5 March 2026

In this edition of Business Link - Local Impact Business Grant winners, Maldon celebrates 60 years as a Notable Town, Support our Own. Choose Locally Grown campaign, upcoming workshops and training, and the next BMA networking event. We also highlight significant new event funding opportunities for local organisers.

Local Impact Business Grant winners announced

Council's new grant program backs small, practical initiatives that strengthen the region’s wellbeing economy. The program funds projects of up to $5,000 that support local businesses, farmer networks, and community organisations, with a focus on long‑term economic resilience. Projects will be delivered by June 2026.

The following six projects were successful.

• Harcourt Farming Co‑op - Growing Cultural Understanding through Bushfoods Education
  In collaboration with Murnong Mummas, the Co-op will develop a bushfoods education programme, creating a replicable model for embedding First Nations knowledge into local food businesses.

• Business Mount Alexander Inc. -  Buy Local Campaign
  In partnership with local media outlets, this project uses a rewards card system to encourage residents to shop locally and keep economic value within the shire.

• Business Mount Alexander Inc - Digital Upskilling
  A series of workshops will be delivered that will provide small businesses with practical training in branding, online visibility, and AI tools to reduce costs and improve sustainability.

• Ecoimagine - Regenerative Business Toolkit
  Ecoimagine will develop a digital guide to help local businesses adopt circular economy practices.

• Long Road Olive Co‑operative - Best Backyard Bonanza
  A series of workshops focusing on small-scale orchard productivity, enhancing local food production and cooperative enterprise models.

• Lifeline Loddon Mallee - Accidental Counsellor training
  This initiative specifically addresses bushfire recovery, equipping small business owners and their staff with the skills to support customers in crisis 

Share your 2026 Maldon events

Maldon Inc invites local businesses to share details of upcoming events, workshops, or special experiences for the 2026 Website Calendar of Events. This central resource helps locals and visitors discover the unique offerings of Maldon, supporting a vibrant destination for all.
Whether you have a one-off demonstration or a full program of activities, listing your event is an effective way to reach new audiences. Submissions are welcome at any time as new events are scheduled. 

You'll need to email through the following details:

• Business name
• Event title
• Date(s) and time(s)
• Location
• Contact details
• Ticketing information/price (if applicable)
• Booking link (if available)

Maldon - 60 years a notable town

This year Maldon community marks the 60th anniversary of Maldon being named Australia’s first ‘Notable Town’ by the National Trust of Australia. This recognition celebrates the unique heritage streetscapes and the gold mining landscapes that make Maldon so special.

Maldon Inc and the Maldon Heritage Network are encouraging local businesses to join the year-long celebration. This is a great opportunity to draw in visitors by hosting a special event, workshop, or themed offering.

To help create a unified look across town, four official anniversary logos are now available. Use them in your social media, on your website, on posters and shop signage, product displays and more. 
Commemorative window decals will also be distributed soon for Maldon shopfronts. By using the anniversary branding, the town can show visitors a cohesive and proud message as we celebrate this major milestone together.

Support our Own. Choose Locally Grown.

Healthy Loddon Campaspe, in partnership with growers and retailers across our region, is leading the Support Our Own. Choose Locally Grown campaign running 1 March - 24 April. This promotes Loddon Campaspe-grown fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy and lean meats/alternatives. The campaign aims to enhance awareness and consumption of Loddon Campaspe-grown produce available locally and at local food retailers.

If you're a local grower and would like to be involved, email hlc@bendigo.vic.gov.au with your details. Get on the map and raise your profile as a grower.

Head to the website and check out the local produce map, local grower bios and much more.

Key online shopping dates 2026

Business Victoria has released its 2026 guide to significant online shopping events, including Click Frenzy, Black Friday, and seasonal holidays. For local retailers and makers, these dates provide a structured framework for managing inventory and digital marketing throughout the year.

Early awareness of events such as Mother’s Day (10 May) or the end-of-financial-year sales (30 June) allows for more effective planning of staffing and stock levels. Aligning with these recognised dates can assist small businesses in reaching a broader customer base during periods of increased consumer activity.

The guide provides a month-by-month breakdown of relevant dates along with practical suggestions for online operations. 

Standing with Harcourt & launch of Buy Local campaign

Business Mount Alexander (BMA) invites the local business community to its first networking event of the year. This gathering is an opportunity to reconnect and reflect on the recent bushfires that impacted Harcourt and surrounding areas.

The evening will acknowledge the rapid response of our regional businesses in supporting recovery efforts. It also provides a supportive, informal setting for fire-affected business owners to reconnect with peers. Additionally, BMA will officially launch the Buy Local campaign, a rewards program designed to incentivise local spending and strengthen our shire's economy.

Admission includes a drink on arrival. While the event is free for BMA members and bushfire-affected businesses, registration is essential for all attendees.

📅 Wednesday 11 March 2026 
🕔 5.30pm to 8.00pm
📍Boomtown Winery & Bistro Shed 10/9 Walker St, Castlemaine VIC 3450
💲Free for members and fire-affected businesses; $15 for non-members

Council Event Grant applications now open

Applications are open for the next round of Mount Alexander Shire Event Grants. Funding can be used for a wide variety of event-related costs including:

• Venue hire
• Equipment hire
• Wash Against Waste Trailer
• Marketing
• Traffic management

📅 Applications close Monday 16 March.

Regional Events Grants

The Victorian Government Regional Events Fund provides significant financial support for regional events. This program is designed to grow the local visitor economy by backing festivals and events that showcase the unique character of Victoria's regions.

Two key funding streams are currently available for local application:

• Stream 2: Event Growth and Development: Funding of up to $500,000 to increase the economic impact of medium to large-scale events.

• Stream 3: Event Industry Support: Grants of up to $50,000 to build capability and support marketing for events that attract visitors from across Victoria and interstate.

To apply, read the Regional Events Fund Guidelines to ensure your event meets the funding criteria and discuss the event with Destination Central Victoria (DCV) to obtain a required letter of support.

📅 Stream 2 Round 6 deadline: 23 March 2026.
      Stream 3 Status: Applications are processed monthly

Future plans for Harcourt: workshop update

A big thank you to the 60 local business owners who joined us on 23 February at the Harcourt Leisure Centre for the Bushfire Business Support Day. With the Harcourt Progress Association we sat down to talk about what businesses need right now and where we want to be in five years.

The workshop highlighted some great ideas for the future, like turning Harcourt Cooperative Cool Stores into a busy hub for small businesses and local logistics. There was also a strong focus on working together to market our region, making sure visitors know that Harcourt is open and ready to welcome them.

We are now passing these ideas on to state government agencies and support groups so they understand exactly what our community needs to recover and grow. Your feedback is helping us push for better infrastructure and more support for the local economy.

• Head here to read the output of the business community workshop 
• Watch a recording of the day's speakers and panel discussion
• Read the FAQs for Fire Impacted Business Owners from Council's planning team  

Tell us how your business has been affected by the recent fire event

We want to know if your business has been affected by the recent fire event in our region.

Council wants to know how many businesses have been impacted, and to what extent. We can connect you to support services and advocate on behalf of shire businesses for state and federal support.

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Mount Alexander Shire Council
email: business@mountalexander.vic.gov.au  web: www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Mount Alexander Shire Council acknowledges that the traditional custodians of this
land, the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung peoples, proudly survive. We acknowledge their continued practice of custom and their close cultural, spiritual, physical, social, historical and economic relationship with the land and waters that make up
their country, which includes Mount Alexander Shire.