National Awards for Local Government - Shire of Manjimup nominations!

Stage 1 of the Manjimup Rea Park & Collier Street Redevelopment demonstrates how targeted infrastructure investment can unlock regional growth, strengthen community resilience, and position a regional town as a destination for sport, events and economic activity.

Delivered as a fully funded $2.7 million investment, Stage 1 comprised a precinct‑wide power upgrade, road reserve amalgamation and the installation of compliant LED sports lighting across three major playing fields. This essential enabling infrastructure resolved long‑standing electrical constraints that had limited facility use for decades and laid the foundation for future stages of precinct development.

The upgraded power network provides a single, safe and compliant commercial connection capable of supporting major sporting events, community festivals, emergency response operations and future buildings. Event power enclosures now eliminate the need for generators, reducing costs, emissions and logistical barriers for large regional events. During emergencies, the precinct can operate as an overflow camping and response base—enhancing regional disaster preparedness and resilience.

The installation of high‑performance LED floodlighting to national sporting standards has transformed facility utilisation across AFL, cricket, hockey, soccer and community sport. Evening training and competition are now possible year‑round, dramatically increasing participation capacity while improving scheduling flexibility for families, women, juniors and multicultural participants. Early outcomes include strong growth in junior participation (ages 5–12) and expanded opportunities for volunteers and officials.

Critically, Stage 1 has repositioned Manjimup as a regional host for evening competitions, carnivals and large‑scale sporting events. As one of the few fully floodlit, multi‑sport precincts in the Southwest region, the site now attracts visiting teams, spectators and events that generate overnight stays, hospitality expenditure and flow‑on benefits for local businesses—supporting population growth and economic diversification. Sustainability is embedded through energy‑efficient LED technology and modern electrical infrastructure, reducing long‑term operating costs and carbon emissions while extending asset life.

Stage 1 has not only delivered immediate community and economic benefits—it has enabled future regional growth. By removing critical infrastructure barriers, the Shire of Manjimup has created a scalable, investment‑ready precinct that supports liveability, productivity and a thriving regional community.

Stages 1 Scoping and 2 Leadership of the Local Government Road Safety Management System Demonstrator Pilot (LGRSMS), developed in partnership with WALGA’s RoadWise Program, is a transformative initiative delivering measurable improvements in road safety, infrastructure, and community wellbeing.

At the core of this project is a commitment to improving road safety, roadside infrastructure and behavioural environments with a strong emphasis on safety, particularly for heavy vehicle transport. Through the LGRSMS, the Shire has embedded Safe System principles into all aspects of road design, construction, maintenance and management. This includes upgrades to road geometry, improved delineation, safer intersections, and better roadside hazard management—critical for freight routes that support the region’s agricultural and forestry industries. By systematically assessing risk and prioritising high-impact interventions, the Shire ensures safer travel conditions for all road users.

The LGRSMS also directly addresses the needs of vulnerable groups, including pedestrians, cyclists, and older residents. By applying evidence-based treatments such as reduced speed environments, improved footpaths, and safer crossing points, the Shire targets known risk factors like speed, visibility, and road user conflict. This holistic approach ensures that infrastructure planning is inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of the community. A strength of the initiative is its focus on post-crash response and analysis. The LGRSMS integrates improved emergency access planning and coordination, supporting faster and more effective medical response for road crash victims. By considering emergency response in infrastructure and operational planning, the Shire enhances survivability and reduces the severity of outcomes following crashes.

Aligned with the principles of ISO 39001 Road Traffic Safety Management Systems, the Shire’s approach represents a shift from reactive measures to a proactive, system-wide safety culture. Continuous improvement is embedded through monitoring, evaluation, and refinement of policies and practices, ensuring long-term sustainability and effectiveness. As the first pilot of its kind in Australia, the Shire of Manjimup’s LGRSMS demonstrates innovation, leadership, and a deep commitment to reducing road trauma. It not only addresses critical risk factors but also creates safer, more liveable communities—setting a benchmark for local governments.

Stepping into the Director role, Catherine inherited a challenging portfolio and a team facing significant questions around cohesion, accountability, and delivery. Through clear vision and decisive leadership, Catherine has undertaken a comprehensive breakdown of the team, and has begun rebuilding the team into a unified, high-performing group. By reinstating core values of resilience, confidence, and accountability, Catherine has cultivated a workplace culture grounded in trust, professionalism, and shared purpose.

The results of Catherine’s leadership have been both meaningful and measurable. Under clear direction, the team has achieved a steady increase in delivered work outcomes and workplace satisfaction has improved, ensuring that essential infrastructure services are delivered more effectively to the community. Her emphasis on communication has been central to this success. Catherine has embedded open, consistent, and transparent communication practices throughout the team, empowering individuals to take ownership of their roles while fostering collaboration and mutual respect. Beyond internal transformation, Catherine is deeply connected to the broader community and industry. She actively engages with stakeholders, Council members and local community ensuring that the Shire’s infrastructure priorities are aligned with community needs and broader strategic objectives. Catherine’s ability to build and maintain strong professional relationships with State Government departments, and professional bodies, strengthens shire outcomes by placing our decisions in broader context and facilitating the integration of industry best practices.

Catherine Mills is a leader who inspires through action. Her commitment to rebuilding capability, driving performance, and fostering connection has delivered lasting impact. She represents the very best of women in local government—dedicated, visionary, and profoundly committed to staff and the community.

The Shire of Manjimup, spanning 7,028 km² and the largest local government area in the Southwest of Western Australia, has delivered a bold and transformative community-led planning initiative designed to unite its diverse towns and enable communities to shape their future.

The Southern Forests Futures Project developed tailored Blueprints for Manjimup, Pemberton, Northcliffe, Walpole and Quinninup, five distinct communities navigating profound social and economic transition following the closure of the native forest industry. Rather than impose a traditional top-down strategy, the Shire placed its communities at the centre of decision-making, creating a powerful platform for shared vision, local identity and inclusive growth.

At the heart of the project was one of the most comprehensive engagement programs undertaken by the Shire. Through forums, digital interactive platforms, workshops, surveys, in-person consultations, and open community conversations held in October 2025, over 11% of residents actively participated in shaping the priorities of their towns. This is an extraordinary level of civic engagement for a regional local government.

The process deliberately sought diverse voices, including youth, long-term residents, new arrivals, community organisations, businesses and cultural groups. This inclusive approach celebrated the region’s cultural, social and environmental diversity while fostering a deeper sense of belonging, pride and shared responsibility for the future.

The resulting Blueprints turn community insights into practical, place-based priorities that strengthen economic diversity, support local employment, enhance wellbeing, and protect the region’s landscapes and cultural heritage. They highlight opportunities for community events, civic participation, and local initiatives, while also building capacity by providing an evidence-based foundation for grant and funding applications to support future opportunities.

Uniquely, the Blueprints form the foundation of the Shire’s future Council Plan, representing an innovative model of community-driven strategic planning. Building on earlier initiatives such as the Manjimup SuperTown Townsite Growth Plan, the project directly aligns community aspirations with Council policy, planning and investment decisions.

By turning community voices into strategic direction, this project demonstrates how inclusive engagement can transform uncertainty into opportunity and create stronger, more connected and resilient communities for generations to come.