Night scene of a wet street decorated with string lights, storefronts on both sides, parked cars, and signs.

Revitalised Town Centres

We believe great town centres are the heart of a community. They are where people meet friends, enjoy local cafés, discover independent businesses and connect with their neighbourhood. As shopping habits change and large shopping centres continue to grow, we want Bayside's traditional strip shopping centres to remain vibrant, relevant and competitive.

Our vision is to help local businesses thrive by creating attractive, walkable and welcoming centres where people choose to spend their time and money. Through better public spaces, community facilities, events, arts and culture, safer streets and improved transport connections, we can encourage more people to shop local and support the businesses that give our suburbs their unique character.

Bay Street Promenade Petition
Brighton Community Hub Petition
Two women are standing outside a store called JALŪ, smiling and posing for the photo. They are carrying shopping bags, and the store window behind them displays bottles of products. The street scene includes cars, traffic lights, and other storefronts.

Revitalising our town centres is about much more than new buildings. It means creating destinations where local businesses can prosper because people genuinely enjoy spending time there.

Successful strip malls offer experiences that large shopping centres cannot easily replicate: independent cafés, family-run businesses, local events, heritage character, walkable streets and a strong sense of community.

We want Council to actively support these centres through placemaking, public domain improvements, community events, streetscape upgrades and investment in public spaces that increase foot traffic.

By making our local centres cleaner, greener, safer and more attractive, we can help small businesses compete successfully while strengthening local jobs and keeping more spending within the Bayside community.

A vision for our Town Centres

People gathered at an outdoor street fair during sunset, with tents and food stalls, multi-story apartment buildings in the background, and a colorful sky with orange and blue clouds.

Brighton-Le-Sands

Brighton-Le-Sands is one of Sydney's most iconic beachfront destinations, yet there remains enormous potential to make it an even better place to visit, live and spend time.

We support a long-term vision that strengthens Bay Street as a thriving main street where local businesses benefit from increased visitation throughout the day and into the evening. Better lighting, attractive landscaping, outdoor dining, public art, safer pedestrian spaces and community events can all encourage more people to stay longer and support local traders. Our advocacy includes supporting the creation of a Bay Street Promenade — closing a section of Bay Street to cars and transforming it into a pedestrian-friendly destination that encourages outdoor dining, community events and regular street activation. By making the centre more attractive and enjoyable to visit, we can increase foot traffic and support local businesses. Please sign our petition via the link below.

We are also advocating for a Brighton Community Hub and Library as the centrepiece of a revitalised town centre. We believe the redevelopment of the existing council car park presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a modern civic hub that includes a contemporary library, flexible community meeting spaces, study and co-working areas, children's learning spaces, exhibition and event facilities, and welcoming public gathering places. Rather than simply replacing parking with more retail, this solution would complement, rather than compete with, existing businesses. A well-designed community hub would attract visitors throughout the day and evening, generating regular foot traffic that supports surrounding cafés, restaurants and local businesses. Libraries are among the most frequently used public facilities operated by councils, drawing families, students, seniors, remote workers and community groups into town centres every day. Please sign our petition via the link below.

Bay Street Promenade Petition
Brighton Community Hub Petition
Two women smiling and taking a selfie outdoors at night with trees and buildings illuminated by string lights in the background.

Rockdale: Building an Arts and Cultural Hub

Rockdale has the opportunity to become one of southern Sydney's leading arts and cultural destinations.

We have successfully advocated for Council to investigate a Rockdale Cultural Festival, laneway activations, public art, live performances and partnerships with local cultural organisations.

These initiatives are designed not only to celebrate culture, but also to bring more people into Rockdale's town centre and support surrounding cafés, restaurants and local businesses.

By combining heritage conservation, creative industries, community events and quality public spaces, Rockdale can develop a distinctive identity that attracts visitors and encourages people to shop locally rather than travelling elsewhere.

Three women standing on a street at a festival or event, with tents and booths in the background, smiling and posing for the photo.

Carlton: A Creative Village

Carlton has enormous potential to become a creative village that celebrates its heritage, supports independent businesses and strengthens its role as one of Bayside's traditional neighbourhood shopping strips.

With its railway station, established cafés and local businesses, Carlton is well placed to become a destination that combines history, creativity and community life.

We support initiatives that encourage public art, creative industries, small festivals, outdoor dining and attractive public spaces that reinforce Carlton's distinctive village atmosphere. We are also advocating for stronger heritage protections, recognising that Carlton's historic shopfronts and streetscape are among its greatest assets. We would like to see Council explore programs that encourage the restoration and maintenance of heritage façades, helping preserve the area's character while supporting local business investment.

Carlton also has an important role to play as a connector within the wider Bayside active transport network. We support improved walking and cycling links between Carlton, Bexley, Kogarah and Botany Bay, allowing more people to safely access local businesses without relying on the car. Rather than competing with major retail centres on size, Carlton can thrive by embracing its heritage, creativity, accessibility and strong sense of local identity.

Sunset sky with trees, streetlights, and a parking lot in foreground, showing a commercial area with signs and parked cars.

Our small but mighty towns

Not every successful town centre needs to be large. Ramsgate Beach, Sans Souci, Bexley, Mascot, Arncliffe, Banksia and Bayside's many neighbourhood centres all play an important role in community life. These traditional strip shopping centres provide local services, support small businesses and give each suburb its own unique identity.

We want these centres to remain attractive places where residents choose to shop locally, meet neighbours and support independent businesses. Shopping local keeps more money within the Bayside economy, supports local jobs and helps preserve the character of our neighbourhoods. Simple improvements such as better landscaping, lighting, seating, public art, upgraded amenities and community events can make these centres more vibrant and welcoming.

We also support better walking and cycling connections to local centres so more people can safely access shops and cafés without relying on the car. Strong local centres connected by active transport help reduce congestion, support small businesses and create healthier, more connected communities across Bayside.

Green door with textured glass panels and a silver handle, displaying a sign for Brighton Library with opening hours Tuesday and Thursday 10am to 6pm, and a note about defibrillators in public places, and a large 'CLOSED' sticker.

Modern libraries are no longer simply places to borrow books.

They have become important community hubs that provide study spaces for students, access to technology, children's programs, parenting support, meeting spaces for community groups and a welcoming "third place" for people who may need a quiet, safe space outside home or work, including those experiencing social isolation or domestic violence.

While Rockdale Library serves as Bayside's major regional library, smaller satellite libraries (such as the recently retired Brighton Library) have a different but equally important role. They provide convenient local access to community services and create regular foot traffic that supports nearby cafés, shops and other small businesses.

Our proposed Brighton Community Hub and Library reflects this vision by combining modern community facilities with a vibrant town centre that benefits both residents and local traders. If you support a new Brighton Community Hub and Library as part of the Boulevard Carpark Development, add your name to our petition and help create a welcoming community space at the heart of Brighton-Le-Sands.

Libraries Strengthen Communities

Brighton Community Hub Petition
A store display with a political campaign poster for Janin Bredehoff, featuring a smiling photograph of a woman wearing glasses. The poster promotes a peaceful Bayside with a website and Facebook page. Surrounding the poster are shelves stocked with food and household items, such as tea, powdered flour, and cleaning spray.

Better Public Spaces Support Local Business

Supporting small businesses requires more than economic policy. It also requires creating places where people genuinely enjoy spending time.

Research consistently shows that attractive public spaces, walkable streets, quality landscaping, outdoor dining, public art, community events and safe pedestrian environments encourage people to stay longer and spend more locally. We support revitalisation that helps traditional shopping strips remain competitive while preserving their unique heritage and community character.

When people choose to shop local, everyone benefits. Small businesses grow, local jobs are supported, streets become more vibrant, and our communities become stronger. Council has an important role to play in helping Bayside's town centres remain relevant and successful for decades to come.

Frequently asked questions

  • Creating places that are attractive, safe, accessible and economically vibrant through investment in public spaces, community facilities, local businesses, arts, culture and transport connections.

  • Brighton is one of Bayside's premier waterfront destinations with enormous potential for improved public spaces, community facilities and pedestrian-friendly streets. The town centre also has a newly-built active transport corridor which has already started increasing foot traffic and reducing visitor’s reliance on cars. Hooning and dangerous driving is an ongoing battle for this town and one of the benefits of Council attempting to reclassify Bay Street as a ‘local (not state) road is that it could be partially-pedestrianised, which will help address this complex issue.

    Rockdale has strong transport connections and significant opportunities to become an arts, culture and entertainment destination that supports local businesses and celebrates local heritage. The state government has determined that it is an area suitable for transport-oriented development controls so our advocacy is focused on balancing urban development, heritage, local character and green space.

  • We have successfully advocated for:

    • Rockdale Cultural Festival investigations

    • Laneway activation and public art

    • Heritage Review and Local Character Assessment

    • Brighton-Le-Sands Town Centre Masterplan investigation

    • Brighton Community Hub proposal

    • Bay Street Promenade campaign

    • Decorative lighting and public realm improvements

    • Community engagement on revitalisation projects

  • A network of vibrant Bayside centres that each have their own identity while offering welcoming public spaces, thriving local businesses, cultural activities, community facilities and sustainable transport connections.

  • More people walking, cycling and spending time in town centres creates greater economic activity and encourages investment in local shops, cafés and services.

  • We will continue advocating for practical projects that improve town centres, strengthen community identity and create destinations people enjoy visiting during both the day and evening.

Did you know?

  • Streets with wider footpaths and quality public spaces often experience increased retail spending.

  • Libraries are among the most heavily used community facilities provided by local government.

  • Public art and cultural events help increase visitation to local businesses.

  • Good lighting improves both perceived and actual safety in public spaces.

  • Walkable centres encourage people to spend more time shopping locally.

  • Trees can reduce urban temperatures while making shopping streets more comfortable.

  • Community events help activate local centres outside traditional shopping hours.

  • Heritage buildings often become defining features of successful town centres.

  • High-quality public spaces can increase nearby business activity and investment.

  • Successful town centres combine economic, cultural, environmental and community objectives.

Nighttime scene of a brick building with a clock tower illuminated by purple and green lights, with a street and pedestrian in the foreground.
A vibrant blue building with ornate architectural details, gold lettering spelling 'BURNHAM' on the facade, and a yellow decorative element on the roof, set against a white cloudy sky with power lines crossing in front.
Inside an antique or thrift clothing store with racks of colorful clothes, a patterned rug on the floor, and artwork on the walls. A woman is smiling in the background.
A bicycle parked on the sidewalk in front of a sign and parked cars, with trees and a fence in the background.
A group of people standing outside in front of a yellow house with a red tile roof and trees around. The group includes children and adults, some smiling, some holding umbrellas.
People browsing books and pamphlets at an outdoor book fair stand under a blue canopy tent.
Electronic sign displaying 'Trial Road Closures' at night at a coastal area with people sitting on the grass and near the water.
Street scene with a building featuring multiple signage boards for travel, skin care, and aesthetic services. There is a colorful mural on the lower part of the building wall, a one-way street sign, and a cloudy sky overhead. Pedestrians are walking
A crowd of people gathered in an outdoor urban space during the evening, with some sitting on a slope and others standing or walking. There are multi-story buildings with balconies and a hotel in the background, and string lights hanging above. The s
A busy street scene during the evening with many people gathered outdoors near food stalls and tables, a traffic light showing green, tall buildings, and trees in the background.
Crowd of people walking and shopping at an outdoor street fair with vendor tents and colorful buildings under cloudy sky.
View of a busy retail store counter with multiple shelves filled with amber glass bottles and spray bottles. Several customers are standing at the counter, engaging with staff. The store has a modern interior with arched wall niches illuminated with

Libraries are performing well

Each year the State Library of NSW collects comprehensive statistics from NSW councils about their library services. The key indicators of public library use show that they are highly valued by their communities. In 2024-2025 there were:

A little ‘people power’ can make a BIG difference.

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    Peaceful Bayside is powered by people like you. We’re a community of caring, fun, creative locals and when you volunteer with us, you’ll make a real difference right where you live. Whether you have a little time or a lot, there’s a place for you in our team — so please volunteer and help us build a better Bayside, together.

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Issues, questions and ideas for Heidi (Ward 5)?

To send us ideas or report on-the-ground issues across Ward 5 (Kyeemagh, Brighton Le Sands, Monterey, Ramsgate, Sandringham, Dolls Point), please email heidilee.douglas@bayside.nsw.gov.au

Issues, questions and ideas for Janin (Ward 3)?

To send us ideas or report on-the-ground issues across Ward 3 (Rockdale, Arncliffe, Banksia, Bexley), please email janin.bredehoeft@bayside.nsw.gov.au