General News
20 March, 2025
Dimboola traders given a lifeline
The Dimboola Lions Club has kicked off a unique bushfire recovery program to assist traders and residents by encouraging others to spend local.
'Dimboola Dollars' launched this week following conversations within the Lions Club around stimulating expenditure with local traders following the recent Little Desert fire.
Lions members thought of how funds from the club could be best utilised.
Dimboola Lions Club will print $10,000 worth of Dimboola Dollars in $10, $20, $50 and $100.
People will purchase the dollars for half the value and will be limited to purchasing $250 of Dimboola Dollars, ensuring the benefits will be shared around the community.
This means that the $5000 investment by the Lions Club will generate at least $10,000 of expenditure in the town.
Dimboola Lions Club president Rod McKenzie said they know all local small businesses have been doing it tough since the Little Desert National Park fire.
"We wanted to do something that would encourage locals to spend more locally in the immediate future," he said.
The program will also work in conjunction with the town's digital marketing campaign, 'Meet me in Dimmy', launched by the Dimboola Progress Association.
"We are keen to see how this will work in stimulating a bit of local expenditure, and we want people to spread a bit of joy around the traders who are doing it tough right now," Mr McKenzie said.
"Ideally, we want people to spend on a few extras rather than their usual shopping – maybe it's a plant, an outfit, a takeaway meal, a treat for the kids, or something you had an eye on at one of our vintage or gift stores."
Dimboola Dollars will only be available for spending throughout March, April and May.
Each note will be numbered and recorded, creating confidence in the local currency.
All retailers in the main shopping precinct on Lloyd Street are participating in the program where the Dimboola Dollars can be used.
Dimboola Dollars cannot be used to purchase alcohol, gambling and pharmaceutical prescriptions.
The currency is available to purchase from The Dimboola Visitor Information Centre, 119 Lloyd St, Dimboola, from 10am to 6pm, six days a week (not Wednesday), subject to volunteer availability.
For more information, contact Jan John on 0408 397 020 or La Vergne Lehmann on 0408 121 118.
