LGA - Tourism Development Strategy & Destination Marketing Plan – Menzies, WA

Client: Shire of Menzies

Year: Developed 2022 | Adopted 2023

Project Overview

The Shire of Menzies engaged Wander to develop a Tourism Development Strategy and Destination Marketing Plan aimed at strengthening the local visitor economy, increasing overnight visitation and positioning Menzies as a distinctive cultural and tourism destination within regional Western Australia.

Located along the Goldfields Highway and home to Lake Ballard and Antony Gormley’s internationally recognised sculptural installation, Menzies already attracted significant visitor interest. However, despite the global recognition of the asset, visitation was not translating into broader economic benefit for the town through extended stays, local spending or wider tourism activation.

The project focused on identifying how tourism could contribute more meaningfully to the long-term sustainability and economic future of the region, while strengthening Menzies’ broader identity as a cultural, historical and regional destination.

Tourism Strategy & Stakeholder Engagement

Wander combined strategic planning, destination development and stakeholder engagement to explore opportunities across:

• tourism development;

• destination marketing;

• accommodation;

• cultural experiences; and

• visitor activation.

The engagement included consultation with:

• local businesses;

• community members;

• government representatives; and

• Menzies Aboriginal Corporation.

The intention was to ensure the strategy reflected both community aspirations and the practical realities of operating within a small and remote regional town.

The strategy was informed by market research, tourism trend analysis and visitor demographic insights, helping identify opportunities to better leverage existing tourism assets while broadening the visitor experience beyond Lake Ballard itself.

Destination Development & Positioning

Key focus areas included:

• destination branding;

• visitor experience development;

• tourism diversification;

• eco-accommodation concepts;

• expansion of the Sculptural Art Trail; and

• stronger integration of cultural and heritage experiences within the visitor economy.

Alongside the strategy, Wander also developed a Destination Marketing Plan and later designed a refreshed place identity for the Shire, helping create stronger alignment between:

• long-term tourism vision;

• branding; and

• economic development objectives.

Importantly, the work balanced strategic ambition with the operational realities, infrastructure limitations and cultural sensitivities associated with tourism development in a small regional community.

The Outcome

The resulting strategy provided the Shire with a clearer framework for future tourism investment, destination positioning and long-term visitor economy planning.

This project highlights Wander’s ability to combine tourism strategy, stakeholder engagement, branding and economic development thinking to help regional communities identify practical pathways toward stronger local economies, more sustainable tourism outcomes and clearer long-term regional positioning.

Check out the Strategy