Program

How can the South West meet growing pressure for tourism, housing and infrastructure while protecting the natural places, cultural landscapes and community values that make the region unique?

This session explores the ongoing tension between development and conservation through real-world coastal planning debates and high-profile campaigns to defend Smiths Beach, Save Scott Reef and protect the Kimberley from Fracking.

Drawing parallels between lived experiences in the South West and lessons from the Kimberley, the discussion brings together campaign, planning, and coastal perspectives to examine what responsible development looks like when biodiversity, community identity, and Country are treated as non-negotiable priorities.