Love Central Coast
Project
Love Central Coast
Industry
Tourism & Destination Marketing, Travel & Hospitality, Regional Government / Economic Development Support
Client
Central Coast Council
Services
Strategy and positioning
UX and content architecture
Website design
Website build
SEO optimisation
Illustration and asset production
A living digital hub for tourism, culture and community on the Central Coast.
Context
Love Central Coast is an initiative by Central Coast Council designed to showcase the best of the region. The council needed a digital platform that could serve both locals and visitors. A place to explore itineraries, events, guides, stories and experiences that celebrate the culture of the Central Coast. As locals ourselves, this project carried personal significance. The site needed to be beautiful, functional and easy for multiple council teams to maintain long term.
The Shift
The existing digital presence could not support the scale or complexity of the initiative. The council needed a platform that could handle multiple user journeys at once. Trip planning, editorial content, local business promotion, event listings and community storytelling all had to sit within one cohesive system. At the same time, the internal teams required a content management structure that was intuitive and future proof. Without the right hierarchy, the site risked becoming hard to maintain as content grew.
The shift required a complete rethinking of information architecture, user flow and brand expression.
Our Approach
Content Architecture and Editorial Carity
We began by mapping every major content type and user pathway, from itineraries and guides to events, interviews and local directory items. This work shaped a content management hierarchy that allowed the council’s internal teams to update the site without compromising structure or performance.
Translating Brand into Digital Experience
With the functional requirements clear, we translated the visual identity created by Matilda Wilson Creative into a digital environment. This involved blending illustrative and photographic elements from Headland Brands with custom designed components and carefully considered microinteractions. The goal was to create an experience that felt organic, modern and reflective of life on the Central Coast.
Flexible Build and Component-Led Development
The build required custom development to support the depth of content and the unique design language. Rather than relying on prebuilt templates, we created a flexible component system that balanced creative expression with practical needs for ongoing management.
The Work
Complete website design and build for a major government tourism initiative.
Detailed information architecture and content hierarchy to support long term scalability.
Custom WordPress development with flexible content modules.
Integration of branding elements from Matilda Wilson Creative and Headland Brands.
UX design for itineraries, guides, events, stories and local business features.
A multi journey digital hub for both residents and visitors.
Impact
A Central Platform for Regional Storytelling
The Love Central Coast website has become the central digital platform for tourism and cultural storytelling in the region. Visitors can explore events, itineraries, guides and local businesses with clarity and ease. Council teams can manage and expand the site confidently, supported by a content system built for longevity.
A Meaningful Experience for the Community
For the community, the site serves as both a celebration and an invitation. It reflects the identity of the Central Coast through thoughtful design and a user experience shaped around discovery.
A Project with Lasting Significance
For us, it remains a significant project. A moment where design, culture and community aligned in a way that allowed us to give something meaningful back to the region we call home.