Phil McConachy, The Mill Castlemaine (Part One)

Remarkable Regional Business – Episode 45 (Part One)  Guest: Phil McConachy  Business Name: The Mill Castlemaine  Website: https://millcastlemaine.com.au/   He had no grand vision. He put a sign on the fence saying places for lease and just waited to see who came. In Part One of this conversation on Remarkable Regional Business, Caleb Maxwell sits down with Phil McConachy, the owner and developer of The Mill at Castlemaine. Seven and a half hectares, nine thousand square metres of buildings and forty five tenants ranging from a world class cafe and brewery through to clothing makers, potters, knife makers and a vintage bazaar with over 118 stall holders. All built from a former woolen mill that started in 1875 and burnt down three times. Phil is one of the most remarkable people Caleb has sat down with on this show. Phil was a house dad and farmer for twenty years who needed to get back into the community and use his skills for good. What he built in the process is one of the greatest and most loved regional commercial precincts in Victoria. Topics Covered / What The Mill at Castlemaine actually is A town within a town. How 45 tenants across food, health, education, trade and retail came together on a heritage site over eleven years. / The origin story of The Mill How a multinational decided it no longer needed the site, and how Phil ended up with it after some negotiation and a bit of luck. / How Phil selects tenants No grand plan. A sign on the fence, a gut feel, and a commitment to the planning scheme. / The Castlemaine Vintage Bazaar How 118 stall holders operate within a simple square meterage and commission model, and what separates the ones doing really well from the ones just there for the social side. / Tenant success stories From Shed Shaker Brewing to Wonder Pants to Caboose Chocolates, businesses that have grown on the site and what they have in common. / Phil's background before the Mill Fitter and machinist at Ford at sixteen. Earth moving business owner at twenty five. Farmer and house dad for twenty years. This is Part One of the conversation with Phil McConachy from The Mill at Castlemaine. Continue to Part Two to hear how Phil's earlier business life shaped everything that came after, what he has learned about running a place like this, and where The Mill is headed next. // Links https://millcastlemaine.com.au/