Innovation Case Study: Margie McKay, Greater Geelong City Council
Greater Geelong City Council
Margie McKay, Manager Urban Design and Place
Transforming cities through visionary, inclusive, and collaborative leadership
Margie brings over 20 years’ experience in architecture, urban design, and strategic planning, focusing on public interest and policy innovation. She supports multidisciplinary teams and works collaboratively within government to deliver community-focused solutions. Skilled in stakeholder engagement and urban strategy, Margie is committed to evidence-based, inclusive outcomes that contribute to resilient and thoughtful city-making.
2025 MAVlab Innovation Awards Finalist:
Innovatio Pro Bono Publico Award: Emerging Leader, supported by Leadership Victoria.
Leadership and excellence:
Margie McKay has consistently demonstrated bold leadership, resilience, and innovation across a career spanning local and state government, shaping some of Victoria’s most transformative urban and housing initiatives.
Over the past year, as Manager of Urban Design and Place at the City of Greater Geelong, Margie has led a multidisciplinary team of 30 across six units, driving transformative place-based initiatives in Australia’s fastest-growing regional city. She has concurrently overseen the development of key strategic frameworks — including the Open Space Strategy, Public Realm Strategy, Public Art Review, and Heritage Strategy — applying an evidence-based approach to guide Council investment and deliver high-quality, community-focused public spaces. Her leadership ensures integrated, data-informed decision-making that enhances Geelong’s identity, livability, and long-term resilience.
At the City of Melbourne, Margie led the award-winning Urban Design team and managed the City Design Studio, overseeing architecture, landscape, and capital works. She directed multi-million-dollar public space and infrastructure projects, including the Greenline project, Boyd Park development, and the Yarra River Birrarung Strategy. Her strategic design leadership also shaped key initiatives such as the Melbourne Transport Strategy and the Central Melbourne Urban Design Policy, which won the 2018 Australian Urban Design Award.
Margie’s leadership is characterised by the ability to challenge norms and drive innovation within complex bureaucratic systems. At the City of Melbourne, she coordinated design review for major development applications and advised on state-level projects, including Melbourne Olympic Park and the Arts Precinct. Her approach consistently balances visionary thinking with practical delivery.
As joint inaugural president of the Urban Design Forum, Margie helped establish a non-profit platform advocating for public interest outcomes in city-making, demonstrating her commitment to systemic change and industry leadership.
Margie McKay’s career reflects bold, values-driven leadership that transforms policy into place, strategy into impact, and challenges into opportunities for lasting public benefit.
Margie McKay’s leadership consistently builds bridges, elevates others, and creates workplaces where collaboration thrives and silos dissolve.
Impact and legacy:
Margie McKay has created significant impact across communities through her visionary and inclusive leadership. Her work consistently translates complex policy into tangible outcomes that improve lives and shape places. Her advice is regularly sought by Ministers and senior executives, reflecting trust in her strategic judgment and deep sector expertise.
In her current role at the City of Greater Geelong, Margie has overseen the successful handover of 59 new park reserves to the local community over the past financial year, ensuring each space meets high-quality standards. Through her strategic leadership of the Open Space team, these reserves have been delivered with a strong focus on functionality, accessibility, and long-term community benefit. Feedback from stakeholders and government partners highlights her ability to reconcile competing interests and deliver practical, people-focused solutions.
At the City of Melbourne, Margie’s leadership of the Urban Design team and City Design Studio resulted in award-winning projects such as the Central Melbourne Urban Design Policy and the Yarra River Birrarung Strategy. These initiatives received national recognition, underscoring their design excellence and community value. Her coordination of Urban Design advice on over 300 major development application reviews annually ensured high-quality outcomes across Melbourne’s built environment.
At the City of Whittlesea, Margie contributed to structure plans for major growth areas, including Wollert and Donnybrook-Woodstock, laying the groundwork for more liveable, inclusive growth in one of Australia’s fastest-growing municipalities. Her advocacy for socially and environmentally grounded planning was reflected in positive community feedback and strong interdepartmental collaboration.
As co-founder of the Urban Design Forum, Margie established a platform for industry-wide dialogue and public interest advocacy, amplifying community voices and shaping policy discourse.
Collaboration:
Margie McKay is a transformational leader known for cultivating trust, empowering individuals, and breaking down silos to build high-performing, united teams. Across her roles in state and local government, she has consistently fostered workplace cohesion through inclusive leadership, strategic clarity, and values-driven action.
Currently, Margie leads the newly established Urban Design and Place department at the City of Greater Geelong, uniting six specialist teams — Urban Design, Open Space, Public Realm, Heritage, Public Art, and Place Activation — under a shared vision to create vibrant, inclusive, and enduring places. Her skill in reconciling diverse perspectives and fostering trust among stakeholders has been instrumental in driving alignment across complex partnerships, particularly with State Government, the development industry, and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners in the revitalisation of Central Geelong.
At Homes Victoria, Margie led diverse teams across planning, design, feasibility, and policy — over 40 staff in total — during a period of significant organisational change. Her leadership during budget reprioritisation was marked by transparency, empathy, and a focus on individual growth. She created space for open dialogue, aligned team goals with broader strategic outcomes, and supported staff through uncertainty, resulting in a resilient and motivated workforce.
At the City of Melbourne, Margie unified multidisciplinary teams — including urban designers, architects, landscape architects, and industrial designers — within the City Design Studio. She fostered a culture of shared purpose and creative exchange, encouraging staff to take ownership of ideas, contribute meaningfully, and collaborate across departments.
As joint inaugural president of the Urban Design Forum, Margie created a collaborative platform for industry professionals to share knowledge, challenge norms, and advocate for public interest outcomes, demonstrating her commitment to inclusive leadership.
Margie McKay’s leadership consistently builds bridges, elevates others, and creates workplaces where collaboration thrives and silos dissolve.