The roll out of Horsham Rural City Council’s new visual identity is nearing completion, with hundreds of outdoor signs, vehicles, stationery and digital platforms updated with the new look.
The project, which started in July 2022, aimed to enhance and revitalise council’s image within the community and attract new investment and visitors to the region. It includes a new logo, colour scheme, typography and style guide.
The new visual identity represents the things that set the Horsham municipality apart from other regions – our geology, agriculture, waterways and soils.
The project has also delivered significant cost savings for the municipality, with the expenditure coming in under budget at $370,000 over the past two years, much less than the original forecast.
This is due to much of the work being completed by Council employees, as well as the efficient use of existing resources and assets.
Chief Executive Sunil Bhalla said HRCC’s elected representatives wanted to create a new brand as a positive step forward for the council and the community.
“Our Councillors wanted the new visual identity to be more than just a logo. They wanted a way of communicating who we are, what we do and why we do it,” Mr Bhalla said.
“The new logo’s shapes represent iconic Wimmera aspects such as reeds, crops and yabbies and the typography was inspired by stencilling on the T&G Tower and the lettering used on wool bales.”
Mr Bhalla said the new visual identity also demonstrated the council’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and value for money.
“We have delivered this project within our existing budget and resources, without compromising on quality or impact,” he said.
“We have also ensured that the new branding is flexible and adaptable, so that it can be used for different purposes and and evolve with the changing needs and expectations of the council and the community.”
Mr Bhalla thanked everyone who contributed to the project, especially the staff, councillors and community members who provided feedback.
“We are proud of the outcome and we hope the community will embrace the new visual identity as a symbol of our shared identity, pride and belonging.”
“There is still some work to go on our internal signs and installation of maps. This will be completed in the coming month,” he said.
