Environment Protection Authority

The Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed is the geographic area that supplies much of the water for metropolitan Adelaide. Unlike water catchment areas for most other Australian capital cities, it incorporates thriving regional townships and industries, and thousands of private landholders whose activities impact on water quality. The Watershed Protection Office was formed as part of the Environmental Protection Authority to monitor and protect water quality across the region.

Porter Novelli Adelaide has worked with the office since inception, providing a range of both corporate communication services and highly strategic advice that goes beyond the boundaries of conventional public relations to drive change behaviour and leverage the principles of community-based social marketing. Our work with the WPO has involved:

• Creating an adoption and outreach strategy to encourage horse keepers to change land management practices;
  
• Community consultation processes, including facilitating farmer workshops;
  
• Market research and communication audits to guide internal and external communication programs;
  
• Developing corporate communication strategies;
  
• In-house support to implement media and stakeholder programs; and
  
• Media programs, including writing and photography.

For more information about this case study, please contact Janice Hoad.