Australia Post unveils 57 Local Business Heroes with “unique” connection to their communities

A family business that makes nature-themed patches, stickers and clothing to raise awareness of Tasmania’s wilderness is set to gain access to new markets and expert advice after being named one of Australia’s ‘local business heroes’.

Hobart-based Keep Tassie Wild was on Tuesday named as one of 57 businesses to be included in Australia Post’s Local Business Heroes program, which aims to recognise the “unique and valued connection” these businesses have to their communities with a total prize pool of $285,000. 

Selected from a field of close to 1000 entries, each of the 57 businesses will receive a ‘Heroes Package’, worth up to $5000, which involves access to business coaching through Small Business Australia, personalised offers from Australia Post and the opportunity to be featured in a month-long marketing campaign at their local post office. 

Joshua and Lindsay Pringle started Keep Tassie Wild as a side hustle in 2016, utilising Joshua’s skills as an illustrator and donating 50% of the profits from the venture to local environmental organisations. 

The business now also works with a number of freelancers, and the owners are thinking about processes and automations that will allow them to maintain their work/life balance and “grow our time away from the business”. 

Speaking to SmartCompany, Joshua Pringle describes the Local Heroes program as “a great opportunity to expand our reach into markets that may not have previously know about our work”. 

Access to expertise is also a key benefit, too. 

“As a business that has never implemented a solid business plan, we’re excited for the opportunities to speak with experts and discover all the things that we don’t know!” he adds. 

Keep Tassie Wild is one of two Tasmanian businesses selected for the program, alongside Louie & Lola Yarns in Sheffield.

Most of the businesses selected are located on the east coast, with 19 businesses from New South Wales featured, and 12 each from Victoria and Queensland. Six Western Australian businesses were included, along with four from South Australia and one each from the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. 

This is the second year of the Local Business Heroes program, which Australia Post said reinforces the relationship between businesses and their local post offices. 

“Many of the small business heroes were nominated thanks to an established and strong relationship with their local post office team, so it’s wonderful to see these connections strengthened even further,” said Catriona Noble, executive general manager of retail at Australia Post. 

The full list of Australia Post’s Local Business Heroes for 2022 is available here.