Skip to main content

Growing Precincts Together program

Link copied

Apply for free tailored business support. Find resources to promote precincts as vibrant and attractive destinations.

About the program

Local retail precincts are the heart of our communities. 

Council's Growing Precincts Together program provides resources that can be used to promote, support, refresh and activate businesses.

In 2025-26 we will be offering support and working with businesses in:

  • Bald Hills Village
  • Hawthorne Road, Hawthorne
  • Stones Corner
  • Wilston Village.

Help with growing precinct communities

Through the Growing Precincts Together program, Council supports business owners to:

  • build stronger precinct communities with more opportunities for connection and collaboration
  • identify and share information about the precinct's identity and offering
  • increase the number of local stakeholders (business, residents, community groups) involved in business precinct growth activities
  • increase the number of events, activities and promotions delivered within local business precincts
  • encourage new and returning customers to visit more frequently and stay longer.

Phase 1: Understand

The 'Understand' phase is the foundation of the Growing Precincts Together program.

Understanding a precinct’s unique offering and its customers is a good place to start business growth plans. Activities include:

  • documenting the businesses and vacancies in the precinct
  • developing a contact list of businesses to increase collaboration
  • identifying business networks in the area 
  • understanding your market through generating local resident and workforce profiles.

Phase 2: Engage

Insights from the 'Understand' phase and further information about the program will be shared with local business owners.

We will be in regular contact with local businesses and send regular email updates on opportunities that will become available through the program.

Business support programs

In previous years, businesses within retail precincts were given the opportunity to access tailored support programs designed to enhance their quality, performance and distinctiveness.

Through the delivery of programs for Business Coaching and Business Coaching for Food Businesses, individual businesses were provided with the guidance and support to set and move through their goals.

Retailers were also encouraged to enhance their in-store experience through the Visual Merchandising program. This was a hands-on workshop and 3 personalised consultation sessions, helping businesses create and learn successful visual merchandising techniques, optimise store layout for increased sales, and become a destination location for all their customers’ needs.

Boost your precinct

Get help to promote, support, refresh and activate your local area and its businesses.

Our practical information and advice can increase visibility of your precinct and drive economic growth.

Learn more
A customer looking at products in a market stall.

Legacy projects

The Growing Precincts Together program has already benefitted a wide range of retail precincts across Brisbane.

Tenants and business owners in these locations have been supported to promote their precincts as vibrant and attractive destinations.  

Council continues to support them by:

  • providing opportunities for businesses to connect

  • updating local business and vacancy information each year

  • keeping businesses in their precinct updated about Council opportunities for businesses

  • encouraging sponsorship applications for precinct promotion and activation.

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: 

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 website with a directory of all businesses
  • building a Facebook and Instagram 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.

Support Local Competition

In May 2025, Council encouraged the local community to shop at and support local businesses through a support local competition held during Queensland Small Business Month.

Customers who spent $20 or more at a business in the precinct could enter to win one of five $200 precinct branded gift cards. 

The campaign included messaging that shopping local helps small business thrive and endeavoured to help build a sense of community in Racecourse Road.

Design Markets

During 2024-25, Council sponsored The What We Make Design Market to deliver a series of four pop-up maker markets at the St Augustine’s Parish Hall in the heart of the precinct. 

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:

Council also engaged Excite Media to develop a contemporary and up-to-date precinct website 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. The session shared insights from the understand phase. Council also launched one-on-one support and refresh programs. Businesses in the precincts could apply for these programs.

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 website.

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:

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:

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.

mdi information outline1

Note

For more information about projects from the Growing Precincts Together program, call our Business Hotline 133 BNE (133 263) or email Council.