Parklet Pilot Program launches in Jan Juc

On Friday 19 January, Surf Coast Shire Council’s Parklet Pilot Program began at Beach Hotel in Jan Juc, between 3-9 Stuart Avenue.

The program seeks to help to develop thriving streetscapes which encourage neighbourhood interactions, and make the most of the town’s beautiful surrounds. It will be up and running until the end of daylight savings (Monday 8 April).

Parklets are initiatives that use on-street parking zones adjacent to hospitality businesses. They transform curb-side parking spaces into vibrant community spaces, offering public seating and opportunities for street dining or green spaces.

During this period, the Council is seeking community, business, and visitor feedback via a two-minute survey, accessible via QR codes on tables at the parklet or by visiting  yoursay.surfcoast.vic.gov.au/parklet.

You can complete the survey, sign up to receive updates about the project, or you can find out more by contacting contact the team directly at info@surfcoast.vic.gov.au or alternatively call 5261 0600.

Survey responses close on Monday, 8 April 2024

Tiny House on Wheels Pilot - Affordable Accommodation for Workers?

Australian housing affordability is in crisis, affecting all parts of the country, in regional, rural and city locations.

In May 2021, Council declared a key worker accommodation crisis in recognition of how a lack of affordable accommodation was impacting the economy and sustainability of local communities.

In an effort to provide more affordable and sustainable accommodation options, the council  began its Tiny House on Wheels Pilot.

This will allow the council to test the conditions under which Tiny Houses on Wheels are allowed and regulated, which according to the Australian Tiny House Association, "may also encourage other local government areas to follow the same pathway".

The pilot will be running until 13 December 2026, so if you would like more information or to download the the THOW's resources visit the Tiny House on Wheels Pilot page, or email tinyhouse@surfcoast.vic.gov.au. You can also speak to our Planning team directly by calling 5261 0600

Top grants for your business in 2024

Each year there are hundreds of grants across local, state, and federal levels that are available to businesses.

To ensure that your business isn’t missing out on programs that could help you grow, improve, and innovate, the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has released its list of Top Grants for 2024.

The Victorian Chamber has a Grant Finder tool available for members to help find and determine your eligibility for these programs. 

Here you can find grants targeted across a number of sectors including Small Business, Digital Economies and Hospitality, as well as dedicated programs to support First Nations Businesses, promotion of Energy efficiency as well as those supporting Wellbeing and Mental Health initiatives. 

Here are our tops picks:
•    Self-Employment Assistance provides support to people interested in starting their own business or who need help to refocus an existing small business.
•    Regional Hospitality Traineeship provides incentives to regional Victorian hospitality and tourism businesses to take on trainees.
•    Small Business Technology Investment Boost allows small businesses to claim a 20 per cent bonus deduction on technology expenditure to help digitise their business.

To read the full list visit the Victorian Chamber website, and to find out more go to the dedicated about Programs and Grants page.

Free online business courses

Adopting a belief that your basic abilities are not fixed, and committing to learning and developing over time, can ensure your future business success.

While you may be meeting the needs of your business right now, the trading challenges that you will need to face to remain successful can change over time, and often will require new skills, especially in relation to digital and social media, and it's growing importance to business. 

In order to help you access the resources you need to take you business further, Business Victoria has a list of short courses, online events and resources from the state’s top education providers and industry experts to help you upskill and run your business better.

Covering some of the most requested topics including Cybersecurity, Social Media and Content Marketing, many courses are available for free, and most are designed to be able to be completed in only a few hours.

Visit the Business Victoria searchable database to find out more.

NAB Q4 Consumer Sentiment Survey

As a business, its important to understand consumer behavior and trends, in order to position your business offerings. A great resource for this is the NAB Consumer Sentiment survey

Its latest quarterly report has shown that while cost of living stress have started to level out, concerns relating to job security continued to climb.

During the December quarter, Australian consumers continued to respond to cost of living pressures by cutting back or cancelling spending in several areas, with the most common cutbacks  seen in non-discretionary goods and services

The survey showed that around 54% cancelled or cut back eating out at restaurants, 50% cut back from buying micro treats(coffee's, snacks, lunch), while 47% cut out entertainment, including going to cinemas and theatres.

There were some areas where consumers were very reluctant to cut back on; mainly around spending on kids, which included only 10% that were willing to cut back on private school fees and private tutors and 13% on children's activities such as sport and dance classes. 

And in good news for the 4-legged members of the family, only 18% were willing to cut down on spending on their pets !

To get a copy of the survey visit NAB's Business Research and Insights page

Scams impersonating the ATO up by 400%

The Australian Taxation office has announced that it will no longer include hyperlinks in any of its unsolicited SMS messages by Tax Time in 2024.

This is in response to the significant increase in SMS scams impersonating the ATO by cybercriminals, which increased by a whopping 400% in the 2022-23 financial year.

It was reported there were over 25,000 ATO impersonation scams that were reported, luckily those that paid money to a scammer only numbered 28, a 66% decrease.

To find out more and to stay up to date with how to identify a scam, and what are some of the best ways to protect your identity, visit the ATO’s dedicated Identity security and scams page

What is the Business Concierge service?

The free Business Concierge service is designed to take the stress out of getting permits and to make the experience as smooth as possible at each stage of the process. You can submit a business proposal online or use use our Business Permit Self Assessment Tool  when you visit our website. 

Or just contact the Business Concierge directly on 5261 600 or business@surfcoast.vic.gov.au.

Also check out our FAQs about permits for businesses

Would You Like More Event News?

Sign up for the Surf Coast Events monthly newsletter to get all your event news in one place.

March see's the return of the annual Deans Marsh Festival - now in its's 26th year.

From 10am - 6pm on the 17th March, it will showcase a regional producers market, competitions & games, live music, kids entertainment, art, food, wine and so much more, all in a beautiful setting.

Visit the Surf Coast Events page to find out more and add it to your calendar today !

The Surf Coast Business Collective Newsletter gives local business support information and is published by the Economic Development & Tourism Unit of the Surf Coast Shire Council.