A freshly refurbished communal ‘coworking’ space, Platypus Coworking, is now open at Level 2, 51 Lydiard St South, Ballarat.
Owned and operated by Samantha Davies, Platypus Coworking offers a professional fully-equipped workspace for small business owners and freelancers to escape the home office, conduct client meetings and develop strong business relationships.
“There’s high demand for affordable coworking spaces and accessible office facilities in the heart of Ballarat, particularly as our population grows and new businesses move here from Melbourne. Our modern renovation of an upper storey space aligns with the city’s efforts to revitalise the CBD by repurposing existing buildings”, Ms Davies said.
Vastly different to the tech-focussed start-up incubators and high-end corporate offices available in Ballarat, Platypus Coworking is a flexible way for business owners to work in a suitable central location without high overheads, long lease contracts or unhelpful distractions.
“People come here to work independently in a commercial environment or collaborate on business projects in a vibrant dynamic space. Simply interacting with experts in different industries helps breed new ideas, solve big problems, and enhance productivity and creativity”, said Ms Davies.
Ms Davies draws on her experience in facilities management and customer service to operate Platypus Coworking. The inviting workspace offers 8 private offices, 2 meeting rooms, 22 dedicated desk spaces, 20 coworking spaces, several light-filled communal areas with a smart open design, indoor plants and unique rooftop to mountain views.
New tenant, consultant psychologist, Ellen Jackson, of Potential Psychology, loves her new work environment: “Platypus Coworking provides an environment that is conducive to the way I work and enhances my productivity and wellbeing. I’ve enjoyed the solitude of my home office for years but I know that coworking is important too for creativity, motivation and inspiration. Platypus gives me the best of both worlds.”
Platypus Coworking welcomes businesses to trial the new space and facilities for one full day on a free pass, valued at $30. Also, free 30-minute live tours can be booked online.
“In nature the platypus is a unique creature with the useful and diverse features of a mammal, reptile and bird. In synergy with the brand, I chose the name Platypus Coworking to represent different workspaces and different businesses coming together to discover each other’s useful and diverse skills in one buzzing lively space,” said Ms Davies.