True North Strategic Communication co-designed a culturally informed approach to PFAS communication with Aboriginal communities surrounding RAAF Base Darwin and RAAF Base Tindal. Working with Land Councils, Aboriginal corporations, ranger groups, Traditional Owners and community members, the project reshaped how precautionary health advice was communicated so it better reflected local knowledge, cultural protocols and community needs. Through stakeholder meetings, workshops and on-Country engagement, the project improved the accessibility and effectiveness of PFAS communication, strengthened trust and established a more community-led approach to ongoing engagement.

Powerlink Queensland delivered essential works along 2.7 kilometres of underground high-voltage transmission cables through Forest Gardens Estate in Cairns. The project involved removing approximately 385 trees that posed a risk to the cables, installing new amenities and compatible vegetation, and refurbishing two cable joint bay sites. Recognising the strong local value placed on shade, amenity and the environment, Powerlink worked closely with Cairns Regional Council and actively engaged around 1,000 neighbouring residents. Community feedback helped shape how the works were delivered, supporting a balance between maintaining reliable power infrastructure and responding to local concerns about lifestyle, recreation and neighbourhood amenity.

Fourfold Studio partnered with Western Downs Regional Council and the Dalby community to shape the future of the Dalby Cultural Centre and Thomas Jack Park Precinct. Across three phases of engagement, the project used transparency, inclusion and collaboration to address misinformation, rebuild trust and ensure community voices informed key decisions. More than 90 in-person engagement activities, 1,000 survey responses, input from over 250 students and a Family Fun Day attended by 2,000 people helped shape the architectural brief, site location and design. The process supported unanimous Council approval and has also contributed to new approaches to community and youth engagement within Council.

Auckland Council engaged the community on the future recreational use of A F Thomas Park as part of wider plans to improve stormwater resilience on Auckland’s North Shore. With part of the park proposed for conversion to wetland, the process needed to balance flood mitigation with impacts on existing recreation, sports clubs and a well-used golf course. More than 5,000 public submissions were complemented by a three-day deliberative forum, alongside mana whenua input and technical analysis. The process broadened participation, shifted discussion from adversarial to more inclusive and deliberative, and gave the Kaipātiki Local Board a clearer picture of informed community views to support decision-making on a complex and contested issue.

The Social Deck partnered with the Australian Government and National Autism Strategy Oversight Council to deliver nationwide engagement informing Australia’s first National Autism Strategy. Across every state and territory, more than 3,467 participations were recorded through 113 engagement activities, including community forums, Autistic Voices forums, focus groups, interviews and accessible online methods. Each event was led or co-facilitated by Autistic people, with particular focus on reaching priority and intersectional communities. The approach created multiple ways for people to participate and helped ensure the Strategy was shaped by the lived experience, perspectives and priorities of Autistic people, their families and carers.

Melbourne Water’s Greater Melbourne Flood Information Program engaged communities across Darebin, Yarra, Glen Eira and Merri-bek to improve understanding of local stormwater flood risk and inform draft flood maps. For the first time, community members were invited to review draft mapping before it was finalised, creating a more transparent and participatory approach to flood engagement. The program combined technical modelling with community insight and used multilingual materials, targeted outreach and accessible engagement methods to reach a diverse mix of residents, businesses and community organisations. The result was a stronger evidence base for flood planning and improved awareness and resilience across participating communities.

The Community Flood Risk Awareness Project was delivered across seven Northern Rivers local government areas to strengthen flood preparedness following the devastating 2022 floods. Guided by social research and local knowledge, the project targeted high-risk communities where experience of flooding had not always translated into practical preparedness. Between May and December 2025, 38 place-based engagement activities reached more than 1,700 community members, supported by councils, NSW SES, schools, libraries, community organisations and recovery partners. By combining technical flood information with lived experience and trusted local relationships, the project improved flood literacy, strengthened preparedness and supported safer community responses to future flood events.

The NSW Reconstruction Authority developed the Central West Resilient Homes Program following the devastating 2022 floods across Cabonne, Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes. The program was shaped through an extensive community engagement process designed with the Central West Community Leaders Forum, councils and recovery partners. Delivered across two phases in 2024, the engagement used a community-centred approach that recognised the ongoing impacts of disaster and incorporated recovery support throughout the process. Community and stakeholder input helped inform the design of a program aimed at supporting affected households while strengthening resilience to future flood events.

Cultural Perspectives partnered with the Australian Government to deliver the multicultural component of the national One Talk at a Time campaign, supporting the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021–2030. Delivered nationally, the project focused on making sensitive child-safety information accessible, culturally appropriate and practical for culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Through 20 engagement sessions, partnerships with more than 1,500 stakeholder organisations and engagement across 23 language groups, the project used co-designed, multilingual and trusted community-based approaches to extend its reach. This supported greater confidence and more open conversations about child safety within diverse communities and service networks.

Cairns Regional Council developed Towards 2050: Shaping Cairns to guide how future population growth should be accommodated across the region. Delivered over four phases from 2022 to 2025, the engagement process involved ongoing community and stakeholder participation at each stage of the strategy’s development. More than 208,000 engagement interactions were recorded through a mix of community panels, stakeholder forums, First Peoples Gatherings, Youth Summits, Community Summits and digital activities. By involving participants throughout the process, the project built a shared understanding of planning challenges and trade-offs and helped shape the vision, growth directions and final Strategy.

The Parkdale Level Crossing Removal Project replaced two level crossings with a new rail-over-road bridge, elevated station and more than two MCGs of new open space. Announced in 2021, the project initially faced significant community opposition around issues including privacy, visual impact and neighbourhood character. Over three years, the project team used continuous engagement, more than 20 community touchpoints, three rounds of design consultation and targeted advisory groups to give residents, traders, schools and other stakeholders meaningful opportunities to influence design and manage disruption. More than 1,000 pieces of feedback helped shape the project, with community satisfaction reaching 82% by completion.

Transform Logan is a city-wide planning initiative led by Logan City Council to guide the city’s transformation through to 2075. With around 400,000 residents and one of Australia’s youngest and most culturally diverse populations, inclusive representation was central to the engagement approach. Building on the earlier Logan Community Vision process, the project re-engaged previous participants while also involving new community members, targeted stakeholder groups and the broader public. Their input is helping shape a single long-term plan that will guide Council priorities, strategies and decision-making while protecting what communities value and responding to Logan’s future challenges and opportunities.

The Warringah Freeway Upgrade is transforming a critical four-kilometre transport corridor used by around 250,000 vehicles each day. Delivered in a densely populated area, the project sits alongside approximately 43,000 residential and business neighbours and involves the construction of new bridges, underpasses, ramps and other infrastructure while maintaining access to the existing network. A key focus has been balancing complex construction requirements with the needs of surrounding communities, including minimising noise and access impacts. Close collaboration between Transport for NSW and the delivery team has supported an engagement approach grounded in evidence, responsiveness and consideration of local impacts.