GeelongPort - Spirit of Tasmania Quay
GeelongPort partnered with Spirit of Tasmania in 2020 to make Geelong the new Victorian home for the Spirit of Tasmania vessels.
The development of Spirit of Tasmania Quay was a major transport project for the port and required a clear communications and engagement approach through planning and construction. The project needed to involve local community, government, port, industry and tourism stakeholders, while clearly explaining the benefits and managing concerns about change and construction activity.
RPS was engaged to develop and implement a communications and engagement strategy for the new terminal. Our services included community and stakeholder engagement, Community Liaison Group governance, facilitation, digital engagement, graphic design and strategic advice.
The challenge
As one of the largest developments undertaken by GeelongPort in a decade, Spirit of Tasmania Quay attracted strong stakeholder and community interest. The project would bring a high-profile ferry service to Geelong and clear regional benefits, but it also required careful engagement to maintain trust and support planning and construction activities.
The project involved a diverse stakeholder environment, including government stakeholders, port customers, industry representatives, tourism agencies and the local community. Each audience needed clear, timely and accessible information about the project, its impacts and its long-term value to the region.
The challenge was to support meaningful engagement that met planning requirements, managed concerns, communicated benefits and kept people informed as the project moved from planning into construction.
Our approach
RPS developed a comprehensive communications and engagement strategy to guide stakeholder involvement across the planning and construction phases of the project.
Our team used a mix of engagement tools to reach Geelong’s diverse community and stakeholder groups. This included face-to-face engagement, visual communication tools, digital engagement, graphic design support and facilitated engagement through community liaison processes.
We also helped GeelongPort establish practical communication and engagement tools, including a stakeholder engagement plan, procedures for managing enquiries and complaints, and clear communication channels to support consistent engagement through the project lifecycle.
During construction, our team continued to support engagement activity by communicating construction impacts, listening to stakeholder concerns and helping explain the project’s benefits for Geelong and the broader region.
The result
RPS’ communications and engagement support helped GeelongPort meet planning requirements, build community trust and maintain a clear engagement pathway through delivery of Spirit of Tasmania Quay.
The approach supported timely planning approvals and helped create positive outcomes through meaningful engagement with community groups and project stakeholders.
The tools developed through the engagement process also provided GeelongPort with practical resources for future projects, including stakeholder engagement processes, enquiry and complaint handling procedures, and communication channels that could be used beyond the Spirit of Tasmania Quay project.
For GeelongPort, the project demonstrated the value of structured, transparent engagement in supporting major port infrastructure. For RPS, it reflects our ability to help clients communicate clearly, manage complex stakeholder environments and build confidence in transport projects that matter to local communities.
