Council has recently secured funding through the NSW Government’s Community Improvements District Program (CID), which supports the Gilgandra region Meet Me @ Miller Street (‘CBD Precinct Collaborative Project’). The project involves physical & non-physical interventions, which will see local businesses work collaboratively to develop innovative place-making strategies that deliver a creative, activated, vibrant, lively and accessible Miller Street and CBD. Gilgandra businesses and community will benefit by fostering public life, stimulating day and evening economies, and increasing visitation to the Region.
The key deliverable under the CID funding is the Gilgandra CBD masterplan. This masterplan aims to establish a holistic, long-term vision to create a safer, more pedestrian-friendly, vibrant and welcoming town centre— a place for the community and visitors to enjoy. It focuses on improving access and movement, elevating public spaces, enhancing the microclimate, celebrating heritage, and strengthening connections between Miller Street, Hunter Park and the Castlereagh River.
The plan identifies three key objectives:
• Improve CBD ease of movement and accessibility.
• Improve CBD vibrancy, comfort and opportunities to stay.
• Improve visitation and tourism outcomes.
It presents a flexible, staged suite of small-scale, major and visionary projects, acknowledging the need to respond to funding availability, permits, changing priorities and related initiatives such as Windmill Walk Stage 2, Hunter Park Precinct, streetscape works and lighting projects.
Extensive community and stakeholder engagement informed the plan, with the survey confirming strong support for pedestrian improvements, beautification, street trees, and stronger links to the river.
CBD Precinct Collaborative Project - Community Improvement Districts (CID) has the following objectives:
Complement existing activations in the Gilgandra CBD Precinct, including adjacent Recreation Precincts such as Hunter Park and Noonan Memorial Park.
- Provide opportunities for economic vitality.
- Collaborate with the Miller Street Collective, Economic Development Committee and wider stakeholder groups.
- Drive interaction, decision-making and implementation of aesthetics, vision, branding, placemaking and insights of Miller Street.
- Proactive approach towards future improvement for growth and vibrancy in Gilgandra’s CBD Precinct.
- Rationalise and plan for carparking.
- Rationalise current and future-proof public spaces and infrastructure.
- Ensure safety and accessibility by design.