Inverell's Town Centre Transformed With Healthy Street Trees And Sustainable Infrastructure

The town of Inverell is nestled in a picturesque valley near the Macintyre River in northern New South Wales.

- Joe Gooden

Renowned for its proud pioneering history, beautiful restored buildings, boutique shopping and cultural endeavours, it’s also the centre of the Inverell Shire.

In 2014, Inverell Shire Council adopted an ambitious plan to rejuvenate the town centre. As well as making it more attractive, more functional and more profitable for local businesses, the plan sought to replace the old London Plane Trees that had been inappropriately planted along Otho Street.

In this case study, we explore how Citygreen collaborated with Inverell Shire Council, design consultants King & Campbell and other key stakeholders to revive this site, which is now home to large, healthy trees – and is much loved by the community.

Project goals

As well as creating a first-class public space for people to live, work, shop and visit, a primary goal of the renewal project was to repair infrastructure on Otho Street. The existing London Plane Trees were poorly planted in concrete pipes, resulting in significant damage.

As Justin Pay, Civil Engineering Manager from Inverell Shire Council, explained, “Our main goals were to repair damaged infrastructure, replace trees to provide a functional and aesthetically pleasing town centre, and to improve road safety and access for pedestrians.” “It was important to substitute the old Plane Trees with a suitable new species that would deliver high and immediate impact on the street.”

Project solutions