The Austin Cove Estate is a new, master planned community located in South Yunderup within the Shire of Murray.

Satterley award winning residential estates are now famous for not just selling a block of land but the lifestyle that is developed throughout Satterley Estates. This is why a dedicated Community Development program will be implemented throughout the life of the Austin Cove Estate.

The tried and true method of implementing a dedicated community development model for the 'life of the estate' is to create vibrant and self sustaining communities that are desirable places to live.

The creation of a 'sense of place' leads to a strong ownership of the new residential development and ensures long term social benefits for the community.

The Satterley Property Group has lead the way in investing in this community philosophy and it has paid significant dividends with people living in Satterley Estates experiencing a high quality of community life and infrastructure.

Satterley employs Community Development professionals who work in close cooperation with the Estate Project Managers. Input from key stakeholders is imperative including, Local Government, Police, Education, Economic, Health, Youth, Cultural, Disabilities, Sport & Recreation, Retail, State Government Departments and not for profit agencies to achieve the best outcome for the community.

By utilising community development principles early in the planning process the provision of up-front infrastructure, including, community facilities (centre’s), active/passive open space & associated facilities (playgrounds, barbecues, gazebo), path networks that are well lit, shops, schools, public transport links and commercial/retail opportunities provide a lifestyle that increases the opportunities for residents to interact on the estate.

Detailed community development in the Estate planning will ensure the 'best mix of community provision and services and how these are utilised by the community will ensure its success.

Creating a feeling of safety and security is very important for many people as is knowing your neighbours and having opportunities to interact on a social level.

It is often the case that when residents enjoy where they live they actively attract family and friends to the Estate. For example, new resident welcome nights will be held on the Estate for people to meet their neighbours and be provided with future information regarding development of the Estate.

The five key areas used to implement community development on an annual basis are as follows-:

Resident Development

Resident development is essential to the delivery of the community development program. The early development of Residents Associations, Sporting Clubs, Special Interest Groups and Community Groups lead to many opportunities for community involvement.

Early and direct community consultation and liaison is essential to ensure great opportunities for a wide catchment of the population to initiate connections with other persons living on the Estate. The consultation is directly linked to the planning process and annual action plans for the Estate to represent the needs of the new residents.

Detailed consultation has already been implemented with existing local groups and individuals to ensure their input is valued and part of the planning process to ensure a close interaction with existing locals in South Yunderup and new residents moving onto Austin Cove.

As the Estate continues to develop, specific workshops will be implemented including, business networking functions, gardening workshops, funding seminars, disability workshops, computer courses etc.

Events

Relevant events on the Estate will be implemented for the community to attend and enjoy. The event program will be derived through consultation with the community.

Examples of regular free community events that take place in other Satterley Estates include, community fun days, carols in the park, outdoor movie nights, resident welcome nights and a concert in the park.

Events have already commenced at Austin Cove with the Austin Cove Discovery Day held on Sunday March 15. The day was a great success with close to 2000 people attending to get signatures from Eagles players Daniel Kerr, Dean Cox, Shannon Hurn and Sam Butler. Local talent was a feature of the event with performances from many acts throughout the area. It is expected that this will become an annual event.

Photos and publicity stories are utilised following the event to be incorporated into the communication strategy.

Youth/Over 50's

Youth and Over 50's are a very important component of any community and are particularly important for the community development program.

Youth input in relevant programs and infrastructure go a long way to ensure opportunities for their involvement in the community development process.

Over 50's are integral for volunteering and provide a wealth of information and input into the community development program and subsequent development.

Communications

The communication strategy surrounding the community as the Estate develops is very important and the dissemination of this information ensures the correct information is being provided.

Examples of regular communications are newsletters, public relation publicity for local and state newspapers, the development of a local intranet, a dedicated community development website and links back through key stakeholders.

The Austin Cove Inlet will be the local Estate newsletter which will provide information on the Estate and the community and can be downloaded from the Satterley website.

Community Sponsorship

A nominated amount is incorporated into the annual action plan to provide seed funding for relevant community opportunities. All sponsorships are requested through a written proposal and assessed against identified criteria for acceptance/refusal.

An evaluation is required including how the sponsorship was used including photos and a write up if possible to be incorporated into the communication strategy.

Examples of local sponsorship already undertaken include, Murray Probus Club – Photographic Competition, Peel Thunder Football Club, SYRRAs Carols on the Canals and the South Yunderup Sport and Recreation Bowling Competition.

For further information on upcoming community events or how to be involved, please contact the Community Development Manager on (08) 9368 9040