Council a winner as placemaking summit comes to town

PORT Macquarie played host to the 2026 Place Leader’s Asia Pacific Urban Leaders’ Summit from 25-28 March, with Council taking out an award for the annual ArtWalk event.

Delegates from across Australia attended the three-day summit, which brought together place-makers, designers, planners, cultural practitioners and community builders to discuss the importance strategic placemaking has on local communities.

At the 2025 Place Leaders Awards announced during the summit, Port Macquarie Hastings Council was awarded the Placemaking for Prosperity Award for ArtWalk, now in its 10th year, and received a Highly Commended for Place Engagement for Mrs York’s Garden.

Community-led placemaking was top of the agenda at the summit held at the Glasshouse, with the 2026 theme being “Place Engagement”.

Mayor Adam Roberts opened the summit, telling delegates across government, academia, community and industry sectors that “great places aren’t just designed, they’re co-created”.

“Our approach to placemaking begins by listening to local voices and celebrating the unique character of our Port Macquarie Hastings area,” Mayor Roberts said.

“The community is proud to be Summit Partner while at the same time showing off our stunning natural assets of pristine coastlines, bushland and waterways, and vibrant town centres.

“Instead of being stuck in lecture halls, our local landscape became the classroom with delegates being given ample opportunity to immerse themselves in our beautiful surroundings while learning from local, national and international experts.”

Council staff led walking tours that included Port Macquarie Town Centre, Phillips Lane, Mrs York’s Garden, Town Beach Reserve and visits to Tacking Point Lighthouse, Sea Acres Rainforest Centre and Wauchope Farmer’s Markets.

Several Council experts in planning, community engagement and economic development presented to delegates, using local examples of placemaking and activation.

“I’m really proud of the expertise of our team at Council and how they were invited to present on projects that have made a positive difference not only to residents in Port Macquarie and the Hastings area, but to our visitors,” Council General Manager Robert Fish said.

“We are committed to ensuring that the community has a voice in shaping our places and spaces and have actively invited feedback on numerous plans, the most recent being the City Heart Strategy and Master Plan which was adopted by PMHC in February.”