THE goon sack, the Hill’s Hoist, the goon sack attached to a Hill’s Hoist — Australia has long been a hub of creative innovation.

Over the years, Aussie inventors have come up with everything from Wi-Fi and spray-on skin, to the bionic ear and even the black box flight recorder.

While it’s true in the past we’ve punched above our weight in the traditional tinkering stakes, Aussie businesses have moved with the times as well.

Here are five small businesses currently making cool gadgets and apps:

HEYLETS

Co-founded by Aussie Dean Kelly, HeyLets is a popular experience-focused social media app which bills itself as a “social city and travel guide”. HeyLets allows users to share their favourite experiences with a photo and a brief, 140-character post. These are then shared with other users ‘feeds’ based on common interests. After first launching in Australia, HeyLets has expanded to 20 cities around the world including Tokyo, New York, Toronto, London and Paris.

KOALASAFE

KoalaSafe is a simple device to help parents monitor and control what their young children do and see on the internet. Created by Steven Pack and funded through Kickstarter, the device plugs into your existing internet router to create a separate Wi-Fi network for the kids’ devices: “a healthier internet” that gives you greater control and peace of mind without being a “helicopter parent”. The project has raised more than $100,000 from 443 backers.

APPSTER

Not an app, but an app developer, which makes everything from enterprise apps for iOS and Android to mobile games and m-sites. Appster, an Aussie firm founded by Gen Ys Josiah Humphrey and Mark McDonald, is one of the great success stories of the local tech scene. Since launching nearly four years ago, Appster has expanded to the US and now employs 140 people, and has been valued at around $15 million.

REMODA

Attracting more than 50,000 downloads since launch, Remoda is a fashion app that allows users to buy and sell preloved brands via their smartphone. Users can follow other ‘trendsetters’, see what they’re buying and selling and share each other’s items. Prices are negotiated between the buyer and the seller, and location preferences mean users can do deals with people within walking distance. Founder Arie Spivak thinks it will revolutionise the Australian fashion industry, and fashion model Elouise Morris is a fan.

ZESTDESK

Sitting is the new cancer, and standing desks are all the rage. The only problem is, they’re often bulky, fiddly or impractical for use in the office. ZestDesk, created by Woollongong father-and-son team James and Dr Peter Moore, is described as the first portable, adjustable standing desk. A Kickstarter campaign to develop the product, which can be assembled on any table within 30 seconds and packed away when not in use, raised more than $70,000 from 191 backers. The most recent update indicates the final version should be ready to ship by September.

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