Meninya Street, Moama

Many country towns across Western NSW face issues such as bypasses, re-directed trucking routes, new bridge locations, ageing main street infrastructure, and declining activation and economies within their town centres. Following the completion of the Echuca-Moama River Crossing and Bypass, the Murray River Council enlisted our assistance to transform a main street originally designed for heavy trucks, wide loads, and farm equipment with poor parking and dangerous pedestrian conditions. The goal was to meet the community’s desire for a safe and attractive town centre.

The landscape-led design reimagines the street as a boulevard at the heart of Moama. It sets out a vision to provide a sense of place and identity that is pedestrian-oriented rather than vehicle-oriented, supporting existing businesses and the future night-time economy. The plan includes continuously shaded footpaths, accessible pedestrian areas, a cycleway, integrated vehicle parking, and social and event spaces. The project team has developed a well-thought-out scheme that has been well received by the community and council, providing a useful model for other country towns facing similar challenges.

We developed high-quality concept plans that create a sense of place along Meninya Street. The design is pedestrian-oriented and supports future economic stimulation and activity. The streetscape design encourages the daytime/night-time economy, pop-up markets, tourist activity, and connections with surrounding points of interest. 

The concept plans and artists' impressions provided the community with a clear idea of the streetscape proposals, including road and kerb alignments and associated landscape treatments. This project won the AILA Award for Regional Achievement in 2023.

Awards:

2023 AILA New South Wales Regional Achievement Award for Western New South Wales