MAKING A COMEBACK

In 2009, the devastating Black Saturday firestorm devastated the Victorian community of Marysville. Today, the town has been transformed as a thriving tourist destination and liveable neighbourhood. Urban planners at Hatch, who helped lead the revival, say Marysville is a prime case study for understanding the complex process to catalyse the rebuilding of a regional township. Hatch now shares its ‘regional revival playbook’ to help towns prepare for recovery after drought, floods and closures of local industries. AGL’s recent closure of the Liddell Power Station in NSW’s Muswellbrook after 52 years, is also an instructive precedent.

Hatch is a global multidisciplinary leader in urban solutions, engineering, operational and development projects in metals, energy and infrastructure. Its Principal Economist at Hatch’s newly expanded social advisory and economics division, Leigh Holford, says the question of how regional economies survive after such decisions or disasters is more important than ever, especially when a town like Muswellbrook is required to pivot following the demise of a key industry that once employed a sizeable portion of the population.

Leigh says: “Adapting is key for these communities and, while no two towns or regional communities are the same, the first thing we do is strategically reimagine the future of the locality with a true cross section of the community’s representatives and stakeholders.”

“This must be done from an integrated perspective, encompassing the community at every turn. Any plan that does not integrate a multidisciplinary approach in the strategic planning phase - economic, social, environmental, infrastructure, urban design and planning - is destined to fail. There is no perfect plan, but there are plenty of poorly thought-out ones that prioritise a single perspective.

“Australia has a history of ‘mono-industry’ towns, where there has been disproportionate reliance on one industry. That’s changing: a farming region can be an agri-tourism destination. A wine region or beach destination may be proximate to a renewable energy zone – as is the case with NSW’s Hunter Valley and Central Coast regions - bringing new businessattractors and livelihoods,” adds Leigh.

“That’s why, at the initial planning stages, we talk to the local community in person and conduct surveys and workshops to understand community needs, alongside established and prospective business needs.

“By employing a team of integrated specialists, promoting the region’s assets and acting quickly, towns once struck by calamities or sudden change can be rebuilt to benefit from a new industry base.”

After the Marysville catastrophe, a project team of Hatch urban designers and placemakers helped to rapidly re-establish the town as a tourist destination and re-activate the economic and social life of the village, working hand in hand with decision-makers and the community. Integrating community engagement into its placemaking and resilience planning, the team was able to reimagine Marysville with a view to rebuilding the town, as well as improve the mental health of local residents.

Mike Day, partner at Hatch, says: “Starting with a four-day ‘Phoenix Workshop’ that included guidance from the Victorian State Government, community leaders and local council, we developed an urban plan with a village heart at its core.

“For Hatch, it was about capturing the emotional essence of Marysville by prioritising community engagement at every turn. Regional revivals work best when residents and leaders are included and consulted at every step of the journey.”

It’s a celebrated strategy that saw Hatch placemakers scoop a major award for Public Engagement and Community Planning in 2019 following their reimagining of Yanchep Lagoonwhich saw the fast-growing Perth suburb transformed into a thriving corridor poised for major tourism, recreation and economic growth.

In 2017, Hatch helped ECORR at the former Portland cement works in NSW evolve from a town struggling to enhance its economic strength, to a charming tourist magnet with works still ongoing^. Hatch pivoted Portland by leveraging its disused quarry with a unique heritage, to become The Foundations, a unique artists-in-residence program with regional events attracting visitors from across NSW.