Mount Gambier is entering a new chapter, as the City of Mount Gambier commences the development of a Central Business District (CBD) Master Plan to help guide the long term future of the city centre.
With evolving community expectations and contemporary urban design offering new opportunities, the proposed Master Plan will provide a strategic framework to create a vibrant, inclusive and resilient CBD.
City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin said the project reflects the city at a pivotal moment in time.
"Our city is changing, and we want to make sure that change is for the better," Mayor Martin said.
"We know that a thriving city centre is about more than buildings and streets. It is about people, place, pride and creating a CBD that locals love, visitors remember and future generations are proud of."
The CBD Master Plan will build on insights gathered through the Place Score Study undertaken in late 2024, which assessed the performance of various areas of the city centre against national benchmarks and asked our community to identify their own priorities for improving the CBD.
"The messages from our community highlighted that our opportunities to strengthen our CBD are not about one thing alone, but a range of strategic focus areas, some of which are new concepts for us to tackle as a city," Mayor Martin said.
"This plan is about thinking strategically, taking the long view and showing ourselves what's possible when we work together."
City of Mount Gambier General Manager People, Place and Liveability Chris White said the Master Plan will enable Council and the community to step back, take stock and plan with confidence.
"By taking the time to dig deeper into the challenges and opportunities facing our CBD and be guided by contemporary ideas and proven success from across Australia, we can unlock better, more informed solutions," Mr White said.
"Some improvements may be quick wins, while others will be longer term investments, but all of them will benefit from a shared vision and, proven, fit-for-purpose solutions."
The CBD Master Plan is a collaborative project led by Council, local businesses, community organisations, residents, visitors, workers and technical specialists.
An intensive initial design process will start with a week of community discussions commencing on Monday 23 March 2026 from a vacant shopfront located at 24 Commercial Street West. The process will bring the community together with the project team to explore a range of themes and fine-tune concepts collaboratively during the week.
"This area will become a focal point for conversations, ideas and activity as we work together to shape a bold, contemporary vision for the CBD," Mr White said.
