The NSW Government is offering businesses in Lismore and the Northern Rivers the opportunity to establish their own group or cohort to work together to improve their infrastructure and offerings, ultimately benefiting the community.

Legislation to make it faster and easier for local businesses to establish Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) passed NSW Parliament last Thursday.

An improvement district allows businesses to contribute to a central pot and fund projects that benefit them all and the community around them. Currently, it is possible to form a CID, but the process has proven to be complex, cumbersome and slow.

The CIDs model has fostered business precincts overseas for 50 years. One example is the Times Square Alliance in New York, which is made up of 2,500 local businesses that have come together to improve street amenities and coordinate activations.

At the moment, Lismore City Council has an activation team, and Business Lismore has members who pay a yearly fee for promotion to increase foot traffic and revenue. Last Tuesday, Lismore City Council gave Business Lismore $50,000 to help their cause. However, could niche CIDs form to offer unique regional promotions.

One of the CIDs supported as a pilot scheme by the NSW Government is the Inner West Ale Trail, which has brought together 17 independent breweries across six suburbs - Marrickville, Newtown, St Peters, Camperdown, Enmore and Rozelle – to promote the indie beer boom.

Last Saturday kicked off the Ale Trail’s three-weekend Inner West Country Fest, a celebration of music, food, and community that transforms the Trail into a “free, open-door showcase of the Inner West’s creative spirit, diverse culture and good times”. 

An idea for Two Mates in South Lismore to join the likes of North Wall Brewing in Mullumbimby, Common People Brewing in Bangalow and Seven Mile Brewing in Ballina for month long promotion.

(Two Mates Brewing in South Lismore)

According to the state government, businesses generate four times more revenue in a street with an operating CID model, research has found, with businesses banding together to improve amenities like seating, lighting, street art and signage, or create unique place identities through marketing and communication.

Levies to fund agreed improvements are expected to cost between $400 and $700 approximately per business.

Under the Community Improvement Districts Act 2025, CIDs can raise levies without pursuing the more complex alternative of striking special rates under the Local Government Act 1993.

Individual businesses in a designated area would vote in a ballot to establish at CID. If a two-thirds majority is achieved a CID would be established and a levy introduced.

In tandem with the legislation, the second round of grants under the Community Improvement District pilot program will provide $2 million to improve Carlton Parade, Carlton; Guildford Road, Guildford; Miller Street, Gilgandra and Clarinda Street, Parkes. The pilot funding is designed to support local businesses to coordinate, start implementing change and become self-sustaining CIDs. 

The first round of pilot funding supported 10 communities with all monitored CID pilots reporting an increased average daily spend in the 12 months to February 2025 with St Mary's up $687,000; Murwillumbah up $529,000 and Randwick up $312,000. 

Support for CIDs is part of the NSW Government’s mission to build vibrant communities and make NSW fun again, by revitalising our main streets and bringing our night-time economy back to life. 

One of the guiding principles of the government’s vibrancy agenda is recognising that local councils, businesses and community groups know what works best in their local area. Programs and legislation are designed to empower those groups to shape their precincts in a way that meets local tastes. This is resulting in different offerings, creating an exciting range of experiences across the state.

Minister for Transport, Minister for Music and the Night-Time Economy, John Graham said, “This puts local businesses in the box seat to drive the change they want to see in their community.

“Local businesses know what their communities need to thrive. This legislation and funding will enable them to coordinate and raise money to make the enhancements their main streets and town centres need.

“This is an approach that is already working in NSW. You just need to head out and see the vibrancy at YCK Laneways, the Inner West Ale Trail, or St Marys to see it. This new legislation and a second round of funding will build on this success.

“This is part of the government’s fight to bring our night-time economy back to life. But it’s not about rebuilding the old model which was highly concentrated in Kings Cross and the CBD. This is about supporting a range of unique precincts to thrive.”