The importance of main streets to the nation’s economy, and 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.

Launched over 20 years ago, 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.

Held in conjunction with Main Streets of Australia Week this year, we are looking forward to putting a spotlight on the innovative ideas, hard work and perserverence that ensures the development and continuity of these local precincts.

Read on for:

• 2022 awards categories
• key dates
• 2021 winners and finalists in each category
• a digital publication outlining the entry of every winner, with a summary of finalists
• judges (TBC for 2022)

Key Dates:

• Monday, Feb 6 – entries open
• Sunday, March 26 – entries close
• Monday, April 17 – 3 x finalists per category announced
• Friday, May 19 – Awards gala dinner and ceremony, held during Main Streets of Australia Week

2022 Awards categories:

1. Best main street place activation, event or initiative – council working with Trader Association, traders, community group etc – activity cost under 100k
2. Best main street place activation, event or initiative – council working with Trader Association, traders, community group etc – activity cost over 100k
3. Best main street place activation, event or initiative – business/trader association with a special levy – activity cost under 100k
4. Best main street place activation, event or initiative – for unfunded organisations/associations
5. Best main street place activation, event or initiative – supplier/consultant category
6. Best traditional/digital marketing – Council/Government
7. Best traditional/digital marketing – non-Council/Govt organisations ie. associations, chambers, NFPs
8. Best main street streetscape and design 
9. Best regional main street or town centre
10. Most sustainable main street or town centre
11. Best management committee
12. Main Street Champion award

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

Awards Finalists 2021:

Main Street Public Space and Streetscape Design Award

WINNER: Brimbank City Council (Hampshire Road Civic Green project)
Maroondah City Council (Ringwood East Place Activation Project)
City of Port Phillip (Live, Love Local – Temporary Play Spaces and multi-use platforms)

Digital and/or Traditional Marketing Award for Promotion of a Program Initiative, Activity or Event

WINNER: Banyule City Council (Rediscover Local Campaign)
Wellington Shire Council (The Middle of Everywhere)
Footscray Traders Association (#LoveFootscray)

Outstanding Management Committee / Business Association / Trader Group Award

WINNER: Ashburton Shopping Centre Traders Association
West Vic Business
YMP Mainstreet

Outstanding Contribution to a Main Street – Mainstreet Champion

WINNER: Marty Thomas (nominated by South Gippsland Shire Council)
About Sight

Program Initiative, Activity or Event Award: With a budget under $50,000 (no special rate)

JOINT WINNER: Kensington Business Association (March Madness!)
JOINT WINNER: West Vic Business (The Business Reimagined Series)
Eastern Dandenong Ranges Assoc. Inc (Get your Fill in the Hills!)

Program Initiative, Activity or Event Award: With a budget over $50,000 (no special rate)

WINNER: Clunes Neighbourhood House (Boom Clunes)
Mirboo Country Development Inc (Reinvigorate Ridgeway)
Glen Waverley Traders Association (supported by the City of Monash) (Lighting up Kingsway Precinct)

Program Initiative, Activity or Event Award: With a budget under $100k (with a special rate)

WINNER: St Albans Business Association Group Inc (St Albans Digital Lunar Festival 2021)
Kew Junction Business Association (Kew Progressive Dinner)
Mildura City Heart (The UP Program)

Council Program Initiative, Activity or Event Award: With a budget under $100,000

WINNER: Brisbane City Council (BNE Local and Liveable)
City of Stonnington (Prahran Square)
City of Port Phillip (Dessert First)

Council Program Initiative, Activity or Event Award: With a budget over $100,000 

WINNER: Wyndham City Council (MADE on Watton)
City of Stonnington (Outdoor Dining Program)
City of Greater Geelong (Little Malop Central)

Best Regional Main Street

WINNER: Business Mount Alexander
West Vic Business 

 Best COVID-19 Response Initiative in a Main Street

WINNER: Western Melbourne Tourism Inc (Westside Crawls)
Camberwell Centre Association (We’ve Still got it All)
City People Pty. Ltd. (Wanna Dance?)

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.