Our Place 2040

Renewal Augusta

Strong focus on Margaret River as key residential and tourism hub. Needs to be a greater economic development focus on Augusta. It appears to get a little lost in the mix. A clear plan across all facets of economic development. Difficult to locate online data on investment in Augusta since marina.

End the poison. End GLYPHOSATE!

My family’s health is important. The environment is important. Do what the Denmark shire have done and get rid of the GMs and GLYPHOSATE!

Stop all this development of prime agricultural land into housing. People live here because of the natural rural beauty, not suburbs

More protection of existing rural areas

Register and restrict domestic cats movement in our region to protect our precious wildlife.

When are we going to get serious about protecting our local native wildlife from roaming domestic cats. Cats are killing an estimated 230m native Australian birds, reptiles and mammals every year, according to new research that quantifies the pet's national toll on native animals for the first time. Our council needs to take on the responsibility for our threatened wildlife and develop policies that will protect them and ensure they have a future. The council needs to put some serious thought into this policy to ensure that all cats are registered and that their movement is restricted to their home. Why wait until it's too late?

I love the balance & diversity of the natural environment. The buzz of towns & venues, which aren't too city like. Keep the 'ruralness'.

Keep the planning and development well screened by nature strips, only on cleared farm land. Not too close to the sensitive coastal heath. Over clearing and lack of natural environment will lead to a swan valley feel.

Let dogs and kids play

Keep areas like Riflebutts kid and dog friendly so that the whole family including well behaved furry friends can all hang out together.

retain a sense of community and develop the region in a (rural)way that doesn't turn it into a sea of Perth-like suburbs

Support the Augusta Margaret River Community Alliance Inc. to help support community and volunteer groups and increase resilience

COVID has taught us the value of our community connections in resilience and mental health. The AMR Community Alliance was formed in response to acknowledged need for support for community groups, large and small, and play their role more effectively and, where needed, have a joint voice. The Alliance has the potential to provide many benefits including auspicing; sharing equipment, software and resources; networking. It can provide a community link for the Shire. The Alliance needs support to become established and most effective. We know the community will continue to face challenges - COVID, bushfires, climate change, economic uncertainty ---. Supporting the Alliance is one way the shire can promote community resilience.

Support the Witchcliffe community to make Witchy a model for how we can live lightly, a demonstration of planning, building & technology.

Witchy has the potential to showcase what can be achieved when a community aligns in desiring low-impact sustainable development and lifestyles, conservation and respect for heritage. The proposals in the draft Planning Strategy, the input from the community consultation meeting, and the model provided by the developing Ecovillage are a wonderful start.

By-pass around Cowaramup

Construct a bypass around Cowaramup but have it designed in a way so tourists will still visit local businesses

Stop catering to developers

Every new development in this town reneges on their original “suck you in” plans. This includes Brookfield (tv antenna debacle), Rapids Landing (not continuing roads to John Archibald Drive) & Over 55’s village. Let’s focus on the population we have & approve new businesses that aren’t another cafe. Let’s be diverse & original in our choices & cater to the people who reside here all year round. Make things like groceries, rates, retail affordable not tourist driven. Then we would all frequent & spend more of our hard earned $$$ in this place we live.

Footpaths.

So much of the old development areas still have no footpaths after all these years. Might have worked once when Margaret River was a tiny hamlet, it’s not working now. Let’s genuinely encourage walking and pedestrians by building footpaths!

Provide or at least help support a Senior Citizens Centre for use by retired people and their Clubs.

We currently use the Margaret River District Club for bridge, games day and socialisation, but this venue is struggling and in danger of closing. There are no similar venues available, and this venue is ideal to cater for the needs of seniors in our community. i.e. games room hire, meals available, bar service in the evenings and room to store our equipment.

Develop Empty Farmland Not Native Bush

Most Farmland is already damaged. Rather than sub divide natural bush land, subdivide bare old degraded farmland. At least it can’t get any worse on that land. Could even improve it haha ?

More shade and shelter

More shaded playgrounds and beach shelters for young families to enjoy the outdoors in summer and at least one outdoor playground with some kind of cover for outdoor play in winter when it's almost always raining.