PLACE Community Roadshow & Listening Tour Commences in Mildura

25 Mar

The PLACE Community Roadshow & Listening Tour will roll out in the Mildura and Wimmera-Mallee region from 25th-28th of March, marking the first stop in a 10-week national community engagement initiative.

Led by the Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE), a national organisation that supports the adoption of place-based approaches in local communities across Australia, the tour represents a vital step in shaping an emerging national strategy for place-based change. Through site visits in Mildura, Hopetoun, Robinvale and Red Cliffs and conversations with community and organisations, PLACE will gather insights to help refine its developing strategic plan.

“PLACE’s vision is about communities taking the lead in shaping policies and initiatives that affect them. This tour is about listening, learning, and strengthening connections to support meaningful, long-term place-based impact,” said Luke Craven, CEO, PLACE Australia.

“Our goal is to elevate community leadership and ensure decision-making is shared with governments—firmly grounded in real-world experiences and local priorities,” added Luke.

The Wimmera-Mallee leg of the tour is supported by a network of place-based initiatives, including Hands Up Mallee, Connected Beginnings Mildura, Wimmera Southern Mallee By Five, North Central LLEN, and Our Place Robinvale. These partnerships will spotlight how community-led approaches are developing local solutions to address challenges experienced across health, education, employment, inclusion, and justice.

“Being the first stop on the PLACE tour is an exciting opportunity to highlight the impact of place-based collaboration in our region by bringing local perspectives to the national stage and showcasing what’s possible when communities lead the way,”- said Jane McCracken, Executive Officer, Hands Up Mallee.

“By working together across health, education, employment, inclusion, and justice, we aim to make real change alongside community, in the areas they have told us are important and contribute to building a stronger, more resilient Mallee.” Jane added.

The roadshow would offer a national platform to share these learnings, foster new partnerships, and scale what works. It also reinforces the importance of adapting policy and investment frameworks to support locally driven change.

Following its visit to the Wimmera-Mallee, the PLACE Community Roadshow will continue to metropolitan, regional and remote communities across the country, building a collective vision for a more inclusive and responsive Australia.