For a reg
ional port necessar
ily
involved
in global supply cha
ins, the development of
its h
interland reg
ion
is cr
it
ical to
its long term susta
inab
il
ity. Such development can be fostered by a reg
ional
innovat
ion system (RIS), although the r
isks of path dependency and lock-
in may lead to a reg
ion decay
ing. A process for contr
ibut
ing to a RIS
is the Reg
ional Development Platform Model (RDPM), the focus of th
is paper. As a new approach to reg
ional development, the RDPM
is ut
il
ised and adapted to
ident
ify opportun
it
ies for potent
ial development
in a reg
ion. In th
is paper, the RDPM
is l
inked to the role of a port author
ity and
its potent
ial to dr
ive reg
ional growth centred on
its
innovat
ion network. Port author
it
ies, by assum
ing the role of network leader, can shape the reg
ional
innovat
ion network and create new development trajector
ies through the
ir l
inks to var
ious levels of government and the w
ide range of stakeholders that ut
il
ise the port fac
il
it
ies. The
inherent tens
ions
in th
is role and the compet
ing poss
ib
il
it
ies of path creat
ion and path dependence to create value for a w
ide network of stakeholders are challeng
ing.
The paper investigates the use of the RDPM and how port authorities can influence development strategies for mutual benefit in this context. More specifically, a case study of the Burnie Port in Tasmania, Australia is conducted by utilising desktop research, interviews, an expert panel and industry roundtable to demonstrate that the RDPM has the potential as an approach beyond analysing the main sources of path dependency in a local region. By following the adaptation of the RDPM, it is argued that the trajectory of path dependency can be interrupted, for example by a port authority, enabling the potential for new paths to be created.