Buy Local Greater Geraldton Gift Card Program

The Buy Local Greater Geraldton Gift Card Program was developed to stimulate the local economy by encouraging residents to shop locally through a convenient gift card system redeemable at participating businesses.

The initiative aimed to reduce economic leakage, strengthen community resilience and support local businesses during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project cost

$60,000

The Buy Local Gift Card Program was established through a $45,000 grant from Rio Tinto, provided as part of their COVID-19 Community Initiatives funding. This grant supported the full set-up of the program, including a three-year subscription to the platform, production of 1,000 gift cards, card processing fees, terminal activation for 111 participating redemption stores, the Business Listings module for visitgeraldton.com.au, and the associated marketing campaign, including a consumer competition.

The City of Greater Geraldton also contributed $15,000 to support a television advertising and sponsorship package delivered in partnership with GWN7. Through this arrangement, GWN7 provided discounted advertising rates, ensuring the City’s investment achieved greater reach and impact in promoting the gift card program.

Following go-live, the ongoing costs are limited to annual subscription fees and the purchase of additional gift cards on an as-needed basis.

Project timeframe

Overall, the development and delivery of the program took around 12 months.

Initial research and the preparation of a funding application were completed in October 2020, followed by further funding discussions and negotiations in late 2020. The City’s Executive Management Team endorsed the Buy Local Gift Card Program in February 2021. 

Following endorsement, the Economic Development Team progressed the detailed development of the program, including platform setup, business engagement, and development of marketing collateral.

The program was then launched to local businesses by the Mayor on 25 August 2021 and subsequently launched to the public on 15 October 2021.

What was the problem or opportunity being addressed?

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the retail and hospitality sectors in Greater Geraldton, leading to reduced consumer spending and placing additional pressure on the viability of many local businesses. This created an urgent need for initiatives that would stimulate local expenditure and support economic recovery.

The Buy Local Greater Geraldton Gift Card Program was developed as an opportunity to keep money circulating within the local economy by encouraging residents and visitors to spend locally. The initiative was informed by research demonstrating that spending at small local businesses results in the lowest levels of economic leakage, meaning more of each dollar stays within the community. By leveraging a proven gift card model successfully implemented in other regions, the program aimed to maximise economic impact andstrengthen the resilience of local businesses.

How the project addressed the problem or opportunity

To address the reduction in local spending and support business viability during COVID-19, the City’s Economic Development Team implemented a Buy Local Gift Card Program designed specifically for Greater Geraldton. The City partnered with Why Leave Town to establish a gift card system fully integrated with existing EFTPOS infrastructure, enabling residents and visitors to spend funds exclusively within participating local businesses. This ensured that every dollar loaded onto a card remained within the local economy, directly supporting the sectors most impacted by the pandemic.

Grant funding from Rio Tinto supported the initial rollout of the initiative. The City promoted the gift card through a coordinated marketing campaign, including local media, social media, and direct engagement with businesses to encourage widespread participation.

Over time, the City has continued to fund and enhance the initiative to maximise business participation and consumer accessibility. A key improvement in 2025 was the introduction of digital gift card functionality, enabling businesses using Square or other non-swipe EFTPOS terminals to participate. This enhancement increased accessibility for both businesses and customers, with digital gift cards able to be stored securely in digital wallets and used for online or phone purchases – further extending the initiative’s reach and convenience.

To support ongoing oversight of the initiative, the City uses the program’s online analytics portal, which provides clear visibility of card purchases, total spend, and redemption activity across participating retailers. This data has enabled the City to monitor trends in real time and assess the program’s reach and performance.

Through these actions, the project created a practical and accessible mechanism to keep money circulating within the Greater Geraldton economy and strengthen local business resilience

Project outcomes

The Buy Local Greater Geraldton Gift Card program has delivered significant and measurable outcomes for our local economy. Within just four years and four months, our program surpassed $1 million in total gift card sales, making Geraldton the fastest locality in Australia to reach this milestone. This achievement reflects both strong community uptake and the high level of business engagement and support across the region.

From the outset, local participation has been consistently strong, with 82 businesses registered and new businesses continuing to join the initiative. More than 11,000 gift cards have been loaded to date, demonstrating substantial community engagement across residents, visitors, and local employers who have incorporated the cards into staff rewards and incentive programs.

The continued success of the initiative is also the result of sustained promotional efforts by the City, the Mid West Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and participating load-up stores. Joint campaigns, seasonal promotions such as the Jingle Through Geraldton competition, and ongoing visibility through media and social platforms have helped maintain community awareness and momentum.

The initiative has also evolved to meet changing business needs, including the introduction of digital gift cards in 2025, which broadened participation by enabling businesses with Square or non-swipe EFTPOS terminals to join. This expansion increased accessibility and convenience for both businesses and cardholders, supporting further growth in local spending.

These outcomes demonstrate that the initiative has become a powerful and sustained driver of local economic activity, strengthened by a community that actively embraces and champions buying local.