy Sheen - The Digital Guide

16/06/2026

Longreach. Our final stop on the Western Queensland Digital Exchange AI Roadshow. And what a town to end on.

Ten days at Muddy Duck Tourist Park on the banks of the Thomson River. Something cracking has been built out there. Drive-through sites, kayaks, fire pit, outback sunsets that make you forget to check your phone. The kind of park you arrive at thinking three nights and leave thinking we could stay three weeks.

Longreach has a personality all its own. Streets named after birds. Art that stops you mid-walk. And locals who greet you like you've been coming for years. We spotted a few brolgas out around the Thomson too, which never gets old.

The Italian delivered one of the best feeds on the whole roadshow. Authentic Italian in an underground heritage cellar in outback Queensland. The arancini, the pasta, the tiramisu... if you're passing through, don't skip it.

We also found what I'm officially declaring the comfiest hair salon chairs in the country. That award belongs entirely to Sage Hair.
And Suzie gave me one of the best massages I've had anywhere in Australia. Fixed things I didn't know needed fixing.

Then there's the reason we came.

Social Collective and The Birdcage Hotel opened their doors on a Saturday morning, and nine people showed up.
Nine legends. On a Saturday. In outback Queensland.
Marty brought in a hand-drawn construction sketch and we turned it into a quote and pricing email on the spot.

Raylene grabbed a photo from realestate.com.au and we built her a starter floor plan.

That's the whole story. A photo. A prompt. A Monday morning win.

Longreach, you were a cracking place to finish. Thank you for having us.

Oh, PS: Check out the artwork by Jane, one of the workshop attendees... and no, it's not AI

Ada, my AI assistant, shaped this post from my notes. The road trip, the feeds and the memories are all mine.

15/06/2026

Winton. You wowed me.

Pete and I decided to stay overnight so we could do both dinosaur experiences while we were in town.

Australian Age of Dinosaurs up on The Jump-Up. And Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways, 110km out of town.

I thought I was prepared for what we were going to see. I'd read all about it, and been wanting to get there for years. I was absolutely not prepared.

These are not tourist traps. Both are operating at a standard that would hold up anywhere in the world. The Australian Age of Dinosaurs holds the world's largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils and runs the most productive fossil prep lab in the Southern Hemisphere. You get to see it all. Real fossils. Real scientists. Real work.

Lark Quarry is the only known dinosaur stampede site on the planet. Over 3,300 footprints, preserved in rock, 95 million years old. Standing on that boardwalk... yeah.

The staff at both places know their stuff inside and out. This is what happens when people care deeply about what they do.

The fly level at The Jump-Up was sitting at FREE PROTEIN when we arrived. Still worth it.

I got to host an AI Made Simple workshop while we were in town. Three people. Three of the best conversations of the whole roadshow. Went deep on AI image creation and video. Switched on and asking all the right questions.

Small numbers, big impact. That's regional Australia.

Winton, you cracking little town. I'll be back soon... and next time, the remainder of the dinosaur trail!

PS: my AI assistant shaped the words. The flies, the footprints and the three cracking workshop attendees were all very much real.

Huge thanks to Winton Shire Council, Experience Winton, Social Collective for inviting me to region. And HUGE shout out to Banjo

10/06/2026

Seven people. One room in Barcaldine. And the kind of conversation that reminds me why I do this.

Barcaldine knows a thing or two about people gathering to change how work gets done. This is the town where the Australian Labour Party was born, under the Tree of Knowledge, back in 1891. So sitting in a room here talking about how AI is reshaping work felt right. History has a sense of humour like that.

And speaking of work reshaping itself, how good is this shearer sculpture? Built entirely from scrap metal, holding the Southern Cross. Old tools, new form. If that's not a metaphor for what we covered in the workshop, I don't know what is.

Huge thanks to Social Collective and Barcaldine Regional Council for making this event happen. Free AI workshops in regional Queensland don't run themselves, and these are the people putting their hand up for their community.

Oh, and the hat? Picked up from Country Rumours right here in town. When in Barcy, shop local. No regrets.

Next stops on the Digital Exchange AI Roadshow:
Winton Thursday 5pm at the Neighbourhood Centre (with thanks to Winton Shire Council) then brining it home in Longreach on Saturday at The Birdcage.

If you're out this way, come say G'Day.

08/06/2026

Kiddos got their wish

Break time and a lovely wander to the Thompson River.

When in Longreach Obi and Lando choose to stay at Muddy Duck Tourist Park

08/06/2026

You think someone is trying to tell me is break time?

04/06/2026

Three towns down. Three to go.

The Digital Exchange AI Roadshow has been through Chinchilla, Roma and Tambo, and the rooms have been cracking.

Here's what western Queensland has been telling us.

In Chinchilla, the Western Downs Business Summit session rated 4.9 out of 5 from 42 evaluation forms. Highest presenter score at the whole event.

In Roma, 65 people voted live on whether they were using AI for work right now. 43% said regularly. Another 31% said now and then. Only 18% said not yet, and they still showed up. That's the whole point.

And 2% of the room ticked the option that said they thought we were here to talk Artificial Insemination. 🤣

That's western Queensland. Wouldn't change it for anything.

When asked what task they'd most love to hand off, the room said: emails, timesheets, rosters, BAS and, my personal favourite, "my husband's invoices."

When asked what they'd try on Monday, someone wrote "take Tracy to the gin distillery."

Still waiting.... Sam, I'm looking at you... Though I did make it out to the QLD Distillery and I can agree, the Desert Oasis Gin is pretty darn tasty.

Three more stops. All free. All welcome.

📍 Barcaldine — Tuesday 9 June, 5:15pm
📍 Winton — Thursday 11 June, 5pm
📍 Longreach — Saturday 13 June, 9am

Whether you've never touched a free AI tool or you're using one every day, there's something in this for you. Plus a 100+ page guidebook to keep going long after we wrap.

If you're in the region or know someone who is, share this around. These rooms fill fast and nobody should miss out.

And if you see yourself in a photo - tag it!

Longreach Regional Council, Miniritchi Gallery, Chinchilla Community Commerce and Industry Inc - CCCI, Chinchilla Community Centre, Western Downs Regional Business Summit - WDRBS, Western Downs Regional Council, Tambo Tourism & Business Association Inc, Blackall-Tambo Regional Council, Winton Shire Council, Regional Council, Commerce & Tourism

29/05/2026

these illustrated character boards are the latest thing taking over social media.

Naturally, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

What fascinated me wasn’t the artwork itself. It was the process.

With a little help from my AI assistant, Linus, we explored what makes up my personal brand, the work I do, the people I serve, the things I care about and even the travelling menagerie of Obi, Lando and Watson.

The result is more than an image.

It’s a visual snapshot of values, personality, business and life.

The interesting lesson for small business owners?

The quality of the output wasn’t determined by the AI.

It was determined by how clearly I could describe who I am, what I do and why it matters.

If you’d like to create your own version, here’s the prompt we used as a starting point:

👇 PROMPT 👇

Create a premium illustrated personality collage of [YOUR NAME].

Style:
Elegant hand-drawn editorial sketchbook aesthetic with expressive ink lines, soft marker rendering and handwritten annotations on a clean white background. Blend personal branding, lifestyle storytelling and professional expertise.

Include:
• Multiple full body poses and portraits
• A mix of professional and candid moments
• Signature outfits and personal style
• A playful mini cartoon version
• Objects that represent my work and interests
• Handwritten quotes and observations
• Personal values and strengths
• Lifestyle elements and hobbies
• Visual references to my business and audience

Add handwritten notes that reflect:
• My philosophy
• My favourite sayings
• My professional expertise
• My personality traits

Include visual symbols associated with:
• My work
• My hobbies
• My favourite tools
• My lifestyle
• My family or pets
• My goals and aspirations

Art style:
High-end illustrated editorial board, fashion sketchbook, expressive ink illustration, watercolour markers, premium lifestyle magazine aesthetic, warm, intelligent and approachable.

Use information from the uploaded photos and the following background information:
[PASTE BIO HERE]

I’d love to see what yours looks like.

If someone turned your business into a character board, what three objects would have to appear in it?

25/05/2026

Not long now Chinchilla!
Still time to get your tickets

Looking forward to catching up with everyone

Chinchilla Community Commerce and Industry Inc - CCCI EnVision Partners Business Navigator Western Downs Town & Farm Pet People Gerkies Red Hill Creative - Laser Cutting and Engraving My Felt Lady Chinchilla Community Centre

15/05/2026

Some news from the road.

Mum is in palliative care and I’m in Ballina to be with Dad.

Replies, posts and the usual rhythm will be slower over the coming days. The Western Queensland trip is being rescheduled to June. Anyone affected will hear from me directly.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Normal programming will resume as soon as we’re through this. 💜

10/05/2026

Not long now Winton

You got your ticket booked?

📣 𝐀𝐈 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧

The Digital Exchange AI Workshop is coming to Winton, delivering a practical and accessible introduction to using AI and digital tools in everyday work.

Presented by tech author and speaker Tracy Sheen - The Digital Guide, this workshop focuses on turning AI into a useful support tool for businesses, community organisations, creatives and individuals.

This workshop will cover:
✅ Practical AI literacy
✅ Marketing strategies
✅ Branding frameworks
✅ Actionable digital tools

🗓 Thursday 21 May
⏰ 5.30pm
📍 Winton Neighbourhood Centre

Scan QR code for details and registration, or visit 👇
https://user.thedigitalguide.com.au/winton2026

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸, 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘉𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.