
Wardell was hard hit with flooding earlier this year and the Ballina Shire Council have allocated $900,000 from the NSW Government’s Local Government Recovery Program to develop a Draft Master Plan to revitalise the Wardell village centre.
Council are calling on locals in Wardell or the broader Wardell District to register their interest to get involved and register to join a Community Design Charette Group.
The study area will focus on Richmond and Sinclair Streets including the central business area. The Community Design Charette Group will help Council determine the desired look and feel of the village centre and identify priority works within the scope of the grant funding.
‘A design charette is an intensive, facilitated workshop where stakeholders come together to capture visions, values, and ideas, and help to influence a design outcome,’ explained Council’s Manager of Strategic Planning Tara McGready.
‘This is a community-led design process. A Design Charette creates the perfect opportunity to hear from a diverse range of voices and gather in-depth information that will help us shape the Draft Master Plan for Wardell’s village centre.’
The selection of members will be based on the following criteria:
- Geographic location – where members live or work
- A balance of business and community representatives
- Connections with local community groups
- Diverse ages and backgrounds
- Purpose for participation.
Spaces will be limited. Members will be required to attend at least one workshop of 4-6 hours to be held on a weekend in early 2023. Subsequent sessions will be subject to the outcomes of the initial charrette process.
Register your interest by Monday 23 January 2023 at yoursayballina.com.au/Wardell-Village-Centre
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their expression of interest by the end of January 2023.


For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling.