Transforming a remote and regional town centre

The challenge:

LandCorp and the Shire of East Pilbara required a strong framework to guide the future planning and development of Newman Town Centre.

The solution:

Over a five-year process, we worked together with stakeholders, council, community, traditional owners and traditional custodians to create a shared future for the town of Newman.

The three stage process started with a master plan, which visualised the ‘big picture’ for Newman’s future. Based on this ‘big picture’ vision, we then developed a Place Management Plan for the town, to refine activation, program and management of the town centre. This addressed the mechanics of how the town works, while also integrating community and stakeholder feedback.

The final stage, construction, made the community vision a reality, and culminated in the construction of the award winning Newman Town Square – now a well-used and well-loved public space. The Square has transformed the centre of the town, replacing asphalted car park and paving with an oasis of large shade trees and cool lawn.

The outcome:

A designed, thoughtful approach, grounded in community ideas, has culminated in real, built outcomes for the Pilbara town of Newman.

THE DETAILS:

Client: LandCorp and Shire of East Pilbara
Location: Newman, WA
Dates: 2013 - 2018
Collaborators: LandCorp; Shire of East Pilbara; the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Newman, Nyiyaparli and Martu; Cameron Chisolm Nicol; JDSI engineers; artists Lynette Wallworth, Sohan Ariel Hayes, Little Rhino Designs and Jahne Rees; and the community of Newman.

Awards:

2018 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) National Award of Excellence for Civic Landscape Architecture

2018 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) WA Award for Civic Landscape Architecture