FINALISTS : Livingstone Shire Council : Capricorn Coast Art Trail – Boosting the local economy with a unique street art experience . Livingstone Shire is a mecca for street art , having won numerous awards for its colourful contributions to the local landscape , and it only made sense to turn these creations into an economic driver for the region .
The establishment of the Livingstone Shire Placemaking program led to the installation of many pieces of public art across the Shire . These pieces include large murals , sculptures and landmark projects . The Economic Development team wanted visitors and locals to get out and explore all parts of the Shire and The Capricorn Coast Art Trail was created , incorporating existing public art with the addition of virtual reality to nine engaging murals .
These were deliberately chosen to ensure visitors and locals were exploring even the tiniest towns in the region . This new experience has created increased tourism visitation and visitor spend right across the region .
CATEGORY 6 : THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RECOVERY & RESILIENCE This award recognises successful economic development programs implemented following a disaster , crises or economic downturn . This award also recognises economic development programs which are focussed on resilience building and mitigation .
WINNER : Moreton Bay Regional Council Right Time Right Info : Preventing business closures after disasters reach out to the businesses most affected by the flood events , providing them with targeted support and timely information to aid their recovery efforts .
Council directly communicated with 15,320 business owners quickly and effectively . By coupling an economic development and disaster management mindset , Council was better able to support business continuity and more effectively forward plan services for vulnerable businesses .
FINALIST : Ginnane & Associates Melbourne CBD Shopfront Activation Program In response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic , the City of Melbourne , in partnership with the Victorian State Government , sought third party service providers to reduce shopfront vacancies , increase vibrancy and drive visitation of areas which were most impacted across the City of Melbourne .
FINALIST : Toowoomba & Surat Basin Enterprise ( TSBE ) Business Navigators Western Downs The Western Downs region has significant entrepreneurial activity . However , several factors including limited access to business development support was identified as a local challenge . It was recognised that regions with support mechanisms for growth and business-friendly regulatory policies are more likely to retain skilled individuals and enjoy the benefits of a vibrant economy .
Business Navigator is a business growth and innovation consultancy partnering with owners of new and established businesses in the Western Downs to accelerate their growth . The service is delivered by Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise and supported by Shell ’ s QGC business and joint venture partners , Tokyo Gas and CNOOC .
The program is building the capacity and revenue of existing and emerging SMEs in the Western Downs to diversify the economy , improve business sustainability , create local jobs and attract people to the region .
In early 2022 , the Moreton Bay business community endured a series of extreme business disruptions , from rolling floods to acute workforce shortages due to COVID-19 .
Timely communication became vital as businesses struggled to recover from the nation ’ s worst recorded flood disasters and third costliest extreme weather event in Australia ’ s history .
Australian Red Cross highlights that during a disaster , nearly 45 % of small businesses may not receive necessary support due to a lack of information and coordination . Additionally , the Australian Business Roundtable found that 80 % of businesses affected by a natural disaster either do not reopen or fail within two years . To address this issue , Council strategically utilised its economic development Customer Relationship Management System to identify and quantify the scale of impact . This also allowed Council to prioritise and
It is believed the City of Melbourne ’ s shopfront activation program was the most intensive and successful shopfront activation initiative domestically and globally . In total , the program delivered 67 activations of which 39 were located in the CBD-Core delivered by Ginnane & Associates along with Plan1 Project Management & Consultancy . Over 3000 sqm of space was activated in the CBD , delivering 509 weeks of activation .
The program provided a number of businesses to test their concept in a bricks & mortar environment having only existed online previously , creating an estimated 108 full time jobs . Over 60 % of activations stayed open after the program support ended .
FINALIST : Surf Coast Shire Council Covid 19 Recovery Assistance Program The local impacts of the global pandemic were felt far-and-wide in the Surf Coast Shire , creating great uncertainty . The Anglesea to Lorne region was the 10th hardest hit for percentage of job losses in Australia in the initial months of Covid restrictions . Around $ 190m was lost in tourism spend between 2019-2021 .