Local inventors Bob Baade and Mark Kelleher were thrilled when their NO NAG gas gauge was selected as a finalist in the 2012 Tropical Innovation Awards held in Cairns last month.

With stiff competition for places in the finals, the pair was justifiably proud of their achievement.

“One in four entries didn’t make the cut, so we feel it’s like a feather in our cap,” Bob said.

NO NAG is a device used to measure the weight of gas remaining in a gas bottle - up to a combined weight of 22kg.  It is a practical, user friendly device that can also be used as scales to measure the weight of other items such as luggage or fish.

Mark said the best thing about NO NAG is that it eliminates the guesswork in knowing how much gas remains in household gas bottles.

“The idea was triggered when we ran out of gas part way through a family BBQ, despite my wife nagging me to check there was enough,” he said.

The product is a result of extensive industrial design, the gauge is ergonomically designed so the handle is easily gripped, and the bottle requires lifting only 20mm off the ground for the device to work.

"The weight of remaining gas is read from the gauge after releasing the NO NAG from the gas bottle, eliminating the need to attempt reading the gauge whilst lifting a heavy gas bottle,” Bob said.  

After working with manufacturers for 18 months to the get the quality, accuracy and packaging of the product right, the two inventors recently launched NO NAG into retail stores in FNQ to test the market.  

In terms of where they go next with their invention, they are in discussions with an Australian company with national and international distribution channels, and are talking to a European based manufacturer and distributor of scales worldwide.