The Shire of Denmark has issued notifications to several businesses in the Great Southern region, instructing them to remove unauthorized road signs. Local tourism and hospitality enterprises contend that these signs are essential for attracting potential customers traveling through the area.
Despite the concerns raised by business owners, the shire remains resolute in its decision and plans to revise its signage policy. Local businesses in this popular holiday destination express that the directive to eliminate signs guiding visitors to shops and cafes could hinder tourism and negatively impact the thriving economy.
Denmark, situated on Western Australia’s southern coast, sees tens of thousands of visitors each year who come to explore its lush forests, beautiful beaches, and local produce. A letter from the Shire of Denmark has alarmed some businesses, indicating that they must remove signs deemed unauthorized, potentially jeopardizing their ability to attract tourist traffic.
The shire has given these businesses a 28-day period to take down any signs that “may not” adhere to its policies, warning of possible enforcement measures if they do not comply.
Brendan Laing, a hospitality entrepreneur who operates a cafe and leather shop approximately 15 kilometers west of Denmark, expressed his concerns after receiving such a letter. He noted that he has been advertising along the South Coast Highway for years without issue until now. “The signs are crucial for informing customers of our opening hours,” he stated, emphasizing that removing the sign directing highway traffic to his establishment would severely impact his business.
Laing highlighted the challenge of attracting customers due to the location of his business, which lacks foot traffic. “We need to capture passing trade, and those signs significantly aid our operations,” he remarked. He also mentioned that tourism has become a vital sector in Denmark, although it sometimes seems the shire is not fully supportive of this growth.
The increase in tourism in Denmark and its neighboring areas has sparked discussions among locals regarding the impacts of overtourism.
Shire President Aaron Wiggins explained that the directive to remove signs stemmed from safety concerns raised by Main Roads, the state road authority. He emphasized that the signs were located in high-speed, high-traffic zones, which pose significant safety risks. “We cannot ignore safety issues, especially in light of the current road toll in regional Western Australia,” he affirmed.
Wiggins acknowledged that the shire could have communicated the matter more effectively to the impacted businesses but reiterated the necessity of their decision. “The signs in question are unsafe and positioned in areas still considered part of the road,” he stated firmly. “Such signage will never be acceptable.” He also mentioned that the shire is revising its outdated signage policy and is open to engaging with both industry representatives and residents during this process.
David Britten and Melissa Boughey, winery owners who had previously faced sign confiscations, shared that they have since taken steps to relocate their signs to safer positions. “We have collaborated with Main Roads to ensure that our signage does not compromise safety or interfere with pull-over areas,” Boughey noted. While they did not receive a letter themselves, she urged for any new policy to support tourism and hospitality businesses in maximizing their appeal to visitors.
“They might not fully grasp how critical appropriate signage is for small businesses,” she added. “Current signage is designed to alert drivers about upcoming turns, which is vital in a 90-kilometer-per-hour zone where passing motorists might otherwise miss us entirely.” Main Roads indicated that the matter regarding signage falls under the jurisdiction of the Shire.
