Stage 1:

Port Pirie to Peterborough

A regional economic revitalisation initiative through community-led heritage regeneration.

The Silver to Sea Way

The Silver to Sea Way is a heritage regeneration project designed to bring more visitors to explore the rich stories along the route between Port Pirie in the mid-north of South Australia and Broken Hill in western New South Wales.

The project is investing in the regeneration of heritage places and the creation of new digital visitor experiences that explore local stories. It will also link existing businesses and activities to promote the route as a great tourist destination.

Stage 1 of the project (Port Pirie to Peterborough) has been funded through the Commonwealth Government’s Building Better Regions fund (Round 4) and is scheduled for completion at the end of 2022.

We would like to acknowledge the First Nations people of the land that the Silver to Sea Way passes through, the Nukunu, Ngadjuri, Adnyamathanha, Wilyakali and Barkandji nations. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

Silver to Sea Way

Stage 1: Port Pirie to Peterborough

Traversing some 415km between Port Pirie (SA) and Silverton (NSW), 

the Silver to Sea Way follows one of the most historically significant transport routes in Australia.

Screen Shot 2021-06-09 at 10.12.49 pm
Traditional trades training workshop at Port Pirie Railway Station, 2018.
Screen Shot 2021-06-09 at 10.13.59 pm
Artist’s impression of interactive night-time experience at Gladstone Gaol.

Objectives

The development of the Silver to Sea Way has four principal objectives:

  • The creation of ongoing paid employment and other work through training and volunteering opportunities
  • Increased economic activity through development of the local visitor economy by creating new and additional demand for tourism and related services.
  • An increase in community wellness, cohesion and resilience.
  • Enhanced community capacity and sense of local identity through the development of skills to share the region’s history and culture.

Concept

The Silver to Sea Way transforms the idea of a tourism driving route into an economic revitalisation project by using the area’s built and cultural heritage to create a compelling tourism experience. The integrated trail concept links destinations and visitor experiences across the whole journey to attract and engage visitors for longer and encourage them to stop, stay and spend along the route.

Scope

The project will be implemented using a staged approach. The first stage of the project – from Port Pirie to Peterborough
– will commence in 2021. Stage 2, from Peterborough to Broken Hill, will be scoped and costed during the implementation of Stage 1.

Innovation

The project innovates in the following ways:

  • It incorporates an independent evaluation program to identify and measure economic, cultural and social impact.
  • It crosses state borders, connecting South Australia and New South Wales.
  • Conservation and interpretation works will be supplemented with training and volunteering opportunities.
  • Aboriginal Nations are an integral part of the project. Aboriginal voices will share their own stories of Country.
  • It creates Australia’s first ‘green drive’ tourism route.

Outcomes & Benefits of the Silver to Sea Way

Economic modelling commissioned in advance of this project suggests a significant Return on Investment (ROI) over ten years, with an ROI ratio of 12:1 on the initial Australian Government investment.

Stage 1: Return on Investment

Additional benefits

In addition to the economic returns modelled above, the following social, cultural and environmental benefits will also accrue:

  • Increased opportunities for local volunteering and training
  • Opportunities for knowledge creation and learning within communities
  • Collaborations and partnerships between individuals, community groups and local businesses
  • Increased community pride and sense of place through storytelling and placemaking
  • Opportunities for Aboriginal Nations to tell their stories of their place and histories in their own words
  • Financially and environmentally sustainable regeneration projects protecting significant built heritage assets and contributing to attractive towns

Project evaluation will measure:

  • Employment, income and investment in the region
  • Multiplier effects from the investment, including flow on economic and social benefits
  • Reduction in unemployment benefit expenditure
  • Induced effects such as new business activity and additional investment
  • Development of community capacity through training and volunteering opportunities
  • Health and wellbeing benefits for community and individuals