Strengthening focus on wellbeing, inclusion and liveability through integrated planning

Ninety Mile Consulting (NMC) is proud to celebrate the delivery of the Swan Hill Rural City Council’s integrated Council Plan, Municipal Public Health & Wellbeing Plan and Strategic Asset Management Plan 2025–2029.

This project marks an important step for the Swan Hill municipality—bringing together economic, environmental, and community wellbeing priorities into a single, coordinated plan that guides where Council will focus its effort and resources over the next four years.

“The integrated plan gives Council and community a shared direction—one that connects prosperity, liveability and wellbeing in practical and measurable ways.”

— Scott Barber, CEO of Swan Hill Rural City Council

A Unified Framework for Focus and Alignment

For the Swan Hill municipality, integration was an opportunity to strengthen alignment between Council’s strategic priorities and community wellbeing goals.

The Council Plan defines direction for growth, liveability and service delivery, while the Municipal Public Health & Wellbeing Plan focuses on inclusion, prevention and resilience. Together, they create a coordinated framework where economic development, environmental management and community wellbeing are mutually reinforcing.

This approach doesn’t seek to do everything—it ensures that Council’s limited resources are targeted to areas of greatest impact, with a focus on strengthening liveability and health outcomes across all towns and communities.

Community Voices Shaping the Direction

Extensive engagement underpinned the development of the Plan, ensuring it reflects the diversity and aspirations of people across the Swan Hill municipality. More than 500 residents, partners and stakeholders contributed through surveys, workshops and interviews.

Activities included:

• 264 community survey responses, including 64 youth art submissions
• 12 community workshops and listening sessions across Swan Hill, Robinvale, Nyah, Lake Boga, Piangil and Manangatang
• 50+ stakeholder consultations with community organisations, service providers and Council teams
• Collaborative workshops with Councillors to test and refine priorities

Engagement findings highlighted shared aspirations: connected communities, access to services, safe and inclusive places, sustainable growth and a continued sense of belonging across the municipality.

Inclusive and Evidence-Based Approach

To ensure the Plan reflects both data and lived experience, Ninety Mile Consulting applied a suite of complementary methodologies:

• Gender Impact Assessment: Conducted under the Gender Equality Act 2020 to understand how gender and intersecting factors influence participation and access to services.
• Community Personas: Eleven personas were developed to represent key population groups—families, older residents, newcomers, farmers and young people—ensuring diverse needs were reflected in strategic priorities.
• Benchmarking and Comparative Analysis: Regional benchmarking identified shared challenges and innovative practices across neighbouring councils.
• Councillor Collaboration: Elected representatives played a central role throughout, helping ensure the Plan reflects community expectations and Council’s role as an enabler of positive change.

Building a Shared Focus Across Six Pillars

The integrated Plan provides a practical framework that strengthens focus across six strategic pillars:

1. Growth and Development – Supporting sustainable local economies and balanced population growth.
2. Community and Liveability – Enhancing inclusion, participation and connection.
3. Health and Wellbeing – Focusing on prevention, safety and equitable access to opportunities.
4. Environmental Sustainability – Protecting natural assets and building resilience.
5. Infrastructure – Maintaining and improving the spaces and systems that support daily life.
6. Transparency and Effectiveness – Strengthening governance, engagement and accountability.

For residents and communities, this means a clearer focus on the issues that matter most: access to services, connected and inclusive communities, sustainable growth and a healthy natural environment.

A Model for Integrated Rural Planning

Through this project, the Swan Hill municipality has demonstrated how rural councils can deliver integrated planning that connects wellbeing, economic and environmental outcomes—without overextending capacity.

By focusing effort where it matters most and aligning planning across functions, Council is better placed to support communities to thrive—now and into the future.

About Ninety Mile Consulting

Ninety Mile Consulting partners with local governments to design evidence-based, integrated strategies that improve liveability and wellbeing. Our work helps councils focus effort, align priorities and deliver measurable outcomes that make a lasting difference in their communities.