| 2026 REGIONAL MAINSTREET FORUM IN WAIKERIE | |
| VENUE – WAIKERIE HOTEL MOTEL | |
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| | PRE-FORUM WORKSHOPS – SUNDAY MAY 24th |
| Times | Speaker | Topic |
| | | |
| 2.00-3.00pm | SHELLEY COX | FROM IDEA to MAINSTREET: The Real Journey when Starting a Business |
| | with a Local Business Panel – Jo-anne Cain, Tanya Starling, Jade Lekse |
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| 3.00pm – 5.00pm | SHELLEY COX | Five FREE Actions to Grow Your Brand Locally |
| | | Coaching and mentoring workshop |
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| 12 noon – 5pm | OPTIONAL LEISURE ACTIVITIES | GOLFING, WAIKERIE GLIDING CLUB, |
| RAIN MOTH GALLERY, WAR MUSEUM, | CLIFFTOP WALK, RIVERGUM CRUISES |
| 6.00pm -7pm | WAIKERIE HOTEL BALCONY | INFORMAL WELCOME RECEPTION |
| | | |
| | REGIONAL MAINSTREET FORUM – MONDAY MAY 25TH |
| 8.00am | FORUM DELEGATE REGISTRATION | WAIKERIE HOTEL |
| | | |
| 8.45am – 8.55am | SONIA FOWLER (WBA DEPUTY CHAIR) WELCOME & LW MAYOR TREVOR NORTON |
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| 8.55am – 9.45am | MATT WAGNER KEYNOTE | MAIN STREETS IN EVOLUTION |
| | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | MAIN STREET AMERICA |
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| 9.50am – 10.35am | DANIELLE HOBBS | ACTIVATING MILDURA’S CBD: A Regional Main Street Case Study |
| | MANAGING DIRECTOR | MILDURA CITY HEART |
| | Presentation & Panel | with City Heart Board Members |
| | |
| 10.35am | DAN VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN | SMALL BUSINESS COMMISSIONER |
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| 10.45am – 11.00am | Coffee Break | Delegate Introductions |
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| 11.00am – 11.30am | DAVID WEST | CARING FOR MAINSTREET – WHOSE JOB IS IT ANYWAY? |
| | Director | Premier Retail Marketing |
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| 11.30am – 12.00pm | JAMES HAYTER | DESIGN IS MORE THAN DECORATION including Case Studies |
| | Director | OXIGEN Design |
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| 12.00pm – 12.45pm | ELKE KROFT | DESIGNING STREETS FOR PEOPLE, NOT CARS
|
| | Co-Founder | Advier Consultants |
| | | |
| 12.45pm – 1.15pm | MICHAEL MCKEOWN | STOP FIXING PARKING: The Real Issues Facing Regional Main Streets |
| | Director | Jensen PLUS |
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| 1.15pm – 1.45pm | LUNCH BREAK | Delegate Introductions |
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| 1.45pm – 2.15pm | DEB LARWOOD | REBRANDING A SMALL COUNTRY TOWN |
| | Chief Executive Officer | District Council of KIMBA |
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| 2.15pm – 2.45pm | STAVROS ZIKOU | MARKETING MAIN STREETS: BIG IMPACT WITH SMALL BUDGETS |
| | Director | MARKETA MELBOURNE |
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| 2.45pm – 3.15pm | MARTIN GINNANE | CREATING AN ENGAGED, VIBRANT AND CONNECTED COMMUNITY |
| Director | Ginnane & Associates |
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| 3.15pm – 3.45pm | AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK | and MCCOY STREET WALK |
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| 3.45pm – 4.15pm | LORENA LYON | STRENGTHENING REGIONAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES |
| | Director of Workforce Development | Regional Development Australia Murraylands & Riverland |
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| 4.15pm – 4.45pm | EMMA GRIVELL | Working with South Australian Mainstreets |
| | Chair | Mainstreet SA |
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| 4.45pm – 5.00pm | FORUM CLOSED | David West & Sonia Fowler |
| | Informal drinks & nibbles | |
