This project formed a key component of Council’s strategic planning work and reflects Kinscope’s strength in delivering design‑driven planning tools that are both technically robust and visually intuitive.

Towong Shire presents a uniquely dispersed settlement pattern—stretching from Lake Hume and Bellbridge in the west, through the Upper Murray to Corryong in the east, and connected by a network of rural townships, small settlements, and expansive agricultural landscapes. The challenge was to create a map that not only conveyed this complexity but did so in a way that supported decision‑making, complied with Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) expectations, and aligned seamlessly with existing mapping styles used in neighbouring municipalities.

The goal of the project was twofold. First, to visually articulate a clear hierarchy of settlement types—regional service towns, rural towns, small settlements, and outlying rural communities—based on their role, function, service availability, connectivity, and capacity for growth. Second, to situate this hierarchy within the Shire’s broader transport, economic, and environmental context, highlighting connections to regional cities such as Albury–Wodonga, key transport routes including the Hume Highway, and cross‑border relationships with NSW townships.

The team’s design approach focused on clarity, consistency, and strategic legibility. The map adopted a visual and cartographic style familiar to State Government planning schemes, ensuring that it would be easily integrated into future strategic documents and planning amendments. Thoughtful use of colour, hierarchy, symbol sets and spatial grouping allowed the map to communicate complex relationships—such as the influence of external economic centres, the function of major transport corridors, and the distribution of National and State Parks—at a glance.