Brisbane residents are being asked to contribute ideas to further develop Brisbane’s internationally significant dawn economy.
A survey launched this week asks people who are out and about between 4am and 7am what they do during this time and how the experience could be improved.
As well as driving ideas, the Brisbane City Council’s Dawn Economy Plan will seek input on practical improvements like better lighting, water and toilet access, shade and seating and better-connected paths.
Ingenium Research has found that Brisbane residents are already early risers.
At 5am, one in eight of Brisbane’s food and drink venues are already open and serving compared with one in 25 in Sydney and one in 33 in Melbourne and Perth.
Ingenium Research Director Anna Edwards said Brisbane had some of the earliest-trading food and drink venues in the world.
This was an important part of what made a city attractive and liveable.
“There’s a real opportunity to build on that – activating public spaces and precincts in the morning and promoting Brisbane’s early-morning offer to residents and visitors,” Dr Edwards said.
“Developing what I believe to be the world’s first dedicated dawn economy strategy puts Brisbane on the world stage – and it’s already attracting interest internationally.”
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane already “owned” the morning, and the Council was keen to make practical improvements to this experience.
“Brisbane’s early mornings are one of the things that make our lifestyle so special and we want to build on what people already love about them,” he said.
Committee for Brisbane CEO Jen Williams said great cities succeeded when they understood and embraced what makes them distinctive.
“Brisbane’s early morning culture is one of our most authentic and under-recognised strengths- the dawn economy reflects a way of life that is uniquely Brisbane,” she said.
The five-minute Dawn Economy Survey can be found here.
