Waterways Place Strategy
Gold Coast Waterways Authority is developing the Waterways Place Strategy to facilitate future planning, investment decision-making and management activity for our Gold Coast waterways.
The Gold Coast has grown from a holiday destination to Australia’s sixth largest city and our beautiful waterways are what sets us apart. As the city continues to rapidly grow and evolve, our relationship with our waterways does too.
Balanced and considered planning and management of the waterways is critical to ensure existing values, and future opportunities are maintained and enhanced. To plan effectively for the future, we need to understand the values and aspirations of Gold Coast waterways in context of their:
- support of lifestyle and culture
- contribution to economy
- natural environmental values.
The Waterways Place Strategy (Strategy) will draw together this information to propose what we want the waterways to look like, how we can maximise benefits and manage sustainable growth. Ultimately the Strategy will guide and inform good decisions and enable great place-based outcomes for the waterways of the Gold Coast.
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
We are undertaking comprehensive consultation with the community, key stakeholders, partners and First Nations groups throughout development of the Strategy.
In April 2024 we ran our community survey, asking how you experience the waterway places in your local area and across the Gold Coast. We had a fantastic response to the survey, with many of you taking the opportunity to tell us what is important to you now and in the future in relation to our waterways. Throughout April 2024 we also held up pop up stands across the Gold Coast to answer your questions and promote our survey. We would like to thank everyone that attended.
We are currently reviewing the survey results and feedback given to us at the pop up stands. We will summarise the key themes and feedback received and we will check back in with you in the new year. You will also have the opportunity to review and provide feedback on the draft Strategy.
CURRENT STATUS
The Waterways Place Strategy is currently underway. Activities completed to date have included preliminary studies to help understand best practice placemaking and community sentiment of the waterways, and preliminary engagement with partners and industry.
Technical studies (across social, cultural, environmental, economic and planning/policy) are nearing completion. This includes an economic analysis to understand the total economic value of the Gold Coast Waterways. Governance arrangements to support the project have also been initiated.
We are continuing to undertake engagement activities with community, First Nations groups, industry and other stakeholders to enhance our understanding of the values and aspirations of the waterways.
NEXT STEPS
- Review Project Ideas: we will check in with you to present the key themes and feedback received, and the aspirations and ideas for Gold Coast waterways.
- Draft Waterways Place Strategy: delivery of a draft Strategy, based on the inputs of the technical studies and stakeholder engagement and adapted from the Movement and Place methodology.
- Targeted Engagement: engage with stakeholders about the draft Strategy to identify level of support, define required amendments and identify opportunities.
- Final Waterways Place Strategy: delivery of the Strategy and associated action plan.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do we need a Waterways Place Strategy?
The Gold Coast is built along the water, with the most diverse and extensive waterways of any city in Australia. The stunning natural beauty of the waterways, and their accessibility makes the city and its lifestyle so attractive.
As the Gold Coast continues to rapidly grow and evolve, balanced and considered planning and management of the waterways is critical.
To effectively plan for the future, and shape what the Gold Coast waterways will look like in decades to come, the Waterways Place Strategy (the Strategy) is needed.
A place-based approach ensures that planning and management strategies consider each waterside place individually, with no single approach being applied to the whole waterways.
What is the scope of the Strategy?
The scope of the Strategy will include the following:
- Gold Coast tidal waterways – creeks, rivers, and Broadwater
- land managed by Gold Coast Waterways Authority
- Gold Coast waterfront land and foreshore reserves
It does not include ocean beaches, lakes or private residential land.
The Strategy will cover the entire Gold Coast waterways network – the specific rivers, creeks and the Broadwater, and the unique places that exist within these areas. A map of the project area is shown here – Place Strategy Area of Study.
Why is GCWA developing the Strategy?
GCWA plays a vital role in planning, managing, and protecting the Gold Coast’s iconic waterways. The Gold Coast Waterways Act 2012 details GCWA’s role in delivering the best possible management of the Gold Coast waterways at reasonable cost to the community and government.
The Gold Coast Waterways Management Strategy 2021-2030 focuses on three focus areas of access, connections and destinations and identifies place-based planning as a key opportunity.
The Waterways Place Strategy is being developed to facilitate decision making and investment within the waterways, and the associated waterfront land. Ultimately the Strategy will guide and inform good decisions and enable great place-based outcomes for the waterways of the Gold Coast.
GCWA will be working in consultation with our partners and stakeholders to do this, as there are many stakeholders involved in the decision making for present day waterway management.
