The Mooroolbark Traders and Community Group have an impressive list of achievements since their inception. This couldn’t be acheived without the Partnership program, and the Traders who volunteer their time on the MTCG committee.
Recent Achievements -2022 onwards
- Secured several grants for specific projects and events;
- Placed defibrillator location stickers on shop windows;
- Hosted our most successful Christmas campaign yet, includes organising Christmas street decorations;
- Worked with Mooroolbark Men’s Shed to build a new Santa’s Mailbox for Christmas 2023 and beyond;
- Upgraded the Mooroolbark website at https://www.mooroolbark.vic.au/;
- Maintained an active social media presence on the Mooroolbark Facebook Page, Group and Instagram;
- Continued the Mooroolbark Street Art Project to raise the profile of Mooroolbark;
- Paid for the insurance and maintenance of eight security cameras;
- Provided a central point of contact for local businesses to answer enquiries/connect them with relevant bodies or information; and
- Continued advocacy for the redevelopment of the Terrace Shopping Centre.
Past Achievements (2017-2021)
Digital & Print Communications
- Employ a graphic designer to create the Mooroolbark branding (M logo, etc.) to unify our communications and make our promotions easily recognisable to the public. (2017)
- Create and maintain the Mooroolbark website and online directory at http://mooroolbark.vic.au/
- Contract professional photographs of a range of traders, in particular for the website. (2017)
- Create and maintain a public database for improved communications and marketing.
- Design, print & distribute 4000 Mooroolbark directory brochures.
- Promote annual community activities, supported events & trader promotions via:
- design & distribution of posters in shops.
- emails to our growing public database.
- social media.
- school newsletters.
- local newspapers advertisements.
- Yarra Ranges Life TV.
- media releases.
- Create and maintain Mooroolbark’s growing social media presence, in particular via our Instagram, Facebook Page and Facebook Groups (Mooroolbark Community, Mooroolbark Businesses, Mooroolbark Street Art and Mooroolbark Level Crossing Removal).
- Create and maintain a database of the 185 traders in the Mooroolbark precinct
- Inform local businesses of local business news and opportunities via email and hard copy newsletter distribution.
- Produce “I ❤️Mooroolbark” stickers, bunting & pull-up banners for events.
- Conduct and encourage community networking in order to build a more connected, safe, friendly and loyal community of residents, workers, shoppers and traders.
Streetscape
- Replace missing shop numbers and contract the design & installation of the “Mooroolbark” sign at the entrance to the train station.
- Install, purchase & maintain new and existing street Christmas decorations.
Events, Entertainment & Attractions
- Coordinate & promote the Mooroolbark Food Festival for 2 years.
- Coordinate & promote annual engagement activities for Christmas, Easter, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Days, etc., including:
- Engage roving performers to visit shops (incl. Santa, Easter Bunny) & arrange public photo opportunities.
- Produce shop-local and colouring-in competitions. (eg. Christmas Hampers).
- Support Celebrate Mooroolbark, the Yarra Valley Wool & Handicraft Show, and Microbee Technology’s Mini-Vintage Computer Faire.
Mooroolbark Street Art Project
- Secure funding through grant applications for street art.
- Conduct Mooroolbark Street Art Planning, Consultation and Coordination (with the implementation to be carried out by mid-2020).
Artist & Community-in-Residence
- Auspice the Artist & Community-in-Residence (AiR) Project and support the work of the Art Rangers Network in implementing the AiR Project to bring life and activity to The Terrace (whilst simultaneously working behind the scenes to find a solution for the Shopping Centre).
Training Opportunities
- Host Going Digital Workshop with Shayne Tilley.
- Offer window display and marketing workshops.
- Provide one-on-one assistance with basic social media skills to businesses who take up the offer.
Representation
- Work with Council and the Mooroolbark Terrace Shopping Centre shop owners for the redevelopment of The Terrace Shopping Centre and the eventual second supermarket.
- Lobby for the multi-level car park which is now being built along with the Skyrail, level crossing removal and new station.
- Lobby for the replacement of the old analogue security cameras to digital – completed in 2019.
- Lobby for street beautification to Council and Body Corporates, this is ongoing but has at times resulted in repairs to pavements, better lighting, improved garden beds, etc. (Council is returning to fix the garden beds soon!)
- Lobby for the resolution of parking issues – ongoing. Eg. Charles Street on-street parking, which was changed from all-day parking to limited parking and a request has gone to Council to increase restrictions behind The Terrace seeing as the IGA is no longer trading. The objective is for all traders and their staff to have easy parking within walking distance of work.
- Represent your concerns with a united voice to the Level Crossing Removal Authority regarding the construction phase and final outcomes of the crossing removal. Eg. The traders Lobbied for and were successful in the removal of the proposed entry/exit from the multi-level car park onto Brice Avenue, thus preventing a bottleneck during peak hours and potentially adding another 800 cars using Brice Avenue each weekday.