Enhancing the entrance to Leigh Creek
The Jensen PLUS team is excited to be working with the Outback Communities Authority on a project to enhance the sense of arrival into Leigh Creek through a functional and iconic entrance statement.
Pat Iwanyshyn (Senior Urban Designer + Urban Planner) and Chao Du (Landscape Architect) recently visited Leigh Creek, situated west of the northern Flinders Ranges, to present three design concepts and gather community and stakeholder feedback.
Pat says that the community was eager to see the concept designs and motivated to participate in the engagement.
“It was great to see so many community members participate in the process. From school aged children through to older adults, everyone openly shared their ideas and thoughts on the concepts and their elements.
“We gained some valuable insights through the workshops and conversations.”
Chao says that the community had a strong preference for an entry statement that incorporates greener, landscaped features.
“What we have learned is that the design must be able to withstand the harsh Australian climate — the high temperatures and the dry air of the outback.
“Through the engagement activities, we also learned that the entrance point will be utilised by many different visitors, including trucks and caravans, so should incorporate places to rest.”
Pat says that tourism is vital to the region so creating an appealing signpost that marks the entrance to Leigh Creek will be important in drawing people into the township.
The valuable feedback and insights collected through the engagement will now inform a refined preferred option. which will be presented to the Outback Communities Authority in early 2025.
