Echuca's old factory reborn as creative business precinct

Located on 11-19 Darling St in Echuca, most shops are open Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 2pm, with an emphasis on arts, crafts and creative or vintage wears.

Already home to businesses including The Vintage Collective, Boots and Hay, Old Wares, Hocus Potions, Escape Rooms and Paint and Play, the precinct continues to expand, with a coffee van, mothers' group and additional businesses expected to open in the coming months.

Mr and Mrs Dunstan are looking for small businesses that are looking for a great business community and affordable rent to join Darling Works, and are open to all ideas.

Their vision is to create a business hub with a focus on arts and crafts, and creativity in general.

“These older buildings are no longer suitable for traditional industrial use, and we have been working with what we have to create spaces that people can be creative in,” Mrs Dunstan said.

The Dunstans say the space offered is affordable for people to give something a go.

“Someone will come to us saying they are looking for a space, and we’d say, okay, what’s your idea, what do you need, we can do that,” Mrs Dunstan said.

So far, they are unsure what it will turn into.

“It’s organically driven by the people who want to run the businesses,” Mrs Dunstan said.

“It’s a really great space, the nine businesses there all help each other and share each other's businesses on social media.

“It is really important here that everybody supports each other.”

Paint and Play owner Elizabeth Jaworski recently opened her creative studio at Darling Works and said the experience had been overwhelming in the best possible way.

“Even now, I still don't think it’s fully sunk in that Paint and Play is open. I know we’re open, I know the response has been amazing, but it still feels a little unreal,” she said.

“At the same time, I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved and how far Paint and Play has come.”

Mrs Jaworski was also thrilled with the space that Darling Works had created, for her and the other small businesses.

“There are so many local businesses moving in and some fantastic people building something special together,” Mrs Jaworski said.

“I love being surrounded by other small business owners. It’s been exciting watching Darling Works grow and seeing more businesses move in and more people discovering the space.

“I also love seeing an old industrial space being given a new purpose and brought back to life through local businesses, creativity and community.”

Following the loss of her daughter in 2023, art became an important part of Mrs Jaworski's healing journey, inspiring her to create a space where people of all ages can explore, create, connect, and experience the joy that creativity can bring.

Another recent arrival is Boots and Hay, owned by Amanda Hay and Danielle Hayes, which opened in late May.

The store specialises in home and garden decor, children’s items and locally handcrafted products.

“They are really unique and special and they’re all handcrafted and made with love,” Mrs Hay said.

Mrs Hay said their shop was set up in a way that matched the community vibe of Darling Works.

“We like our shop to be a communal place, we have a lounge area and a bar area so people can sit and hangout,” she said.

The Boots and Hay owners said they really liked the vision the Dunstans had for Darling Works, and were glad they jumped onboard.

“I can’t wait for there to be more businesses and for it to turn into a little business hub for arts and crafts and unique pieces,” Mrs Hay said.

“Small business are the heart of our town. Echuca is known for being very community-driven and supporting one another.”

Long-term tenant Trish Clark, from The Vintage Collective, said the precinct offered something increasingly rare for small operators.

The Vintage Collective is one shop made up of five small, different curated stalls that all focus on different aspects of vintage and old wears.

Ms Clark spoke highly of the owners of Darling Works and how they helped curate her vision.

“I love the buildings, and Dave and Charmain were so accommodating with the space,” Ms Clark said.

Ms Clark runs one of the longer standing shops, and many of the other business owners look up to her for what she has done, and how she supports the community vibe of Darling Works.

“I’m very passionate about it, I know what this space can bring, and I know what we can create here,” Ms Clark said.

As more businesses continue to move in, Darling Works is steadily building a reputation as a place where creativity, community and entrepreneurship can grow side by side.

“If we don’t support small business, we don’t have them,” Ms Clark said.