Kempsey Shire Council commissioned tourism signage consultancy Wayfound to develop a whole of destination integrated signage strategy.

The Strategy’s objectives were:

1.  To ensure that current and future signage facilitates safe and positive journeys and enhances the dispersal of visitors and their connection with the people and the places of Macleay Valley Region (MVR).
2. To promote the many tourist attractions and services within the Kempsey Shire.
3. To improve the presentation of the Kempsey Shire Council brand (logo) through improved signage design at it facilities, parks and places of recreation.
4. To give Council clear guidance for developing a suite of distinctive, innovative, and consistent road and destination signage.
5. Signage Style Guide – To give Kempsey Shire direction for choosing the right signage for the particular circumstance and location.
6. KSC signage policy – To lay the groundwork for the establishment of a signage.

The existing signage in Kempsey Shire did not enhance the visitor experience or adequately direct visitors to the area’s many attractions. Business and tourism organisations along with business operators requested that Council develop a Strategy to address this, with some of their concerns being:

• There is little sense of arrival in the shire or the towns. Town and shire entry statements are inconsistent, inappropriate, or non existent.
• Towns have signage issues when directing tourism vehicle and pedestrian traffic around the towns and CBD’s.
• Facility, identification and regulatory signage for public recreation areas is in many cases degraded, damaged or non-existent.
• Tourism related signage generally does not enrich the visitor experience or adequately direct visitors to the key features of the area.
• There is currently no coordinated approach to signage policies and practices.

The Strategy forms part of a suite of initiatives by KSC to encourage visitors to stop, extend their length of stay and increase expenditure in the Kempsey Shire area. The Strategy addresses wayfinding and the tourism related signage needed for visitors who are travelling in vehicles to find their way safely and efficiently to the tourism destinations and attractions within Kempsey Shire.

Wayfound were engaged by Council during February 2022 to deliver a Signage Strategy and supporting documentation. The strategy and supporting documents were delivered on time with high quality and cost-effective actions adopted by Council during December 2022.
I am very pleased as the project manager to have worked on the project with Wayfound, especially their lead consultant Kim D’Alton. Wayfound often went over and above the project brief to satisfy Council requirements.
Kim has exceptional design skills and experience and lead the strategy and design process for our project in a very professional and co-operative manner.
The project required significant communications with our local communities, indigenous groups and agency stakeholders. Kim actively participated in all communications with a unique way of explaining how signs underpin and support Councils vision for increased tourism and better branding of our LGA.
I have no hesitation in recommending the services of Wayfound for any organisation contemplating the development of a signage strategy or site-specific sign design work.

Cliff Toms, Investigations Engineer