Acknowledgement of Country

A message from Mayor Sam Elmir

Welcome to Georges River Councils BUSINESS UNITE. This is our inaugural newsletter for our local business people to keep you informed of events, opportunities, and available support.

Small business in Georges River contributes over $8 billion to the NSW GSP (Gross State Product).

I am dedicated to fostering growth, innovation and connection that strengthens our economy. In July 2020, I advocated for our local businesses through changes to Council’s procurement and continued to voice the social and environmental impact of where Council spends and invests our budget.

In our new Sustainability Procurement Policy additional weighting and selection scores have now been adopted to increase opportunities for locally sourced goods and services. By investing locally, we support the growth of businesses, reduce Council’s carbon footprint and contribute to the future development of our community’s infrastructure, amenities and services.

As part of Council’s commitment to support a thriving local business community the BUSINESS UNITE newsletter will be distributed bi-monthly and include:

  • Council updates on new economic opportunities in the region,
  • Business support for everyday activities and growth.
  • Upcoming and past events.
  • Opportunities to get involved in education, networking and grant funding.

Tell us what else you would like to see in BUSINESS UNITE via email business@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au.

Georges River is open for business.

Magic Of Christmas

Over 22,000 children and adults gathered in Carss Bush Park on Saturday 2nd December for an evening of festive fun at our annual Magic of Christmas event.

Council seeks to maximise opportunities for local businesses at all our major events. At Magic of Christmas we showcased local Christmas-themed retail stalls, and plenty of local food trucks.

We also had some top-notch performances. The entertainment headline was Chris Sebastian, who delighted the attendees with Christmas carols. Other highlights of the afternoon were The Beanies, the Smurfs Christmas Show and Emma Palmer as the show MC. The day ended with some spectacular fireworks over the water.


Georges River Council would like to thank our Major Sponsor, Club Central and our Event Sponsor, Estia Health, for their contributions to this much-loved event.

Cyber Security
One of the biggest threats to modern-day business is cyber security attacks. Council, in partnership with the St George Business Chamber and UTS, hosted a cyber security workshop that provided businesses with insights on how cyber-attacks can occur and what resources and tools are available to minimise their risk of attack. View more information on cyber security from the Australian Government.


Realise Business
Council held an AI Tools for Small Business Marketing workshop in partnership with Realise Business and the St George Business Chamber. The workshop introduced businesses to a selection of cutting-edge AI-powered tools that can revolutionise photo editing, video creation, copywriting, presentations, and crafting compelling email subject lines, saving businesses time and helping to boost creativity. This content is part of the Digital Solutions Program offered by Realise Business to all small businesses across NSW.  

 

Australian Tourism Data Warehouse
Want more visitors to your business? 

Are you a café, restaurant, bar or experience-based business that can attract visitors to our wonderful Georges River?

Australian Tourism Data Warehouse is calling all visitor-based businesses to register your business for the opportunity to get wider reach. The Australian Tourism Data Warehouse information is accessed by Tourism Australia and Destination NSW. It will soon be used to populate the new Discover Georges River website launching in early 2024.

Register your business through the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse.

Did you know? The construction industry had the largest number of total registered businesses in Georges River Council area, comprising 17.1% of all total registered businesses in 2022.

Data source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Business register – originally sourced from ATO data

Learn more about our economic profile and how the construction industry compares to other registered businesses by industry.

Live Performance Venue Accelerator Program

The NSW Government Live Performance Venue Accelerator Program applications are now open. The program aims to increase the number of live performance venues in NSW with industry best practice sound management, build the capacity for live performance opportunities, and generate greater vibrancy in communities. The Live Performance Venue Accelerator is the first phase of a two-phase program.

The Accelerator is designed to rapidly build the capabilities and networks of participating venues and will be delivered by subject-matter experts over a six-week period (February-May 2024) through a series of pre-recorded sessions, in-person workshops and virtual sessions.

Applications close: 13 December 2023, 2:00pm AEDT

Learn more about the Live Venue Accelerator Program Admission Guidelines. Phase two is an open, competitive grants program, opening in February 2024.


General Business Support

Georges River Council Resources and Facilities
The Optus outage served as a stark reminder of our reliance on digital infrastructure and the importance of having access to alternative spaces and resources. We have five libraries in our LGA and three smart chill hubs that provide places for internet connectivity to communicate to your clients and staff or access essential services. These spaces provide opportunities to support businesses in the event of a telecommunications crisis.


Small Business Commissioner 

The Commissioner works with government, industry groups and other stakeholders to reduce red tape and make it easier for small businesses to operate and supports the fair treatment of small business.


Service NSW

Solutions for small business including personalised support, disaster and emergency assistance, support for women in business, toll relief for sole traders, support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, recovery support and financial support.


Business Grants

NSW Government

Find a government initiative, grant or funding program to help support your business, your project or your community such as SafeWork small business rebates, small project grants and infrastructure grants


business.gov.au

Support for businesses in Australia. Providing advice and information on grants, services, planning, registrations, finance, legal and risk management. 


Led by local business people across various sectors, the St George Business Chamber is passionately committed to fostering robust business connections and advocating for its members at all levels of government. The Chamber’s mission revolves around four pivotal pillars: Collaboration, Economic Development, Infrastructure support, and beautification. Council is pleased to serve as a gold sponsor of the Chamber, as week seek to foster a thriving local business environment.

To become a member of the St George Business Chamber please visit their website StGeorgeBC.org.

LUNAR NEW YEAR

Saturday, 3 February 2024 | 12 – 9pm | Forest Rd and Hurstville Plaza 

Council will welcome in the Year of the Dragon as part of our Lunar New Year Festival on Saturday 3 February 2024. Join us on Forest Road, Hurstville to enjoy a range of food and market stalls and roving performances or head over to Hurstville Plaza to view the amazing entertainment on stage. 

Funding for this event is provided by NSW Government (Multicultural NSW). This event is also sponsored by SBS, Oriental Merchants, Chemist Warehouse and Club Central Hurstville. There are some sponsorship opportunities still available - see below. Council will be contacting all local Hurstville businesses in early 2024 with more information about Lunar New Year and how you could maximise the opportunity for your business.

IN GOOD TASTE

Friday 16 February 2024 | 4.30 – 9.00pm | MacMahon St, Hurstville 

The festival celebrates food from around the globe, offering a variety of food stalls from many different cuisines representing the multicultural and diverse city we live in. In addition to the diverse gastronomic food stalls, there will be multicultural dance and music on stage.

UN[CONTAINED] EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Submissions close at midnight 21 January 2024.

Georges River Council held the successful COVID-19 safe Un[contained] Arts Festival in June 2023, which attracted over 40,000 people. Georges River Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from artists/teams of artists to create and install of a number of artworks to contribute to the Un[contained] Arts Festival, returning to Kogarah in July 2024.

The project aims to enliven Belgrave Street, Kogarah, and increase the cultural vibrancy of the area once again. This project is intended to disrupt what people think of as ‘art’, spark curiosity and a sense of play in the community, bring new contemporary artists to the area, and give a platform for local artists to showcase their works. Complete your application now.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Sponsorship opportunities are available for most of our events, and it is the perfect opportunity to align your brand with the best that the Georges River area has to offer, capitalise on the large attendance at our events, all while contributing significantly to our local economy. Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities.

Georges River Council
Corner MacMahon and Dora Streets
Hurstville NSW 2220

Phone: (02) 9330 6400

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