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Rediscover Grafton

The project focused on temporary improvements that celebrate Grafton’s rich heritage and community by enhancing Prince Street with art and storytelling and improved pedestrian environment. It provides spaces and places for people to spend more time on Prince Street and support local business. The trial is an important stepping stone to implementing Council’s Grafton Precinct Plan and Transport Strategy, which were adopted by Council in 2021. In August 2023, Council resolved to extend the trial, with a review in twelve months, to enable the addition of footpath shade and more lighting to further test ideas and hear what the community thinks.

Since December 2022, Prince Street has seen the following changes:

Gnome Trail Map

The popular gnome hunt at the Grafton Regional Gallery is now extended along Prince Street. A fun treasure hunt for all to find each of the gnomes along the street. The gnomes are painted by local artists and connected to culturally and historically significant stories, places, events, and people of the region.

Each Gnome has a unique story inspired by local historical figures, stories shared by local Elders, and connected to buildings and trees from Grafton.

Download the pdf map here.

Prince Street Marketta

More than five thousand people filed into Prince Street in the Grafton CBD throughout the evening to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the event, which featured an amazing variety of street food and refreshments, live entertainment from a range of local performers, and fun activities for the kids.

See all of the photos

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Lighting installations

Over the duration of the project we have had projections on heritage buildings, the Superorganism sound and light installation in Market Square as well as the bud lighting on the trees along Prince Street and the changing colours of the lit-up Fig tree on the corner of Prince and Victoria Streets.

Footpath widening and greenery

In one section of Prince Street the footpaths are wider and there are planter boxes adding more greenery to the street.

This also provided more space for art by local artists! Now we have high-quality art works attached to the planter boxes, transforming Prince Street into an outdoor gallery.

Wombat crossings

Transport for NSW contributed additional funding and raised two of the pedestrian crossings on Prince Street, improving the accessibility of the crossings and slowing down the traffic, making a safer pedestrian environment.

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Nose-in parking

Nose-in parking in a section of Prince Street to improve the pedestrian experience of Prince Street. This change is in line with Austroads guidelines and also to keep exhaust fumes away from the footpath, make parking easier, encourage slower traffic and a more polite way of driving and letting people out of parking spaces.

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Art Trail

Reproductions of the Grafton Regional Gallery’s collection have been printed as posters and stuck to walls around Prince Street. You need to keep your eyes peeled so you don’t miss them as you walk down the street.

Story Trail

Young authors from the Long Way Home writing competition have recorded their creative stories for you to listen to as you walk around Grafton.

Listen now

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First Nations Story Trail

The Grafton First Nations Story Trail takes listeners on a journey back through time to capture life growing up in Grafton through the lens of four local First Nation women.

On this trail, Aunties Jo Randall, Geraldine Lewis, Maxine Hegedus and Gloria Strachan share, through audio recordings of stories, conversations and poems, their own memories of events and places familiar to many, including the Jacaranda Festival, Grafton Show, and Langley's Cafe.

Posters have been placed in prominent locations along Prince Street in the Grafton CBD for each of the stories, with QR codes to direct people to listen to the recordings.

Listen now

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Download our Trail Map to Rediscover Grafton!(PDF, 6MB)

Who has been involved?

The project has been a collaborative, multi-agency, and multi-disciplinary project. It has involved Council, state government, local businesses, not-for-profits and the community working together to test out new ideas, develop plans together, hear feedback, and ensure any long-term or more permanent changes in Grafton will deliver the best outcomes for everyone. There have been public surveys, regular conversations with businesses, drop-in sessions and workshops, stalls at the farmers market and other engagement. There has been significant input and support from:
• Department of Planning and Environment
• Transport for NSW
• SERCO
• Big River Timbers
• Local businesses – Prince Street traders in particular
• Clarence River Historical Society
• Grafton Chamber of Commerce
• Jacaranda Committee
• Grafton Regional Gallery and local artists
• First Nations Communities
• Clarence Valley Council staff
• The Long Way Home story competition and local story tellers

Feedback

As this is a trial, your feedback is very important. We’d like to hear about your experience interacting with the art, the lighting and the new footpath space on Prince Street.

Click here to provide your feedback.

Streets As Shared Spaces Program

The project was fully funded by a grant from the New South Wales government, as part of the successful Streets as Shared Spaces program.

The trial was an important stepping-stone to implementing the Grafton Precinct Plan, approved by Council in 2021. It offered the opportunity for Council, state government, local businesses and the community to work together and test out new ideas, develop plans together, hear feedback, and ensure long term permanent changes in Grafton will deliver the best outcomes for everyone.