Melbourne Councils Are Teaming Up With Local Makers on a New Online Directory

Six Melbourne councils are looking for input from inner-Melbourne makers, on an online initiative that will map and promote the city's vibrant creative culture. www.makers.melbourne is a new website where artists and boutique manufacturers can upload their information, creating a one-stop guide for Melburnians looking to support local businesses while indulging in a little retail therapy.

The site was launched in the wake of a study by the University of Melbourne. Commissioned by the cities of Melbourne, Port Phillip, Stonnington, Yarra and Maribyrnong, who were later joined by Moreland City Council and the Metropolitan Planning Authority, The Dilemma of Urban Employment Land was designed to help local government make decisions in regard to the competing demands between commercial land use and residential development.

"There is great value to Melbourne in nurturing small urban makers and innovators," said Stonnington Mayor Claude Ullin. "The www.makers.melbourne hub is part of a research project that will provide insights into how new forms of Australian manufacturing can be supported and fostered."

Dozens of small businesses have already registered on the site, ranging from furniture makers to fashion designers to architecture firms to restaurants and cafes.

For more information visit www.makers.melbourne.