While the promise of a new beginning for Kalgoorlie’s City Centre has long been in the wings, with significant public and private investment on the table, a golden opportunity has unfolded to return Kalgoorlie’s main streets and public spaces to a thriving heart of economic, cultural and physical activity.

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element was engaged as lead consultant to deliver a new vision, strategies and detailed masterplan for the city centre’s future, with a focus on economic development drivers, including local and regional tourism.  

This role included developing an extensive digital and face-to-face engagement strategy to ensure buy in from both the local community, and key stakeholders including retailers and other businesses operating in and around the city centre.  

element designed a four-pillar engagement strategy and worked collaboratively with the City to deliver an authentic and transparent program. A vivid and enchanting project brand was developed – Kal City Centre – with key messages crafted to be appealing and accessible to all residents. Engagement Champions were selected to tell the story and sell the promise of the city centre’s renewal, overcoming scepticism the City could deliver such a transformation.

Engagement outcomes were used to develop a comprehensive Place Plan. “Kurturtu: Kalgoorlie’s Heart” provided a compelling vision statement with three place themes - A Handbuilt City, (Re)discovery and Catalyse - providing a framework for development of strategic directions across built form, landscape, economic development, partnerships, activation and place branding.  

• Stakeholder engagement program – online and face-to-face  
• Literature review, site observations, tourism trends analysis and spatial mapping of current offer  
• Product audit and gap analysis – mapped across the region to understand interdependencies and key relationships  
• In-depth analysis of technical and regulatory context – water, waste and bushfire management, site and environmental challenges, market and investment context, planning and land use frameworks  
• Strategic recommendations to boost product development with a short-term focus on strengthening existing markets, then diversifying the offer in line with market and economic capacity

• A four pillar Engagement and Communications Strategy
• Kal City Centre Economic Transformation Strategy