Pomona Place Plan: a community-led approach to place-based planning in Noosa
Noosa Shire Council, QLD
Noosa Shire Council is pioneering a new way to plan and improve its towns and villages through the Noosa Place Program. CRED Consulting, in partnership with Archipelago, co-delivered the pilot – the Pomona Place Plan.
Developed with and for the community, this place-based approach centres on listening to the people who live, work and play in each location to translate local insights into meaningful actions, initiatives and events that improve the place and foster connection and belonging.
The Plan establishes a shared vision and practical actions to enhance Pomona’s identity, public spaces and events. As the first of its kind, it sets the benchmark for collaborative, place-based planning across the LGA, ensuring Pomona remains a unique, creative and thriving hinterland community
HOW WE DID IT
CRED, in partnership with Archipelago, designed and developed the Pomona Place Plan bringing together First Nations insights, creative community engagement, cross-Council collaboration and place analysis to shape a shared vision for Pomona’s future.
Key deliverables and services included:
- Facilitating a Walk on Country with Kabi Kabi Traditional Owners to embed First Nations knowledge and values
- Designing and delivering a three-phase engagement program capturing over 1,000 local contributions
- Creating innovative engagement activities including Love Letters to Pomona, walkshops, urban sketching workshops and community pop-ups
- Developing the governance model and evaluation framework for Noosa Council’s Place Program based on global best practice
- Building Council capacity through cross-department collaboration and training workshops
- Developing a project brand and illustrations
- Co-designing a community-led place plan that sets a long-term framework for town improvement and activation
Image credit: Kylie Harbe
OUTCOMES
The Pomona Place Plan is a living, community-owned framework that translates local aspirations into action. It guides investment in public spaces, events and community and environmental initiatives and has already informed Council’s capital works and operational plans.
Delivery of early “quick wins” as the plan was developed built trust and momentum, while the evaluation process captured lessons for the program. The approach is now being replicated across Noosa Shire – a proven model for community-led planning that celebrates identity, strengthens partnerships and turns insight into impact.
Image credit: CRED Consulting
2025 PIA QLD Awards for Planning Excellence
Winner | Stakeholder Engagement Award
2025 PIA QLD Awards for Planning Excellence
Commendation | Strategic Planning Award
“Congratulations on your work on the Pomona Place Plan – it’s thorough, beautifully designed, easy to read and really captures the love for Pomona. I got a bit teary reading it, and I wasn’t even involved! You’ve clearly put your heart and soul into this project and it’s a fantastic outcome.”
Noosa Shire Council Councillor