Economic Development & Tourism Strategy:
A long-term direction to support sustainable economic growth, attract investment, and strengthen tourism across the district.
Purpose of the Strategy
The Economic Development & Tourism Strategy will set a clear, long‑term direction to support sustainable economic growth, attract investment, and strengthen the Shire’s visitor economy.
It identifies opportunities to build on the district's strengths, support local businesses, grow tourism, and enhance the Shire as a place to live, work and visit. Key focus areas include:
- Tourism experiences and accommodation
- Housing supply and diversity
- Agriculture, and product development
- Retail and town centre activation
- Visitor experience improvements
Current Status
Phase 2 is wrapping up – the draft Strategy was presented for Council consideration and endorsement at the Ordinary Council Meeting held in August 2026. At this meeting, Council resolved to advertise the draft document for final community feedback before its official adoption.
HAVE YOUR SAY!
Consultation ends at 4:00pm on Wednesday 30 September 2026
Review the draft Strategy and share your feedback by completing our short survey. Participating will help inform Council's decision-making and ensures community views are considered.
View Current Surveys & Consultations
Here you will find:
- Items that are currently Open for Comment + past consultations
- All relevant documents + attachments
- Online feedback forms + surveys to share your feedback (available during the consultation period)
- Additional advice for submitting your comments, along with alternative methods
- Supporting information + details about what comes next
IMPORTANT:
- Comments and survey responses can only be submitted during the consultation period. The survey will not be available once consultation has ended.
- Feedback received does not predetermine any outcome, but will contribute to the final Strategy and its implementation.
Project Timeline
Lucid Economics has been appointed as the project consultant and is responsible for technical analysis, stakeholder engagement and development of the draft and final Strategy. It is being delivered in three key phases:
Phase 1 – Preparation & baseline work (complete)
- Review of existing data, plans and local context
- Confirmation of scope and priorities with Council
Phase 2 – Strategy development (wrapping up)
- Development of strategic directions
- Engagement with local businesses, community groups and key stakeholders
- Completed early in May 2026, with refinement of strategy approach informed by stakeholder input
- The draft Strategy was presented for Council consideration and endorsement at the Ordinary Council Meeting held in August 2026
Phase 3 – Finalisation & adoption (starting soon)
- Preparation of the final Strategy, informed by the baseline analysis undertaken in Phase 1 and the outcomes of stakeholder and community engagement in Phase 2
- Presentation of the final Strategy to Council for consideration and adoption
- Following adoption, implementation and integration of the Strategy across economic development and tourism activities, including projects, policies and future planning
Consultation Summary
The preparation of this Strategy has been informed by economic analysis, background research, and consultation with local businesses, community organisations, tourism operators and other key stakeholders.
Key Stakeholder Engagement
Community and stakeholder engagement will occur during the strategy development phase. Identified local businesses, community groups and stakeholders will be contacted directly by Lucid Economics to participate in targeted workshops and discussions.
Targeted stakeholder engagement was undertaken as part of Phase 2 to inform the development of the Strategy. Engagement was conducted through on‑ground activities across Donnybrook and Balingup, led by the consultant. Engagement activities focused on key stakeholders rather than broad community participation, and included:
- Direct one‑on‑one meetings with stakeholders
- Facilitated workshops held in Donnybrook and Balingup
- Discussions with local businesses, community groups and other identified stakeholders
Insights gathered through these engagement activities have directly informed the strategic directions proposed, and will be reflected in the final Strategy prepared in Phase 3.
Broad Community Involvement
The draft Strategy was presented for Council consideration and endorsement at the Ordinary Council Meeting held in August 2026, where Council resolved to seek broader community feedback on the draft document before it is finalised and presented for adoption. Consultation opened Wednesday 9 September, advertised to end at 4:00pm on Wednesday 30 September 2026.
Through this final consultation, we want to learn:
- The community's level of support for the draft Strategy
- Whether the draft Strategy identifies the right priorities for the future
- Any opportunities, challenges or actions that may have been overlooked
- Suggestions to strengthen the Strategy before it is finalised
Your feedback will help us understand whether the proposed priorities reflect community aspirations and identify any opportunities, challenges or actions that should be considered before the Strategy is presented to Council for adoption.
Further details about consultation activities and the decisions made by Council have been reported over several Council Meetings. You can find our reports, agendas, attachments, and meeting recordings/past livestreams below.
Past Council Meetings
Updated 10 September 2026