Mandurah’s significant transformation in recent years has given way to a multitude of possibilities for the future of the coastal city. With a clear vision for the future in sight, the opportunities are ready and waiting.
Mandurah, Australia’s 2023 Top Tourism Town just an hour’s drive south of Perth, boasts a fusion of character, culture, lifestyle, natural beauty and endless possibilities creating an ideal mix for a bright future.
Mandurah Council’s clear 20-year vision, which was created alongside the community, and big-picture thinking is driving direction, planning and decisions of what Mandurah will look like over the coming decades. The city is currently harnessing a wave of momentum and bringing major, game-changing projects to the fore to create an even better Mandurah for all.
Mandurah’s agenda is big, it is bold, and it’s set to transform the city in line with a shared vision and aspirations for a bright future, including jobs, education, health care and enhancing the enviable lifestyle it’s known for.
One major part of this robust agenda is Council’s City Centre Master Plan, which sets a high-level direction and design outcomes for Mandurah’s iconic City Centre, focusing on a mix of private development and targeted public investment projects.
The City’s aspirations for the City Centre Master Plan are to capitalise on Mandurah’s lifestyle offerings, create a world-class hospitality precinct, address structurally high unemployment, and increase the base of professional workers in the city.
These ambitions imply significant job growth in key areas, over and above the natural growth Mandurah will experience over this period. The number of FTE in aged care and health is planned to increase by 1100 (+31 percent), 520 (+33 percent) in recreation and hospitalities, and 500 (+26 percent) in business services. In planning terms, this equates to around 10,000sqm of office floor space and 15,000sqm of retail and hospitality space.
Aiding its economic ambitions, the Plan aims to build upon established and distinguished characteristics of four City Centre precinct areas – City Centre Core, City Centre North, Western Foreshore and the Marina, totalling close to 140ha. Strengths, challenges and opportunities have been identified for each precinct, including beachfront development opportunities at the Marina, reshaping popular public spaces, and strengthening the City Centre’s heritage and culture to create and enhanced visitor experience.
The City’s new Integrated Transport Strategy sets the foundations to ensure a safe and accessible transport network to connect each precinct, building on Mandurah’s award-winning recognition as WA’s most accessible community.
Ideally, it’s about creating a City Centre that not only celebrates its rich history and character but looks to the future and the multitude of opportunities a thriving centre provides for locals and visitors alike.
Mandurah Mayor Rhys Williams says Mandurah offers a city with greater economic diversity, culture, a great sense of lifestyle, an environment that is cared for, and a sense of community.
“Mandurah is at a pivotal moment of transformation, after having evolved over the decades to become the biggest population centre in the state outside of Perth,” Mayor Williams said.
“It’s projected that Mandurah’s population will reach 120,000 by 2036, plus we’ll remain the main service centre to the Peel region, which is projected to reach a population of 444,000 by 2050. These projections make it crucial for us to have a planned approach to how we grow our city’s best-loved places and spaces. A plan that allows us to evolve in a way that retains what we value most yet amplifies what we love about Mandurah.
“This journey of growth has been remarkable, and we know that now is the right time to set our ambitious drive into motion to reform our City Centre, and hopefully bring others along with us.
“There is momentum and growth in Mandurah right now, lead by a series of projects that are having a huge positive effect on our city, such as $22m Waterfront Project and significant private developments in the pipeline.”
Mayor Williams explained the City had been focused on delivering major improvements and capital works in the City Centre over the past decade to create vibrant and welcoming spaces, but also signalling to investors, ‘Mandurah is open for business!’
“Our City Centre is a place like no other; built around a pristine, world-renowned waterway environment, which is unique for urban areas,” he said.
“This has not happened by chance. Careful planning and protection have gone into enhancing the City Centre’s prime waterfront location, making the most of our most valued natural asset and showing the world our point of difference.
“The heart of our city has evolved over the years to feature some incredible public works, including a new Mandurah Bridge, a new estuary wall and walkway along the Eastern Foreshore, world-class recreation spaces on the Western Foreshore and a new impressive circular estuary pool, just to name a few.
“These works have transformed our popular public spaces and have been pivotal in attracting private interest and investment to Mandurah.
“With the recent release of our City Centre Master Plan, we’re setting a bold agenda which will shape the future of Mandurah’s City Centre for years to come. It will also clearly guide our advocacy for funding to State and Federal Governments, as well as the investment of public funds.”
The City has also released a City Centre Parking Plan for public comment, which looks at Mandurah’s parking supply and management over the next decade.
To find out more about the City Centre Master Plan and provide feedback go to www.mandurahmatters.com.au/citycentremasterplan
Public feedback will be open until 26 February, 2024. To discuss and explore opportunities in the City Centre, please contact the team at TransformMandurahTeam@mandurah.wa.gov.au
