The purpose of the Macquarie River North and South Precincts Master Plan (the Plan) is to serve as the guiding blueprint for Council's investments in the River precincts, both to the North and South of the Central Business District River precinct. These areas are of significant importance to the community in Dubbo, as they encompass cultural, sporting, environmental, and connectivity aspects, both presently and in the foreseeable future.

The Plan primarily focuses on outlining projects and initiatives to be executed over the next 20 years, with a recommended review at the 10-year mark. It is crucial to recognise that these assets have a lasting impact on the city, so the Plan's perspective will extend beyond the immediate decade, encompassing the next century and beyond.

To ensure the Plan's sustainability and its alignment with the aspirations of the community, it will be a synthesis of various inputs, including existing planning documents, Council's management requirements, extensive community engagement, and the integration of best practices in design. The initial phase involved identifying the core Values held by the Dubbo community, which then informed the development of Guiding Principles for Design. The principles provided a solid rationale for design decisions, firmly rooted in the values and vision of the Dubbo community.

The Master Plan has been successfully developed by Moir and Sala4D, incorporating the Values, Guiding Principles for Design, other design requirements, and best practice urban design methods.

The draft Plan was presented to both the Community and Council, and it was made available for public exhibition to gather valuable feedback from the community.

During the exhibition period, we received a significant amount of comments and suggestions. We would like to express our appreciation for your active participation and valuable insights.

Now, we have completed the process of carefully reviewing and incorporating these comments into the final version of the Master Plan. Your feedback has played a vital role in ensuring that the Plan aligns with the needs and aspirations of our community. Below is the adopted final version of the Master Plan, reflecting our collective vision for the future. Thank you for your continued engagement and support throughout this process.

Further steps are required to take the projects described in the Master Plan forward to deliver physical changes in the precinct.

Detailed design of projects identified in the Master Plan will involve feasibility and site analysis to prepare construction-ready designs. Delivery is dependent on the availability of funding and prioritisation of the project in Council's Annual Budget and external funding sources.

The Master Plan will also be used to inform Council's other significant projects, strategies and ongoing advocacy with key stakeholders.