A new Central Coast Council initiative and website launched this week is showcasing the people behind the region’s growing business momentum.
Council’s Director Strategic Growth, Daryl Connelly said the ‘Make it Central’ initiative was designed to amplify real local stories and help attract future investment to the region.
“The Make it Central website and online presence showcases why Tasmania’s Central Coast is a smart place to work, invest and grow. It’s a key part of our push to attract new people and new businesses, alongside initiatives like the East Ulverstone Industrial Precinct expansion,” said Mr Connelly.
He said young entrepreneurs are increasingly choosing Tasmania’s Central Coast to build their businesses and raise their families, “a place where lifestyle meets opportunity”.
For Hannah Lewis, owner of The Penguin Pantry, that choice meant moving from Melbourne to Penguin in 2020 and taking over a long-standing local business in a beachside town.
“It’s pretty special,” says Ms Lewis. “We’re right on the beach here, and there’s not many places where you get to walk out your front door and be on the beach. We get this amazing lifestyle – it’s magic.”
At Buttons Brewing, founder Josh Roberts said his reasons for building the business on the Central Coast have evolved over time.
“Initially I started Buttons Brewing here because I was the only craft brewery on the North West Coast and that was an advantage,” he said.
“Now, the advantage is the lifestyle and having a great place to bring up a family.”
In the trades sector, Sam Kiely has taken over Kiely Plumbing, continuing a family business while raising three young children on the Coast.
“We’re raising three kids under four in a safe, connected community with some of the cleanest air in the world,” he said.
“You can jet away for a warm holiday and come back to nature, where business has a deeper purpose.”
He said the sense of connection on the Coast also shaped how the business operates day to day.
“There’s a reliability and loyalty here that makes doing business meaningful.”
“People look out for each other. It’s one of the reasons we’ve stayed and thrived for so long.”
Mayor, Cheryl Fuller said the stories highlight why the region is increasingly appealing to a new generation of business owners.
“Young business owners don’t want to choose between opportunity and lifestyle,” she said.
“On the Central Coast, they don’t have to, and that’s why more people are choosing to build their businesses and their lives here.
“Hannah, Josh and Sam’s stories highlight the ambition and capability already here. We look forward to telling more of those success stories and shining a light on national and global leaders like Botanical Resources Australia and Harvest Moon to name a few”.
Visit Make it Central at www.makeitcentral.com.au.
