Gabrielle Dicarlantonio, Executive Officer of Launceston Central

In this issue:

Update from the EO
NORTH by Night
Road closures
Seminars and workshops for local businesses

Hi everyone,

Wow — what an exciting month it’s been!

Last Saturday evening, our team had the absolute pleasure of attending the Launceston Chamber of Commerce CareSuper Business Excellence Awards — and what a night it was! We were inspired by the incredible energy in the room and the opportunity to connect with so many passionate and hardworking stakeholders and business owners. A huge congratulations to all the finalists and winners — your achievements are a testament to the vibrant and resilient spirit of our Launceston CBD community. It was wonderful to see so many local businesses recognised and celebrated. And of course, a special thank you to the Launceston Chamber of Commerce team for hosting such a fun well-organised event — your dedication truly made the evening shine.

Mainstreet Australia Awards

Speaking of awards, I’m delighted to share that I’ll be heading to Melbourne in mid-September for the Mainstreet Australia Awards and Conference. Fingers crossed we bring home the Best Main Street Place Activation Award for The Lounge! It’s been such a joy to see what this initiative has come to mean to the Launceston community.

Speaking of The Lounge, we’ve officially packed it up for another year. A huge thank you to everyone who supported this initiative — so many stories of collaboration, connection, and community have been truly heart-warming. We’re especially grateful to our generous sponsors who helped make The Lounge 2025 such a welcoming space for all.

Launceston Central welcomes new team member

We’re also thrilled to welcome Charlotte Wright to our team as our new Advertising & Strategy Specialist. Charlotte brings a wealth of international and local experience, most recently as the Marketing & Communications specialist at Ben Lomond and a contributor to projects with Visit Northern Tasmania. We’re so lucky to have her on board!

Slice-a-licious wraps up

And finally — what a delicious way to wrap up the month! Our Slice-a-licious competition for Launceston’s Best Slice 2025 has officially closed, and we’re excited to announce the winner (drumroll please…) 🎉

A huge congratulations to Chef Harleen from Launnie Heights for taking out the top spot in our Slice-a-licious competition with her mum’s mouth-watering Tassie Laddu Slice! It was a nail-biting finish, with Mad Apple Café coming in a close second for their delicious Apple Crumble Vegan Slice, just four votes behind. LeKoh rounded out the top three with their irresistible Kinder Bueno Slice, trailing by only three votes.

A massive shout-out to all our amazing participants — your creativity and flavours brought so much joy to the CBD! Some cafés reported slice sales jumping by 300–400%, with many locals and visitors making their way to all nine venues to taste and vote. We especially loved hearing how some businesses turned it into a team morning tea event, sampling every slice and voting together — what a fun and delicious way to connect!

Here’s to a blooming September filled with great Spring trading days.

Warm regards,

Gab Dicarlantonio

Executive Officer

gab@launcestoncentral.com.au

NORTH by Night coming this October

Thu - Sun 16-19 October (various venues)

NORTH Festival is evolving in 2025! Launceston Central is proud to present NORTH by Night, an exciting new format replacing the traditional NORTH Festival this year. Running from 16–19 October, this four-day celebration will spotlight Northern Tasmania’s exceptional food and beverage scene through immersive evening events across Launceston’s CBD. With a renewed focus on energising the night time economy and showcasing local producers, NORTH by Night promises a more intimate, flavour-filled experience that brings warmth and excitement to the city after winter.

Businesses are invited to be part of the magic!

Whether you're a bar, restaurant, venue, event organiser, or producer, there are plenty of ways to get involved, from hosting themed tastings and workshops to creating special dishes or offering product samples. Applications close 14 September, so reach out soon to share your ideas or get support from the Launceston Central team. You should have received an email from NORTH by night organisers yesterday (check your spam!) with more information. To express interest in participating, contact Charlotte at charlotte@launcestoncentral.com.au or 03 6334 3321.

Contact us

'The Lounge' a finalist for Mainstreet Australia Award

We are excited to share that Launceston Central has once again been selected as a finalist for the Mainstreet Australia Awards. Our 2024 activation of 'The Lounge' is nominated in the category of Best Main Street Place Activation – Trader Association with Levy (under $100K).

The thirty-four finalists feature individuals, teams and projects representing the best in partnership, innovation and excellence across Australia’s main street industry. Winners will be announced in North Melbourne on Thursday 18 September 2025. Learn more about the full list of finalists at the link below.

Learn more

Busy days ahead! Mark your calendar for these events which may bring extra people into the city:

Junction Arts Festival (12-14, 18-21 Sep)
Women's 5k Walk/Run (14 Sep)
World Street Eats (28 Sep)
Tasmanian International Bowls Classic (4-5 Oct)
NORTH By Night (16-19 Oct)
Tasmanian Convention (16-17 Oct)
St. Giles Burn 2025 (19 Oct)

Visit the link below to plan and prepare ahead of time for heightened activity in the city.

See what's on

Free workshop: creating stores customers love

Tuesday 21 October, 5:30pm (Town Hall Launceston)

Creating Stores Customers Love event Launceston

Business Tasmania in partnership with Launceston Central, the City of Launceston and the Launceston Chamber of Commerce and Industry bring you an exclusive workshop with Associate Professor Louise Grimmer, one of Australia’s top retail experts. Discover practical, research-backed strategies to help local retailers transform their stores into places customers love to visit (and re-visit).

Attendees will learn:

The latest shopper trends and what they mean for small stores
How to improve storefront appeal and in-store experience
Ways to increase customer comfort, dwell time, and loyalty

Learn more and secure your spot for this free workshop at the link below.

Book here

Upcoming road closures: Women's 5km Run/Walk

Sunday 14 September, 9:30am (various locations)

The Women's 5km Walk/Run will once again take place this spring, resulting in several road closures before and during the fun run. Participants set off from Launceston City Park, head through the streets of Launceston and then back to City Park on a 5km route.

The following streets will be impacted:

Cameron St
George St
York St
St John St
Patterson St
Charles St

Please inform staff who will be working during race day as travel times and parking may be impacted. If you have any questions regarding the route, please contact the City of Launceston Events team or Sophie Avnell, the event organiser from the Cancer Council.

Learn more

Spots filling fast for Great2Go waste reduction pilot

Submissions open now until full (register online)

With the generous assistance of the Tasmanian Waste and Resource Recovery Board, Gastronomy Northern Tasmania are looking for restaurants to join their pilot study: 'Great2Go'.

Participating restaurants will receive branded bags + compostable containers + simple instructions so their diners do not need to be embarrassed about asking to take their leftovers home (and actually eat them!). Once enough registrants sign on to the pilot program, the study will go over 6-8 weeks. Feedback from participants will inform a larger roll out of the campaign across the region.

Registration for the pilot program will close when all spots are filled, so don't wait! Learn more and register at the link below.

Learn more

Retailer safety and retail crime information session

Wednesday 17 September, 7:30am (virtual)

Tasmania Police and City of Hobart present a unique opportunity for retailers, law enforcement, and community leaders to come together and discuss strategies to enhance safety and reduce crime in our retail environments. While this event is taking place in Hobart, attendees from across the state are encouraged to join virtually. Please see the link below to book your spot (registration closes 15 September).

Book here