Shine Harcourt Leanganook

In parallel to the preparation of the Harcourt Framework Plan, Council’s Economy and Culture unit has prepared Shine Harcourt Leanganook to provide a strategic economic vision for Harcourt that reflects the energy, ideas and wisdom of the local community.

Shine Harcourt Leanganook utilised a community-driven model based around ideation and creativity to conceive of new opportunities for economic growth. Local residents and business owners participated in workshops that generated aspirations for spatial change, public realm improvements, new business and community partnerships. The community input was refined by project consultant, Hello City, and inputs were used to formulate a locally validated economic stimulus roadmap.

While the two projects have been undertaken utilising different methodologies, the overall directions are harmonised in one single document titled Plan Harcourt.

The plan finds that:

• Sustainable growth in Harcourt is achievable and desirable
• That local place values and attributes can form the basis for new growth
• Town centre activation can improve the sense of place and drive visitation and investment
• Natural assets can be leveraged to attract capital investment
• Tourism and visitation remain vital to future prosperity and sense of identity
• Local capacity can drive partnerships and projects at the community level

The ambitions are the five big strategic directions for Harcourt. Considered together they form the basis of an economic vision for the future. Think of these as a guide and a touchstone for decision making. The delivery mechanisms are a collection of project ideas that have the potential to deliver each of the ambitions.

These projects are ideas that have emerged directly from the community, or are evolutions or alternatives of those ideas developed during the Ideas Lab or by Hello City consultants. The ideas have been tested and refined, and have high levels of support in the community. They represent only one way of making the ambitions a reality and there are countless other pathways that would be equally as effective. Council’s role in the realisation of these ideas ranges between leading, partnering and advocating.

• Leading: Projects under the direct auspice of Council as regulatory and/or funding body, which have an established implementation pathway, i.e. amendments to the Planning Scheme and capital works projects.
• Partnering: Projects which require additional investigation, planning and possible co-funding between Council, State and Federal governments, and delivery with community partners, i.e. public art initiatives focused on the town centre and entrance points.
• Advocating: Projects that may be instigated by the community at any point in time, with or without Council involvement, which will contribute to the overall vitality and strength of the community.