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Growing Precincts Together program

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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 stay in regular contact with local businesses and send email updates about upcoming program opportunities.

Business support programs

2025-26

In 2025-26 businesses in identified precincts can access tailored support programs through the Growing Precincts Together initiative.

One-on-one digital action plan sessions 

Choosing the best digital tools for your business can be challenging. With a digital action plan and expert support, you can attract new customers and improve customer service.

Registrations are now open for free digital action plan sessions. These sessions offer business owners up to 4 hours of free one-on-one expert support for their digital needs.

Register your interest

In previous years, retail precinct businesses could access tailored support programs. These programs aimed to improve quality, performance, and distinctiveness.

Through business coaching and food business coaching programs, individual businesses received guidance and support to set and achieve their goals.

Retailers were also encouraged to enhance their in-store experience through the Visual Merchandising program. This hands-on workshop included three personalised consultations to teach visual merchandising, optimise store layouts, and attract more customers.

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. 

A desktop audit was conducted to collect directory information for all precinct businesses. It also identified local community groups. A key part of this phase was a precinct survey, delivered online for customers, businesses, and workers in September 2023.

Engage

In October 2023, Council hosted an information session to share insights from the understand phase and provide program details.

The team hosted precinct meetings and emailed businesses to share project opportunities and gather feedback.

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

The project was completed in October 2023. Council continues to support local businesses to raise the precinct’s profile.

Support Local Competition

In May 2025, Council ran a support local competition during Queensland Small Business Month to encourage the community to shop locally.

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

The campaign promoted shopping local to help small businesses thrive. It also aimed to build community on Racecourse Road.

Design Markets

In 2024-25, Council sponsored The What We Make Design Market delivering 4 pop-up maker markets at St Augustine's Parish Hall.

Art showcase - Vibrantly Vacant

Council installed a temporary art display on three vacant shopfronts at 77 Racecourse Road to promote and support the 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 run online promotions in May and June 2023, promoting Racecourse Road as a destination. This included online articles, Instagram carousels, reels and a tag and share competition.  

View the published articles:

Council engaged Excite Media to create a modern precinct website for Racecourse Road. The site includes a complete business directory.

Council offered Racecourse Road businesses the chance to apply for free one-on-one support programs from 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, Brisbane residents explored Racecourse Road businesses through a month-long activation with in-premises events.

The Discover Racecourse Road activation added an experiential element, allowing visitors to engage personally with businesses and their offerings. Council partnered with Liquidity Marketing to help businesses trial an experience event focused on wellness, beauty, 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. A key part of this phase was a precinct survey, delivered online 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 hosted monthly Coffee Connects for precinct businesses to network, share ideas, and provide feedback. Coffee Connects were held at precinct cafes, and businesses could express interest in hosting a future Coffee Connect.

The team sent regular emails to precinct businesses to share project opportunities and request feedback.

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

This project finished in October 2023, but Council has continued supporting local business by promoting the precinct and launching a 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.

Monthly activations featured entertainment, exclusive deals, and special menu items from village retailers. These encouraged visitors to enjoy Rosalie Village. 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 month-long Hidden Gems of Rosalie Village activation. It aligned with the Indiana Jones film release at the local cinema. In July 2023, Rosalie Village invited visitors to explore the precinct and discover 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. A desktop digital audit was conducted to gather directory information for all businesses in the precinct. It also identified community groups in the area.

Engage

In February 2023, Council shared insights from the understand phase and launched one-on-one support and refresh programs for precinct businesses.

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, Council began providing hands-on support to Wynnum Town Centre through Growing Precincts Together.

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

Council offered retail businesses a Visual Merchandising 101 workshop to learn how to refresh shopfronts and 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 November 2023, Council hosted a precinct launch event to share insights from the understand phase and outline program details.

The team hosted regular precinct meetings and sends email updates to keep businesses informed about project opportunities and gather 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.