Developing knowledge precincts in regional towns: Opportunities and challenges

While extensive literature exists on creative cities and knowledge-based urban development focusing on large metropolitan cities, there is a paucity of literature looking into similar developments in small regional towns. The major aim of the paper is to examine the nature and potential for building knowledge-based urban development and creative precincts in regional towns. The paper will review national and international literature on creative/knowledge precincts in small towns to examine their key ideas and principles. The paper will also report on a case study of a small town of Cooroy in Noosa, Australia. The Cooroy Lower Mill Site and its surroundings are the designated location for what may be called a community-based creative knowledge precinct. The paper will critically examine the challenges and opportunities for setting up a creative knowledge precinct in Cooroy. Lastly the paper will discuss the importance of such precincts and initiatives for developing socially and culturally responsive towns and cities.