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I recently had the opportunity to attend the International Downtown Association’s 2026 Annual Conference in Toronto - three days bringing together more than 1,300 place leaders from around the world to explore the forces reshaping our downtowns, main streets and precincts. Toronto was a particularly fitting place for these conversations. It is the birthplace of the Business Improvement Area (BIA) model, which began there in 1970 and has since influenced approaches to precinct management around the world. The conference theme, Intersections: Where Districts, Disciplines & Ideas Converge, also reflected something that came through strongly across almost every session: successful places
The new rules are high on everyone’s radar. From 7 day payment deadlines to new reporting requirements and changes to the payroll process, we have the answers to Payday Super’s most commonly asked questions.
There’s something powerful about seeing your own main street through someone else’s eyes. Recently, Mainstreet Australia’s President Troy Stuchbree (in one of his last events for Mainstreet) hosted Jan Boots, CEO of a leading town centre management organisation in Brussels, for a walking tour of Sydney Road in Brunswick — one of Melbourne’s most iconic, longest and culturally layered high streets.
Twenty standout restaurants – 15 across Melbourne and Sydney and 5 in Auckland – have been selected as grantees of the American Express Backing International Small Restaurants program. Each restaurant is receiving a grant of $15,000 USD ($23,000 AUD / $25,000 NZD) for critical improvements to their business, supporting their long-term growth. In partnership with the International Downtown Association (IDA) Foundation and supported by Mainstreet Australia, the American Express program offers grants to small, independent restaurants, empowering them to make critical improvements like refreshing dining spaces, enhancing digital tools and improving kitchen operations.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy and we want to do everything we can to help them succeed." In 2023, Ipswich City Council and Mainstreet Australia launched a new Shopfront Savvy event to help businesses improve their understanding of the local market and elevate their business knowledge. The event, held during Queensland Small Business Month, enabled businesses to meet industry experts, hear tips and advice, and gain tools for growth and success.
The Faces of Greythorn project brought history to life through six larger-than-life chainsaw-carved statues dotting Greythorn Central's shopping strip. Led by Marketing Coordinator Yolanda Torrisi, the three-year initiative (including two years of COVID delays) saw the Greythorn Traders Association co-fund professional historical research and sculpture creation. Each statue - from orchardist Ferdinand Finger to businesswoman Evie Kay - represents the people who shaped this iconic North Balwyn precinct.
Mainstreet Australia launched a partnership plan with the Victorian Government to protect and enhance main streets facing unprecedented pressures. Executive Officer Elizabeth Joldeski warned that vacancy rates had risen to 20% in some areas since COVID-19, threatening the tradition of local shopping. The organisation forecasted that with proper support, Victoria's main street businesses could employ an additional 66,000 people by 2030 and grow their economic contribution from $50 billion to $60 billion.
Throughout all the hardships, main streets around Australia have shown their strength, but they remain under threat. It doesn’t matter where you are in Australia, a town's main street is key for a community and its local economy. But - according to Mainstreet Australia, the peak body for main street traders - businesses will continue to suffer without urgent action by local, state and federal governments.
Main streets, town centres, malls, thoroughfares, high streets and shopping centres are the lifeblood of local communities…and it is no different in the Hawkesbury. After years of hardship, from bushfires, to floods, to COVID-19 and now the cost-of-living crisis, the whole region is fighting its way back.
Explore John Henshall's legacy as a champion of downtown revitalisation and cultural tourism. His e-book, Downtown Revitalisation and Delta Blues in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and Elle Hardy's article, Curing Clarksdale's Blues, offer insights into leveraging cultural heritage and community-led initiatives to transform main streets and small towns.