Reimagining Local Spaces & Events: Outcomes & Opportunities
Wine Bar Concept - Piccadilly Lane Way
Benalla’s community of business owners, creatives and local leaders came together to explore a reoccuring question: How can we unlock the hidden potential of our town through events and activations?
The session, hosted by BBN at RATT, was all about reimagining the spaces around us — from overlooked car parks to forgotten community halls — and finding new ways to spark life, creativity and connection.
Inspiration from elsewhere
Guests were inspired by creative case studies from across regional Victoria, including:
Pop-Up Park (Shepparton): Turned a CBD car park into a vibrant food and event hub
Friday Nights at The Mill (Castlemaine): Brought live music and food trucks to an industrial site
Renew Newcastle / Geelong: Matched creatives with empty shops to test ideas affordably
Laneway Series: Used alleyways, garages, and halls for dinners, music, or film nights
Each case study sparked new ways to think about local spaces — not as fixed or forgotten, but as canvases for community imagination.
Group discussions: What could happen in Benalla?
Participants broke into small groups to identify:
Potential activation spaces
From the heart of town to the outskirts, dozens of ideas were shared:
Town & Urban Spots: The Shed, Piccadilly Lane, Town Hall, Library carpark, Jaycee Island
Green & Public Areas: Lake Benalla, Botanical Gardens, Rocket Park, Splash Park
Underutilised Buildings: SCC Building, CAW Hall, Moira House, Masonic Hall
Regional Assets: Winton Wetlands, Winton Raceway, Gliding Club, Dookie Quarry, Lake Nillahcootie
Observation: there was a clear appetite for reactivating quirky or unexpected locations.
Events people want
Benalla locals are craving:
Social & Fun: Car cruise nights, trivia, comedy, discos, family days
Cultural & Inclusive: Migrant meal nights, Greek food/music, themed fundraising dinners
Creative & Youth-Focused: Freeza gigs, raves, axe throwing, remote control boats
Seasonal & Recurring: Winter markets, Christmas in July, regular night markets
Linked Events: Pop-ups that pair with existing large events like those at Winton Raceway
Themes: affordability, regularity, and inclusivity were central to the ideas shared.
Challenges holding us back
Some common barriers emerged:
Lack of undercover winter venues
Limited weekend transport options
High rents and empty shops
Short café and retail hours on weekends
Permitting confusion, promotion challenges, and access to grants
Volunteer fatigue and small business bandwidth
Who needs to be involved?
To move from idea to action, collaboration is key:
BBN – as a connector, convener and voice for the business community
Council – for permits, funding guidance and space access
Landowners & Businesses – to offer spaces and trial pop-ups
Community Groups & Creatives – to design and deliver fresh programming
Tourism & Grants Bodies – to amplify and support growth
Opportunities
To keep momentum going, the following ideas were proposed:
Pilot Activations: Try small wins now—like a spring Wine & Cheese event in Piccadilly Lane or a live music event near the pizza oven at The Shed.
Form Working Groups: Gather people passionate about specific sites or themes to drive projects forward.
Host a Funding & Permits Workshop: Teach locals how to find grants, navigate permits and market events.
Create an Event Toolkit: Provide ready-made templates, marketing tips and how-to guides.
Develop a Seasonal Calendar: Coordinate and promote a rolling event schedule for 2025–2026.
Leverage Existing Events: Piggyback on Winton Raceway, the Benalla Festival, or other major events.
Vacant Space Strategy: Trial short term pop-ups in collaboration with property owners, inspired by the success of Renew Newcastle.
Next Steps
Form a working group to help drive a pilot activation. If you’re interested in being part of a working, please register your interest below by 31st August.