Mainstreet Australia

Happy New Year to our members, main street community, stakeholders, and wider network! 2025 is set to be a big year for Mainstreet Australia. This year is about strengthening and expanding our efforts and partnerships across advocacy, governance, events, and initiatives—all driven by our unwavering dedication to supporting the incredible individuals, businesses and organisations driving change in our main streets. Here’s what’s on the horizon: • Building on the momentum from our 2024 National Conference in Malvern, delivered in partnership with the City of Stonnington. • Expanding the Meet the Main Street Manager series, shining a spotlight on our main street champions and centre managers. • Rolling out new initiatives and operations designed to better support and provide value to our members, as well as the main street community at large. We're super excited to have you on this journey with us as we continue to learn and grow in 2025 and beyond! #NewYear #HappyNewYear #Community #MainStreets #MTMSM #MeetTheMainStreetManager #Events #Advocacy #Networking #Governance

As the festive season rolls in, we’d like to send warm wishes to all our members, main street community, stakeholders, and networks. This is a time to reflect on the incredible connections we’ve built and the progress we’ve made together in 2024. The Mainstreet Australia team will be stepping away from our social channels over the holiday period to recharge and, true to our mission, we’ll be supporting local and shopping small along the way. We’ll be back in early January, ready to continue championing the growth and vitality of Australia’s main streets, town centres, and small businesses. Until then, we wish you a joyful holiday season filled with connection, celebration, and community spirit. See you in 2025! #HappyHolidays #Christmas #SupportLocal #ShopLocal #MainStreets #SmallBusiness #SillySeason

🌱 Planning for Growth in 2025? Here’s a Fresh Perspective on Main Street Success 🌱 As we head into a new year, it’s the perfect time to reflect, refocus, and reimagine how we approach the growth and sustainability of our main streets. If you’re looking for inspiration, strategic insights, or practical takeaways, we recommend watching this insightful conversation from a Night Shift Session we hosted earlier this year. This session explores the foundations of successful main street development — from strengthening community connection to driving local economic growth. It’s a timely reminder that every small action can lead to big change when it comes to revitalising our town centres. If 2025 is your year to build stronger main streets, support local businesses, and foster vibrant community hubs, this video is a great place to start. 👉 Watch the full discussion here: https://lnkd.in/gtYWHYg5 What’s one action you’re taking to support your main street or town centre in 2025? Drop your thoughts in the comments — we’d love to hear them. 💭 Featured speakers: Monique Mete, Joyce Watts and Aneta Pazeski Moderated by Elizabeth Joldeski GAICD

"I don't go downtown because I hate having to park far away and walk to my destination..." Maybe you've heard this from your friends or even said it yourself. But is this really a problem with downtowns, or is it a problem with how we perceive parking distance?

On Wednesday our Committee of Management came together with Executive Officer Elizabeth Joldeski GAICD, for a deep dive afternoon as we discussed 2024, as well as the projects and priorities for 2025. It’s so important to reflect on the successes and obstacles faced throughout the year, and importantly look to 2025 and how Mainstreet Australia will continue to meet the needs and expectations of not only our members, but our industry more broadly. ❤️ This planning session also included all our newest Committee Members ✨, and it was great to have everyone in the same room. The energy was electric ⚡️. We look forward to sharing our 2025 plans with you, all in good time ⏰. Georgina Pikoulas Troy Stuchbree Cinzia Crea Joyce Watts James McInerney Stavros Zikou Patrick Moriarty Amanda McEvoy Jeremy Hope #mainstreetaustralia #planning

Mainstreet Australia is excited to partner with City Nation Place, offering our members an exclusive 20% discount to attend this must-attend event in Sydney, City Nation Place Australasia, taking place on 12 & 13 February 2025. This forum brings together placemakers, government leaders, destination marketing organisations, investment attraction teams, and economic development professionals to explore what makes a place great for living, working, visiting, and investing. With insights from both Australasian and international place leaders, the conference will provide actionable strategies to: + Build the economic case for place branding + Use data-driven approaches to destination development with measurable impact + Strengthen your place brand to drive resilience and growth + Integrate destination stewardship into your long-term strategy + Foster private sector collaboration for sustainable economic development + Differentiate your place through innovative branding strategies Take advantage of this opportunity to gain new perspectives and practical ideas to make a meaningful impact in your main street or town centre. Mainstreet Australia members can secure a 20% discount by using the exclusive link below, or entering the code Mainstreet20 at checkout: https://lnkd.in/g59Qb4wy

✨ Celebrating Local Business Success in Point Cook! ✨ Last week, our President Georgina Pikoulas had the privilege of attending the launch of the Point Cook Business Association and their first-ever gathering. Congratulations to this passionate group of local business owners and community leaders for coming together to support and strengthen Point Cook’s thriving business ecosystem. A big shoutout to Minister Mathew Hilakari—local member—for lending his support to this important initiative. Your commitment to local communities makes a real difference. We’d also like to acknowledge the hard work and vision of the Point Cook Business Association Committee Members— > President – Sudhir Juneja - CPM > Treasurer – Sara Mitchell FIML > Secretary – Lourdes Piscopo > Brand — Robert Bouquet > Committee Members – Natalie Alchin, Larry Shao, Danny D’Mello, Japinder Sandhu and Temi Ajayi We can’t wait to see what this association will achieve in the months and years ahead. Here’s to a prosperous future for businesses in Point Cook! 🎉 #PointCook #LocalBusiness #SmallBusinessSupport #CommunityConnections #BusinessAssociations

🎄 The holiday season is in full swing, and there's no better time to head down to your local main street or town centre! With festive events, local markets, live entertainment, and unique shopping opportunities, our communities are buzzing with holiday spirit. 💡 Did you know? There are over 160 traders associations, 530 local councils, and 2.3 million small businesses across Australia, and they're pulling out all the stops to make your holiday shopping and celebrations extra special. Skip the online checkout this year and immerse yourself in the magic of your local area. Support small businesses, connect with your community, and experience the festive fun! ✨ Featured images and videos sourced from: Stirling Adelaide Hills Toorak Village Camberwell Shopping Central Coburg Mildura City Heart #SupportLocal #MainStreet #ShopLocal #Christmas #Council #Traders #SmallBusiness

The Journal of Urban Regeneration & Renewal has announced a call for papers for a special issue titled "The Impact and Influence of Downtown Programs Worldwide." This edition will focus on evaluating the effectiveness of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and similar programs in revitalising urban areas over the past 50 years. This is an opportunity to contribute research, case studies, or thought pieces from Australia and New Zealand exploring the successes, challenges, and future of these programs. Topics may include their role in fostering economic growth, community engagement, urban design, and their adaptability in the post-COVID era. The special issue will also address questions surrounding the value BIDs add to cities and what lies ahead for downtown programs in an evolving economic and social landscape. Submissions are due by 13th January 2025. For further details, or to submit your paper, visit the call for papers page: https://lnkd.in/gmEYQ3YB Publisher: Henry Stewart Publications

John Henshall, a cherished member of the Mainstreet Australia community and a passionate advocate for downtown revitalisation and cultural tourism, left an enduring impact on main streets worldwide. His visionary approach highlighted the vital role creative individuals and community champions play in rejuvenating struggling town centres—an idea that continues to inspire placemakers and main street advocates today. We are proud to showcase John’s eBook, Downtown Revitalisation and Delta Blues in Clarksdale, Mississippi: Lessons For Small Cities And Towns. This insightful work explores how cultural heritage and community-led initiatives can drive economic growth, providing valuable lessons for main streets in Australia and beyond. To further understand John’s philosophy, we encourage you to read Elle Hardy’s article, Curing Clarksdale’s Blues. The piece delves into John’s work in Clarksdale, Mississippi, illustrating the transformative power of leveraging local people and cultural assets to revitalise communities. It serves as a compelling narrative for anyone passionate about sustaining vibrant and resilient main streets. John’s dedication to fostering sustainable, community-driven main streets remains a guiding force for Mainstreet Australia. We invite you to download his e-book and explore the article to gain actionable insights and honour the legacy of one of our community’s most influential advocates. You can find the eBook and article on our resources page: https://lnkd.in/gawYYVVM