Despite big losses on the share markets on Wednesday, a new report showed the value of the nation's internet economy is rivalling that of Australia's iron-ore exports.
Retailers are also suffering under the weight of a strong currency - which is sending more and more shoppers online.
But the online world is growing, with a new report showing Australia's overall internet economy contributed around $50b to GDP last year - 3.6 per cent of the economy.
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"To get online to book your holiday or to get online to do telework from home, all of that would be part of the digital economy", Deloitte's Rob Simes says.
It comes as NBN Co. announced an expansion of its fixed wireless internet services to the regional areas of Darwin, Toowoomba, Tamworth, Ballarat and Geraldton.
The National Broadband Network is expected to help the internet economy grow to $70b by 2016.
"It's probably had a bit of an effect already, just the fact that it's coming", Simes says.
The internet economy now rivals Australia's iron- ore export market for size, and industry which is still demanding sky-high prices from China, as its insatiable appetite for our resources continues.
It's reflected in new figures showing Australia's trade surplus is at a healthy $2b and backs calls from the International Monetary Fund for the RBA to lift interest rates to keep inflation in check because of the mining boom.
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