Districts in suburbs across Sydney will receive major cash injections to help them rebrand in a move to turn the Habour City’s neighbourhoods into international and domestic tourism hotspots.

Projects in twenty-one suburbs are receiving up to $200,000 each from the NSW Government as part of the plan, which includes Harris Parks’ official rebranding as Little India. Other areas due for a rebrand include Koreatown in Eastwood, the Hollywood Quarter in Surry Hills, KXQ in Kings Cross and the Rainbow Precinct around Taylor Square.

“This is an exciting opportunity for groups of businesses and creatives in areas across Sydney who’ve laid out their visions to create well-known precincts with unique offerings for locals and visitors to enjoy,” Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said.

The Uptown Grant program will give cash to promote Brookvale’s microbrewery and arts precinct on the Northern Beaches as BAD, the Brookvale Arts District, and Paddington’s cocktail bars, pubs and galleries as the Paddo Collective.

Mr Graham said the $200,000 injection into Harris Park would allow it to hire dedicated resources to host events, marketing and operations. Indian Link media group chief executive Pawan Luthra said renaming Station Street East, Wigmore Street and Marion Street in Harris Park as Little India would help drive visitor numbers including tourists from India.

“The number of people who come here to visit relatives is just going to increase and they all love to get a taste of home from home,” he said. “It is not just the curry capital but spice shops, jewellery and clothing stores that make a great experience you can only get in an ethnic area.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in unveiling a Little India plaque during his recent trip to Australia that is still waiting to be put up.

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Punjab Fusion restaurant owner Kamal Singh, vice president of the Little India Australia Organisation, said renaming the three streets Little India had been passed by Parramatta Council and was now waiting on approval from The Geographical Names Board of NSW

“It is great for the area, it will bring a lot of tourists to our businesses,” he said. But he warned that the Indian businesses in the area could become victims of their own success. “There is a very real risk of rent increases by landlords,” he said. “Some people are coming here and prepared to pay any sum just to get a spot which is putting pressure on existing businesses.”

NSW 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said the Uptown Grants initiative was a key element in driving Sydney’s nighttime economy. “With an Uptown Grant, districts can bring their visions to life and deliver brilliant experiences that celebrate what’s best about their community,” Mr Rodrigues said.

Blacktown’s grant aims to build on the existing Hip Hop, youth culture and music scene and will be called The Gathering. Blacktown Hip Hop artist Thelma Thomas, who raps under the name MC Trey, said that giving the area an official brand name would attract even more artists to come and perform there.

“A lot of our earlier hip hop artists came from the Blacktown area and this will just encourage more to come and experience and perform here,” she said. Ms Thomas said she is now considered “the OG” in the area but that she still loves curating and creating events. “Hopefully this means we can just do more,” she said.

This story originally appeared on dailytelegraph.com.au. It has been reproduced here with permission. 

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