Growing Precincts Together program

In 2023-24, Brisbane City Council started providing hands-on support to assist the Banyo Village retail precinct.

This involved:

• conducting business/vacancy assessments

• a survey to gather feedback and ideas about the precinct 

• a precinct launch event

• precinct connection opportunities

• hands-on support from Council to promote, support, refresh and activate the precinct

• a regular e-newsletter updates to businesses. 

Objectives

Promote

Promote is one of the 4 key objectives in the delivery phase of Growing Precincts Together. Council engaged Style Magazine to deliver online promotions to promote Banyo Village as a destination. This included online articles, Instagram carousels, reels and a tag and share competition.

View the published articles: 

• 5 places to catch up with your mates on the Northsideopens in a new tab

• Eat, Treat, Play: Your guide to Brisbane's charming secret hubopens in a new tab

• 6 reasons to visit this bustling northside hubopens in a new tab

Support 

Council offered businesses in Banyo Village precinct the opportunity to apply for free one-on-one support programs delivered by expert providers. Topics included business coaching and support for food businesses.

Council also engaged Excite Media to create a digital presence for Banyo Village. This included the development of a contemporary and up-to-date precinct websiteopens in a new tab with a directory of all businesses, and building a Facebookopens in a new tab and Instagramopens in a new tab presence for the precinct and its businesses through a social media campaign.

Understand

The understand phase is the foundation of the Growing Precincts Together program. Council documented the businesses and vacancies in the Banyo Village precinct in 2023. 

This was followed by a desktop audit to gather directory information for all businesses in the precinct and identify community groups in the area. Key to this phase was a precinct survey which was delivered as an online survey for customers, businesses and workers in September 2023.  

Engage

In the engage phase, Council hosted an information session in October 2023 to present Council’s insights from the understand phase and to provide further information about the program.

The team hosted precinct meetings and sent email updates to all businesses in the precinct to update them on opportunities through the project and seek feedback.

In 2022-23, Council started providing hands-on support to assist the Racecourse Road retail precinct.

The project was completed in October 2023, however Council is providing ongoing support to local businesses to raise the profile of this iconic precinct.

Design Markets

As part of ongoing support to the Racecourse Road precinct, Council has sponsored The What We Make Design Marketopens in a new tab to deliver a series of four pop-up markets at the St Augustine’s Parish Hall in the heart of the precinct.

• Sunday, 25 August 2024 – Slow Fashion Market
• Sunday, 10 November 2024 – Slowly Made Christmas
• Sunday, 23 March 2025 – Slow Fashion Market
• Sunday, 8 June 2025 – Slowly Made Art & Lifestyle Market  

These events will promote the talented maker community of Brisbane and introduce the beautiful Racecourse Road precinctopens in a new tab to market visitors.  

Art showcase - Vibrantly Vacant

Council installed a temporary art showcase on three vacant shopfronts at 77 Racecourse Road (the corner of Racecourse Road and Kent Street) as part of the work to promote, activate, refresh and support the Racecourse Road precinct.  

The temporary art showcase featured the work of Debra Hood and was in place from June 2023 to May 2024 when the premises was redeveloped.

Objectives

Promote

Promote is one of four key objectives in the delivery phase of Growing Precincts Together.

Council engaged Style Magazine to deliver a suite of online promotions in May and June 2023 to promote Racecourse Road as a destination. This included online articles, Instagram carousels, reels and a tag and share competition.  

View the published articles:

• Up Your Step Count: Everything to Eat, Shop and Do on Racecourse Roadopens in a new tab

• Eat Up! A Foodie’s Guide to Racecourse Road opens in a new tab

• Wake Up, This is a Day in the Life of a Racecourse Road Localopens in a new tab

Council also engaged Excite Media to develop a contemporary and up-to-date precinct websiteopens in a new tab for Racecourse Road, providing a directory of all businesses.

Support 

Council offered businesses in the Racecourse Road precinct the opportunity to apply for free one-on-one support programs delivered by expert providers. They included:

• digital marketing consultations

• business coaching

• support for food businesses. 

Refresh

For the refresh deliverable, Council offered 2 programs where expert providers assisted businesses to refresh the look of their business. The programs were:

• visual merchandising consultations

• shopfront makeovers. 

Activate

From mid-September to mid-October 2023, the local community and Brisbane residents had the opportunity to discover Racecourse Road businesses through a month-long activation which incorporated multiple in-premises events in the precinct.

The Discover Racecourse Road activation introduced an experience element to the precinct and provided opportunities to get to know Racecourse Road businesses and their offerings on a personalised, engaging level. Council collaborated with Liquidity Marketing to support interested businesses to trial an 'experience event, with a focus on wellness, beauty and fashion, dining and kids. 

Understand

The understand phase is the foundation of the Growing Precincts Together program. Council documented the businesses and vacancies in the Racecourse Road precinct in 2022.

This was followed by a desktop audit to gather directory information for all businesses in the precinct and identify community groups in the area. Key to this phase was a precinct survey which was delivered as an online survey for customers, businesses and workers in November-December 2022.  

Engage

In the engage phase, Council hosted an information session in February 2023 to present Council’s insights from the understand phase and to launch the one-on-one support and refresh programs that businesses in the precincts could apply for.

In 2022-23 Council also hosted monthly coffee connects for businesses in the precinct to catch up with each other and Council officers to share ideas for the precinct, network and provide feedback. The coffee connects were held at cafes in the precincts, and businesses in the precincts were given the opportunity to express their interest in hosting a coffee connect.

The team also sent regular email updates to all businesses in the precinct to update them on opportunities through the project and seek feedback.

In 2022-23, Council started providing hands-on support to assist the Rosalie Village retail precinct.

This project was completed in October 2023, however Council is providing ongoing support to local businesses to raise the profile of this iconic precinct, including launching a precinct websiteopens in a new tab.

Project objectives

Promote

Promote is one of the four key objectives in the delivery phase of Growing Precincts Together.

Council engaged Style Magazines to deliver a suite of online promotions in May and June 2023 to promote Rosalie Village as a destination. This includes online articles, Instagram carousels, reels and a tag and share competition.

View the published articles:

• Head Out! Everything To Eat, Shop, And Do In Rosalie Villageopens in a new tab

• We Found BNE’s Most Family Friendly Hub That’ll Keep The Whole Crew Busyopens in a new tab

• Health Is Wealth: BNE’s One Stop Destination For All Your Inner Beauty Needsopens in a new tab

Support

Council offered businesses in the Rosalie Village precinct the opportunity to apply for free one-on-one support programs delivered by expert providers. Topics included:

• digital marketing consultations

• business coaching

• support for food businesses.

Refresh

For the refresh deliverables, Council offered 2 programs where expert providers assisted businesses to refresh the look of their business. The programs were:

• visual merchandising

• shopfront makeovers.

Activate

First Fridays

As part of ongoing support to the Rosalie Village precinct, Council sponsored a series of First Friday events in late 2024.

These monthly activations offered entertainment, exclusive deals, special menu items and more from village retailers to encourage visitors to enjoy the Rosalie Village precinct. Each event had a different theme to keep it fresh and inspire retailers and customers:

• First Bloom in September

• First Favourites in October

• First Heatwave in November

• First Cheer in December.

Treasure hunt competition

Council sponsored the Hidden gems of Rosalie Village month-long activation which aligned with the Indiana Jones film release at the local cinema. For July 2023, Rosalie Village welcomed visitors from near and far to explore all parts of the precinct in search of hidden treasures. With a treasure map in hand, visitors deciphered clues to complete tasks and enter a competition with over $5,000 in prizes.

Understand

The understand phase is the foundation of the Growing Precincts Together program. Council documented the businesses and vacancies in the Rosalie Village precinct in 2022. This was followed by a desktop digital audit to gather directory information for all businesses in the precinct and identify community groups in the area.

Engage

In the engage phase, Council hosted an information session in February 2023 to present Council’s insights from the understand phase and to launch the one-on-one support and refresh programs that businesses in the precincts could apply for.

In 2022-23 Council also hosted monthly coffee connects for businesses in the precinct to catch up with each other and Council officers to share ideas for the precinct, network and provide feedback. The coffee connects were held at cafes in the precincts, and businesses in the precincts were given the opportunity to express their interest in hosting a coffee connect.

The team also sent regular email updates to all businesses in the precinct to update them on opportunities through the project and seek feedback.

In 2023, Brisbane City Council started providing hands-on support to assist the Wynnum Town Centre precinct as part of the Growing Precincts Together program.

This involved:

• conducting business/vacancy assessments

• a survey to gather feedback and ideas about the precinct

• a precinct launch event

• facilitating precinct connection opportunities

• hands-on support from Council to promote, support, refresh and activate the precinct

• regular e-newsletter updates to businesses.

Objectives

Promote

Promote is one of the 4 key objectives in the delivery phase of Growing Precincts Together. Council engaged Style Magazine to deliver a suite of online promotions to promote Wynnum Town Centre as a destination. This included online articles, Instagram carousels, reels and a tag and share competition.

View the published articles:

• Here Are Some Of The Best Places To Eat In Wynnumopens in a new tab

• Earn best gift-giver status at these Wynnum speciality storesopens in a new tab

• Gather the girls, here’s how to have a girls’ day out on the Baysideopens in a new tab

Support

Council offered businesses in the Wynnum Town Centre precinct the opportunity to apply for free one-on-one support programs delivered by expert providers. Topics included:

• business coaching

• support for food businesses.

Refresh

For the refresh deliverable, Council provided retail businesses the opportunity to participate in a Visual Merchandising 101 workshop to find out more on how to refresh their shopfront and/or interior visual displays.

Understand

The 'understand' phase is the foundation of the Growing Precincts Together program. Council documented the businesses and vacancies in the Wynnum Town Centre precinct in early 2023.

This was followed by a desktop audit to gather directory information for all businesses in the precinct and identify community groups in the area. Key to this phase was a precinct survey which was delivered as an online survey for customers, businesses and workers in September 2023.

Engage

In the 'engage' phase, Council hosted a Precinct Launch event in November 2023 to present Council’s insights from the understand phase and to provide further information about the program.

The team hosted regular precinct meetings and sends regular email updates to all businesses in the precinct to update them on opportunities through the project and seek feedback.