Far West Regional Plan 2036 a FAR WEST REGIONAL PLAN 2036 August 2017 © Crown Copyright 2017 NSW Government
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Planning & Environment 2036 Far West Regional Plan Regional West Far Far West Regional Plan Far West Regional Plan 2036 A FAR WEST REGIONAL PLAN 2036 August 2017 © Crown Copyright 2017 NSW Government ISBN 978-0-6481534-1-2 DISCLAIMER While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that this document is correct at the time of printing, the State of NSW, its agents and employees, disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of anything or the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance or upon the whole or any part of this document. Copyright Notice In keeping with the NSW Government’s commitment to encourage the availability of information, you are welcome to reproduce the material that appears in the Far West Regional Plan 2036 for personal in-house or non-commercial use without formal permission or charge. All other rights are reserved. If you wish to reproduce, alter, store or transmit material appearing in the Far West Regional Plan 2036 for any other purpose, request for formal permission should be directed to: Far West Regional Plan 2036, GPO Box 58, Dubbo NSW 2830 Cover image: Campers at Mt Oxley, Courtesy of Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre, Photographer - Simon Bayliss Foreword The Far West is NSW’s largest region and one of This Plan sets out to help communities in the the most environmentally diverse. Landscapes Far West adapt to meet future challenges, and range from the ‘outback’ semi-arid desert areas supports water security infrastructure to ensure to rich farmlands, rangelands and wetlands. It is ongoing liveability and sustainability of local traversed by one of Australia’s longest river communities and health of the environment. systems, the Barwon-Darling, home to some of the world’s oldest heritage assets and dotted The remoteness coupled with mining and with historic mining and agricultural towns that agricultural history has resulted in the are influenced by surrounding states and regions. development of many unique towns and villages. This Plan aims to meet the needs of these We’ve heard and understood community and changing communities by promoting greater stakeholder aspirations for the region, and we’ve housing choice, access to health and education drawn on this feedback to create a Regional Plan services and public and community transport. that focuses on a more diverse economy, supported by the right infrastructure, with strong We recognise the traditional custodians of the and resilient communities. region and the contribution they make to the local economy and communities. They are important Improving regional capacity and local leadership partners and leaders in the region, and greater will be key in unlocking the unique opportunities collaboration with these stakeholders has the presented in the Far West. Community wellbeing potential for improved environmental, social and and economic growth will be improved by economic outcomes for the future of the Far West. harnessing the strong sense of identity and community and by developing locally initiated The Far West Regional Plan 2036 encompasses a and coordinated approaches to service delivery. vision, goals and actions geared towards delivering greater prosperity in the years ahead for those This Plan recognises the value of the landscapes who live, work and visit this important region. and their important role in leveraging opportunities for new economic ventures, including value- added manufacturing and tourism. The Plan includes directions to support the Far West to become a leader in renewable energy and climate change adaption. Significant opportunities exist for tourism, taking advantage of the unique ‘outback’ experiences, Anthony Roberts MP dynamic communities, as well as European and Minister for Planning Aboriginal culture. The region has some of Australia’s most significant Indigenous artefacts, Minister for Housing many of which are among the oldest in the world. Special Minister of State Major interstate transport routes connect to Sydney, Adelaide, Victoria and Queensland, allowing for efficient freight and passenger transport to the rest of the country and ports for global export. Improving transport links and access to reliable telecommunications will provide untold economic and social benefits. Contents Introduction 4 Delivering the Plan 6 Vision 8 Improved regional capacity and local leadership to unlock unique opportunities 12 Goal 1: A diverse economy with efficient transport and infrastructure networks 15 Direction 1: Grow the agribusiness sector, value-added manufacturing opportunities and supply chains 16 Direction 2: Protect productive agricultural land and plan for greater land use compatibility 19 Direction 3: Sustainably manage mineral resources 20 Direction 4: Diversify energy supply through renewable energy generation 25 Direction 5: Promote tourism opportunities 26 Direction 6: Unlock economic potential through improved freight transport infrastructure 30 Direction 7: Improve regional air connections 34 Direction 8: Enhance access to telecommunications 35 Direction 9: Sustainably manage water resources for economic opportunities 35 Direction 10: Enhance the economic self-determination of Aboriginal communities 38 Direction 11: Support new planning and land management arrangements 40 Direction 12: Enhance the productivity of employment lands 41 Goal 2: Exceptional semi-arid rangelands traversed by the Barwon-Darling River 45 Direction 13: Protect and manage environmental assets 46 Direction 14: Manage and conserve water resources for the environment 48 Direction 15: Manage land uses along key river corridors 50 Direction 16: Increase resilience to climate change 50 Direction 17: Manage natural hazard risks 52 Direction 18: Respect and protect Aboriginal cultural heritage assets 54 Direction 19: Conserve and adaptively re-use European heritage assets 55 Goal 3: Strong and connected communities 57 Direction 20: Manage change in settlements 58 Direction 21: Strengthen communities of interest and cross-regional relationships 59 Direction 22: Collaborate and partner with Aboriginal communities 60 Direction 23: Improve access to local health services, aged care and seniors’ housing 61 Direction 24: Enhance access to education and training 62 Direction 25: Improve public and community transport services 63 Direction 26: Manage and conserve water resources for communities 64 Direction 27: Provide greater housing choice 66 Direction 28: Deliver greater opportunities for affordable housing 67 Direction 29: Manage rural residential development 68 Direction 30: Create healthy built environments 69 Local Government Narratives 71 Glossary 76 Cobb Highway Touring Route, courtesy of The Long Paddock Endnotes 79 Introduction A region at the heart of South-East Australia, with an abundance of unique opportunities Communities in the Far West are among Australia’s The region has an exciting future, and the Far West most diverse, self-reliant and forward-looking. Regional Plan 2036 is the blueprint for that future. Leveraging these community strengths through regional coordination and local leadership will The Plan will guide the NSW Government’s land create strong networks and a stronger, more use planning priorities and decisions over the next resilient and capable Far West. 20 years. It is not intended to be a step-by-step approach to all land use planning. Rather, it Distance is a constant challenge in the Far West, provides an overarching framework to guide requiring investment in roads, rail networks and subsequent and more detailed land use plans, telecommunications to boost opportunities for the development proposals and infrastructure funding agribusiness, value-added manufacturing, mining, decisions. renewable energy and tourism sectors. The accompanying Implementation Plan includes Emerging opportunities in unique food processing, priority actions as well as medium-and longer-term tourism, arts and cultural opportunities set this actions to coincide with population and economic outback region apart. Combined with the change. Menindee Lakes and the internationally recognised Willandra Lakes Region World Local Government Narratives set out priorities for Heritage Area, these opportunities will increase each council to guide further investigation and investment and grow visitor numbers. implementation. The Barwon–Darling River system, one of the The Far West Regional Plan 2036 is the product of longest in Australia, connects Far West towns extensive consultation with councils, stakeholders and communities to each other and southern and the wider community, following the release of Australia’s rural food bowl. Waterways are the a draft Plan in 2016. The feedback from this lifeblood of communities, and must be consultation has been integrated into this final actively and sustainably managed. Regional Plan. Investment in Far West communities NSW Government investments in the Far West include: • $40.4 million for upgrade works on the Silver City and Cobb highways, and $4.25 million to widen Kidman Way south of Cobar, funded by the Restart NSW Western Freight Productivity Program1; • a share of $110 million in Restart NSW funding, under the Regional Water and Wastewater Backlog Program, for projects in Bourke, Central Darling, Cobar and Walgett2; and • funding for six projects under Water Security for Regions across the Walgett, Brewarrina, Bourke and Central Darling local government areas to improve water security and help communities prepare for drought conditions. 4 Far West Regional Plan