Creating Jobs, Supporting Local Business: Revitalising Darwin CBD

From laneway series, to street art, the Territory Labor Government supports local business by bringing people into the Darwin CBD.

Currently, there are two major draw card events occurring in the Darwin CBD and greater Darwin region.

‘Bruce Munro: Tropical Light’ will feature eight illuminated sculptures along a 2.5km art trail placed throughout the Darwin CBD and will be the artist’s first citywide exhibition in the world.

Funded through the Territory Labor Government’s Turbocharging Tourism initiative, this exhibition will help drive visitation to Darwin during the traditionally quieter season.

Local jobs, opportunities and positive buzz has filled the Darwin CBD. Territory businesses have benefit from this project with an exciting local collaboration, with Darwin’s Paul Arnold, Matilda Alegria and Lulu & Daw revealing their ‘wearable art’ uniforms for volunteers as part of Bruce Munro’s world-class Tropical Light exhibition.

Tropical Light isn’t the only CBD exhibition which is creating foot traffic, the Territory’s very first International Laksa Festival is currently underway. With 33 restaurants and cafes signed up and battling it out for the Golden Bowl, which will be awarded in the incumbent Laksa Festival event on 24 November.

The Top End will embrace its multicultural community, love for food and tropical climate while supporting local businesses, with Territorians taking part in one of our favourite pastimes – eating laksa, and voting for it on the Laksa Festival App.

The Territory Labor Government is focused on creating long term Territory jobs which also assist in revitalising the Darwin CBD. With the signing of the $200 million Darwin city deal last year, it will turbo-charge the local economy and cement Darwin’s position as a liveable tropical capital city for generations to come.

We have already started delivering on this commitment with launching the Civic and State Square Masterplan in September this year.

The State Square overhaul is a critical part of the historic $200 million City Deal, delivered in partnership with the Australian Government and City of Darwin.

Darwin’s Civic and State Square precinct will be revitalised to create cool, green spaces for the whole community to enjoy through activated spaces, events and public gatherings.

Enabling projects such as the underground car park have already commenced, to unlock green spaces with the removal of four heat generating above ground car parks.

The Darwin City Deal will also see the establishment of a Charles Darwin University campus and student accommodation in the CBD – bringing in around 1000 students to the city centre.

Quotes attributed to Member for Port Darwin, Paul Kirby:

“We are a great city filled with art, vibrancy and culture.

“The Territory Labor Government is harnessing the Territory’s potential and cementing its position as the capital of Northern Australia.

“It is our priority to support Territory businesses by boosting the number of visitors coming into our CBD and creating more local jobs for Territorians.

“This is why we have seen our CBD activated more in the past few years than we have ever before – with street art festivals creating world-class murals, a historic overhaul of our State Square by making it cooler and greener, and bringing a world renowned artist’s light festival into the City .. just to name a few.”

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