The City of Mandurah hosted stage three of their Mandurah Matters campaign on Saturday, with a summit to discuss the future of the region.
More than 50 community representatives gathered at David Grays Arena to workshop ideas and adopt a shared vision and action plan about Mandurah's outlook.
Organisers compiled information and feedback from previous consultations to help participants identify key areas of potential improvement through collective efforts.
Residents, members of local government and key stakeholders came together to concentrate on a number of issues looking forward including youth engagement, health, local employment, environment and crime and safety.
If we're all going to live beyond 100, it is so important to be thinking about what the distant future looks like in terms of the decisions we are making today.
- Rhys Williams
Urban futurist and former Lord Mayor of Adelaide Stephen Yarwood spoke at the event, using his international knowledge and experience to make a few suggestions of his own.
"We had a great session today and you guys have amazing ideas but we've spent at least $10 billion today," he said.
"It isn't going to happen overnight and it is about collaboration.
"If local government can set the vision and engage the state and federal government, that's how you get the money to make these things happen.
"This is going to be a long-term transformative process - it's about setting the mood of the community, having a constant conversation with the community."
Mayor Rhys Williams thanked everyone involved for their dedicated work to the Mandurah Matters campaign and said he looked forward to the future of this "significant city".
"There is such a diversity of people here today who have lived here for 30, 40 or 50 years that have the ability to share their insight with us about where we have been and where we are headed," he said.
"When we are talking about cities, we're not just talking about the next 20 years - if we're all going to live beyond 100, it is so important to be thinking about what the distant future looks like in terms of the decisions we are making today.
"We have a village mentality, we are a community so as we grow and as we change, it's important to remember that - at our very heart, we must look out for each other and have each other's backs.
"More people than ever before have been involved in this Mandurah Matters process and shaping the future of our city and if we do this justice, it will be a very exciting place to live not only today but into the future."
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Participants came up with a final vision by the end of the day's workshops and discussions, summarising their agreed sentiments.
"We are built in nature, not on nature and we want to see our connection to the earth respected," the statement read.
"Our environment and our waterways are our greatest asset, vital to our health and wellbeing. They are so much more than a tourism driver.
"We need to invest in our youth, in how we hear, enable, teach and employ them so they build on the future of Mandurah and enrich our community.
"Community health starts with how we look out for each other - knowing our neighbour so we can show care and support each other's well-being
"We want to be a community that is united in building our economic potential while acting as stewards of the environment and custodians of our culture - a connected and safe community.
"This is our Mandjoogoordap, our meeting place.
"We are proud and we want other people to understand our source of pride."
For more information about the Mandurah Matters campaign, visit the website.
