Kaya,
Welcome to Issue 13 of Urban Scrawl. The Powering Perth: The path to global recognition report, recently released in collaboration with our member RSM Australia, has inspired this issue of Urban Scrawl, prompting the question: how can we tell Perth’s story better? International Inspiration looks at places with slogans, Benchmark Cities explores the futuristic city of Freiburg on the edge of the Black Forest in Germany, and in On The Ground Intel, Tania Hudson shares lessons we can learn from the River City, Brisbane (Meanjin).
If you’ve come across any research or videos, or if your organisation has ideas you would like to share, please let me know at francien.boom@committeeforperth.com.au. We enjoy exchanging interesting ideas with our members, who are just as curious and passionate about ways to improve our region as the team at Committee for Perth is. Happy reading, Francien Boom Committee for Perth |
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INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION |
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At the Powering Perth report launch last month, (more on that below) the need of a jingle or a slogan was proposed. Around the world, cities use bold, memorable slogans and jingles to craft their narratives, where the art of a good one-liner can make (or break) a city’s identity and appeal. This has inspired Urban Scrawl to take a trip around the world to explore notable slogans across the globe: -
Pura Vida – Costa Rica: More than a slogan, it’s a way of life. Translated as "pure life," it conveys happiness and optimism, used in greetings, to say thank you, and in response to “how are you.”
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Seoul, My Soul – Seoul, Korea: Chosen through a public campaign with 850,000 participants, this government-initiated slogan positions Seoul as a citizen-centred city where collective efforts create a vibrant, creative, and attractive urban experience associated with love, inspiration, and fun.
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It's Just Dunedin – Dunedin, New Zealand: Dubbed as the South Island of New Zealand's best kept secret, Dunedin has used various slogans, including "Dunedin: It’s All Right Here," "I Am Dunedin," "Dunedin: A Pretty Good Plan D," and now simply "It’s Just Dunedin."
So, what do we, as the Perth region, want to say about ourselves? We asked Tania Hudson, CEO of Chamber of Arts and Culture WA: Q: At the launch of the Leading Cities Perth report, you mentioned the need for an anthem or slogan for Perth to further establish Perth's identity as a global destination. Any ideas?
A: Yes, I jokingly called for budding songwriters to come up with an ode to Perth, but actually I do think we need a love song for Perth. As for slogans, perhaps don’t let me loose, but since you asked: Be immersed in Perth; Where the heart is; Spoilt for choice; Perth – the Creative Capital; Perth-a-dise. We could make Perth the comedy capital of Australia and become the Witty City … Ok, you’d probably better get a marketing professional onto this one …
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| THE PATH TO GLOBAL RECOGNITION |
The Powering Perth report, our collaboration with RSM Australia and the third instalment in their Leading Cities series. With insights from Perth’s key business leaders, the report explores opportunities to position Perth as a global destination city.
These include the need to: - Establish a clearer identity to sell our story to the world
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Build urban density to address housing shortages and enliven the city
- Value add and diversify to reduce reliance on resources
- Supercharge energy transition to create a clean, green centre
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Attract the human capital required to ensure innovation in key areas
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Can Perth be more than just beautiful beaches and great weather?
Warwick Carter, Director of the Perth South-West Metropolitan Alliance, puts it succinctly: “You’ve got the social acceptance of Scandinavia without the cold, the entrepreneurship of the US without the polarising politics, the intellectual property rights of the EU but with a better environment – we have the best of everything in one location.” Read the report here. We hope you enjoy the read and encourage you to share with your colleagues and friends. Let us know what you think and how we can activate these ideas to advance the Perth region. |
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JEWEL OF THE BLACK FOREST |
📍 Freiburg, Germany
Freiburg is a university city with a population of approximately 220,000, located in southern Germany. It has a GDP per capita 11% above the European average and enjoys the highest concentration of sunshine in Germany, earning it the nickname "Germany’s environmental capital." After significant destruction in WWII, the city chose to reconstruct its historic centre based on its medieval, walkable layout, with a tram system as the central axis, embodying its vision of being "a city of short distances."
Freiburg’s sustainable development strategies include restricting car use, providing effective alternatives like public transit, and regulating land use to prevent urban sprawl. Major urban extensions such as Vauban and Rieselfeld were built on former brownfield sites (a military base and sewage farm, respectively) under these principles, with 70% of residents living within 500 metres of a tram stop. The city's current land-use plan emphasises development within existing boundaries to optimise infrastructure, making Freiburg a model for sustainable urban planning.
Learn more about what one of the world's greenest neighbourhoods looks like here. |
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Sometimes the best research comes from people who are living and breathing a city. This month Tania Hudson, Chief Executive Officer at Chamber of Arts and Culture WA, takes us on a journey through her favourite hidden gems, Western Australian art trails, her ambitious 2024 cake challenge, and lessons Perth can draw from her hometown, Brisbane.
It’s the weekend. Are you an early riser or lazy starter? What’s your typical Perth weekend morning?
Slow mornings are my idea of luxury, so a weekend morning will find me in bed with a cup of tea and the newspapers. After that, I’m out the door with my two dogs for a walk around Lake Claremont. I always stop to admire the fabulous Brenton See mural on the Friends of Lake Claremont Shed, and I love the Simon Youngleson ‘Together’ sculpture. Then it’s coffee at Tee Box Café, where genial host Nigel serves up an excellent coffee and homemade shortbread, with doggo treats for Freddy and Solly.
What will you be listening to? Reading? Watching?
I’m obsessed with true crime so that dominates my podcast list. I’m a massive reader and am reading as many WA authors as I can, as our writing community is bursting with talent and producing some great books. I was a judge at this year’s WA Premier’s Book Awards and I’m still working my way through short-listed books in categories I didn’t judge. Oh, and trying to fit in my monthly Book Club read. I’m watching Fisk and Formula One, and need to find time to see Runt. I’m loving the number of brilliant film and television productions that are coming out of Perth and WA.
As a cake connoisseur, if it's not at home, where in Perth is your favourite place to get a slice?
2024 has been all about homemade cakes, as this year I set myself a Cake Challenge that sees me bake a new cake every week for a year. The Cake Critics in my household have been very spoilt! However, if I’m out and about, I love the huge range of delicious cakes at Wholefood Circus on Nicholson Road in Shenton Park. What’s your favourite street in Perth? Any hidden gems?
Driving around Mounts Bay Road always feels very special, with the river on one side and Kings Park on the other, and I always love to see how Eliza is adorned on any given day. A hidden gem is Claremont Crescent and the Swanbourne shops. It’s a friendly little strip that’s a one-stop destination – supermarket, bakery, post office, boutique, wine bar, pizza, fish and chips, gift store, bottle-o and coffee shop all within 100 metres.
The best way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Perth?
I love hiking, as that’s when I do my best thinking, so you can often find me on the Bold Park Trails, Kings Park or in the Perth Hills with family and friends. Otherwise, I’m at shows or galleries.
You moved to Perth from Brisbane, via Melbourne, 25 years ago, what lessons can Perth learn from the River City?
Expo 88 was a game-changing event for Brisbane. It helped to turn Brisbane into a cosmopolitan city of choice in which to live, work, invest and holiday, and it changed the way Queenslanders thought about themselves and their place in the world. As well as re-thinking the use of urban space, that period stimulated a real appreciation for, and use of the Brisbane River, or Maiwar. Back when I was a schoolgirl rower dodging the massive cement barges that dominated the river (happily no more), I could not have envisaged the vast network of riverwalks and floating walkways on the foreshore, or prominence of the CityCat ferries. There is the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, South Bank, wharf entertainment precincts, the Riverfire Festival, and old buildings such as the Brisbane Powerhouse on the river at New Farm have been turned into hubs of contemporary culture (mmm, an old power station … we’ve got one of those … how fabulous to see that Perth Festival will be reviving the historic East Perth Power Station).
I think the Swan River/Derbal Yerrigan is more beautiful than Brisbane’s river and finding ways to link the river to the city would be brilliant. We have the best climate and conditions to support a fusion of nature and culture – think sculpture trails, pop-up exhibitions, more public art … Oh, and we need to focus on developing precincts – a defined and well-designed cultural precinct, and a food and drinks precinct for starters.
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Qatar Airways first flight launched last month featuring Starlink internet, with speeds of up to 215Mbps, allowing for video streaming, online gaming and video conferencing at 35,000 feet. This is impressive considering in Australia the average download speed is 78Mbps.
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FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR PERTH LIBRARY |
The spatial distribution of employment, productivity and economic activity in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth is strongly associated with transport infrastructure and accessibility, as explored in FACTBase Bulletin 51: The Relationship between Transport, Spatial Form and Economic Growth. A comparison and analysis of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth (2016).
In overall terms, the Perth and Peel region is a predominantly monocentric city in the sense that most businesses and services, and hence jobs, are located within approximately 15 kilometres of the CBD. Perth’s urban form, plus its public transport and road network reinforce the accessibility, attractiveness and economic agglomeration benefits of the CBD and inner suburban locations. How far have we come since 2016? |
This newsletter is a complimentary benefit to members of Committee for Perth. Please feel free to share it with anyone within your organisation who might enjoy it. To ensure it arrives in your inbox, subscribe here. |
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Committee for Perth conducts its work on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar. We recognise their peoples' ongoing connection to land, culture and community and in doing so, pay our respects to Elders past and present. |
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