Process

Turning Our Town Yellow - Hunting, gathering, and painting!

Yellow Message Bomb: BBTT sourced an old, beat-up bread delivery van from local business Passmore Automotive and volunteers painted it in primer and then yellow chalk paint - most of it donated by Wattyl Paints and Bunnings (who donated other materials as well).

The Team painted the van at the City's Waste Transfer Station and took special care while delivering it to the Busselton Cultural Precinct not to damage any of the heritage-listed buildings behind it!

Delivery and removal to an auto wreckers in the Busselton LIA was provided by Westside Tilt Tray (local service).

Yellow Town placemaking: BBTT volunteers met volunteers from the Busselton Lions at their Lions Shed over several early mornings leading up to event week to select discarded second hand furniture and accessories destined for the tip, but which still had enough life left in it to warrant slathering with yellow paint! Members of the Busselton Mens Shed painted everything that stood still yellow, and then delivered it all to the Busselton Cultural Precinct the day before the event.

Other volunteers scoured local op-shops for all sorts of yellow clothing and accessories, to make available at the event for anyone who would like to turn yellow for the National Road Safety Week.

Some items, such as reams of discount yellow fabric and our Huge Yellow BUSSELTON letters, could not be sourced secondhand were purchased from local businesses.

Volunteers worked on bunting and painting things yellow, and met onsite the day before the event to receive the painted furniture and place around the footpaths, with the remainder to be put in place after road closure. They also helped bump out after the event.

Leftover yellow items were given away, including some which went to an intrepid garage sale vendor! Anything remaining was collected by the City's Waste Services team.

Message Route: The message route began with an eye-catching yellow safety message on the huge digital billboard on Bussell Highway where the speed limit dips to 70km/h ahead of Busselton's entry statement and roundabout - the key entry for locals and visitors into Busselton's centre via Causeway Road.

Two trailer-mounted digital road signs were positioned along Causeway Road, with announcements of National Road Safety Week and request to 'Drive Carefully'. A row of seven large popular trees were also wrapped in yellow fabric.

The City's digital noticeboard alongside Causeway Road was co-opted to announce National Road Safety Week and the City building was lit up yellow each night of the campaign week.

As drivers entered the City centre, they were met by large yellow BUSSELTON letters, then messaging morphed into yellow and black corflute signs erected around the four roundabouts down Queen Street, Busselton's main thoroughfare, warning to watch out for swans, cruise ships, e-scooters, tourists, gophers, whales, stingers, sharks, and mermaids, etc.

Twelve street banners promoting National Road Safety Week were mounted on the banner poles down the central median strip of Queen Street and the street trees were wrapped in yellow fabric leading the public into the Cultural Precinct, Bonne Arrivée à Yellow Town!!

Yellow Town: The Cultural Precinct was transformed into Yellow Town and activated for National Road Safety Week. In advance, BBTT worked with Busselton Lions Shed and the community to source lots of tables and chairs, old bikes, prams, scooters, planters and shelves. The Busselton Mens Shed painted all items completely, vibrantly yellow.

As a talking point, an old delivery van painted yellow with chalk paint was positioned in the precinct as a Message Bomb, with an invitation to write messages to loved ones. A free driving lesson could be won by posting selfies on social media.

The Precinct forecourt and footpaths were decorated yellow for the week with yellow bunting, al fresco furniture, potted flowers, planters of yellow chrysanthemums, yellow painted bikes and scooters, and other whimsy. A yellow crosswalk was sprayed on the road with road safety banners, campaign posters and 20 yellow corflute road safety signs completed the street decorations. Trees in the precinct courtyard were also wrapped in yellow fabric.

Street Festival and Week Program: The road in the Cultural Precinct was closed on Sunday 14th May for a Street Festival to launch Road Safety Week. This event included family entertainment, food and activities including a special appearance by hometown hero, Australian Idol runner-up Phoebe Stewart, Music by Ornella, DJ Sharky, Zumba with Gizelle and Mel's Karaoke. Activities on offer were trishaw rides, chalk and drumming workshops, facepainting, with a stiltwalking Lollipop Lady and other roving characters to make for a fun afternoon. The community was encouraged to wear yellow and take the pledge to 'Drive So Others Survive'.

There were activities scheduled in the precinct during the week to support themes of cycling and e-scooters, as well as Qi Gong, ukulele and a Kids' Dance Party. The community was encouraged to meet in the precinct, get their yellow on, and enjoy the scene.

The City of Busselton Operations department were keen to highlight road safety as critical to the wellbeing of their crews, and supported the initiative by displaying yellow fabric bows on their large vehicle fleet. The Waste Services team also assisted by removing any remaining yellow furniture and props that haven't been given away.

Approvals

Approvals required (City of Busselton):

• Event application
• Billboard application
• Site Plans for activities, providers, food vans
• Traffic closure application
• Bookings for use of precinct buildings, forecourt and courtyard

Publicity / Messaging

BBTT aimed to attract families and community members to enjoy some fun in the heart of the City, while learning about road safety. They planned to amplify the National Road Safety week messages by creating partnerships and collaborations with community groups and businesses.

Turn the Town Yellow was marketed to the local community targeting families and youth and characterised by collaboration with local business and community, to facilitate cross promotion and marketing opportunities. Local businesses were promoted through their involvement and support of planned activities and incentives.

The campaign, Street Festival and program for the week were promoted through published media release, photo spread and community notices in print media, print advertising in two local newspapers. A campaign of social media posts on Facebook and Instagram was also used to successfully promote the initiative, with organic reach through sharing to 20 community pages as well as using boosts and Facebook advertising.

Printed posters for the campaign and Street Festival were distributed to businesses and pinned up around Busselton. The City of Busselton's Public Relations team created graphics based on the Road Safety Commission's templates, which were used in print advertising, the City's digital billboard, posters, and on the City's and BBTT's socials. The City also listed the event on its website and advertised the event on its local newspaper council pages and in the Bay to Bay e-Newsletter.