The importance of main streets to the State’s economy, social and environmental landscape, cannot be underestimated.

Behind every one of these streets are committed businesses, volunteers, committee and community members, centre managers and Councils who respond to constant challenges and ensure main streets thrive, through their hard work, dedication and initiative.

The Mainstreet Australia Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of the people, programs and organisations that ensure the ongoing success and survival of our main streets.

Launched over 20 years ago, they were last held in 2016 and we are excited to be relaunching for 2021, with our Awards Gala held on October 22. You can see all information on Gala and book tickets at this link.

Key Dates:

• Week starting July 12 – entries open
• September 1 – entries close
• September 22 – 3 x finalists per category announced
• October 22 – Awards gala dinner and ceremony

Awards categories:

1. Main Street Public Space and Streetscape Design Award
2. Digital and/or Traditional Marketing Award for Promotion of a Program Initiative, Activity or Event
3. Outstanding Management Committee / Business Association / Trader Group Award
4. Outstanding Contribution to a Main Street – Mainstreet Champion
5. Program Initiative, Activity or Event Award: With a budget under $50,000 (no special rate)
6. Program Initiative, Activity or Event Award: With a budget over $50,000 (no special rate)
7. Program Initiative, Activity or Event Award: With a budget under $100k (with a special rate)
8. Program initiative, activity or event Award: With a budget over $100k (with a special rate)
9. Best Regional Main Street
10. Best COVID-19 Response Initiative in a Main Street

Winners of each category will receive a Mainstreet Australia Awards trophy and certificate. 

About the judges:

Cameron Brown: A third generation retailer, Cameron had extensive experience overseas in the digital advertising industry before coming home to continue on the family retail operation. His initiatives re-founded the previously dormant Geelong West Business Association for which he chairs along with his position with Mainstreet Australia.

Barbara Cullen: Barbara is the Director, Industry Sector Engagement in the Victorian Government’s Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, with a remit on COVIDSafe business and industry.

Prior to her 15 years in government, Barbara had roles in the retail sector including as CEO of the Australian Booksellers Association, in retail management for local and international brands and as a business operator and resident, as an active member of local business groups in the Melbourne CBD.

Michael Stott: Michael is an urban designer and strategic planner who has spent the last 20+ years working on projects around the world, including for several leading, globally recognised consultancies and government entities at the forefront of changing how cities are designed and planned.

Through his practice, Urbis, Michael focuses on creating compelling, place-led design solutions and delivering projects that work to increase the quality of life of community residents, whether through strategic planning and policy development, individual site design or large-scale master plans, urban design for new transportation corridors, or the design of a community park or intimate urban plaza.

Valli Morphett: Valli is a placemaking thought leader, webinar guru and co-design specialist who has spent over two decades driving systemic place-based change within Government & the consulting sectors. Ex-CEO of multi-award winning CoDesign Studio Valli now leads her own placemaking enterprise, Design Jam. Passionate about communities of practice, Valli convened the Place Jam placemaking peer network in 2015 which now has over 1,000 members from across the southern hemisphere. She is an AU representative on the global PlacemakingX network and is past South Australian IAP2 Coordinator. Valli has an extensive background career in Urban Design and Landscape Architecture within Australia and the UK. In her spare time Valli is a pavement chalk artist.