Despite a weaker tone to the November survey, the rise in the trend measures of business confidence and conditions series remains intact.
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20.01.2026
- Melbourne’s CBD revealed as Australia’s most entrepreneurial neighbourhood
- 12% increase in total number of new business transaction account openings year-on-year
- Small businesses ready to take on 2026
NAB has revealed Australia’s most entrepreneurial neighbourhoods based on new insights about business account openings.
Postcode 3000 – which incorporates Melbourne’s CBD - was the fastest growing area for new businesses in the year to 30 September 2025.
Sydney’s CBDs and an area in Melbourne’s west incorporating the suburbs of Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit and Truganina – postcodes 2000 and 3029 respectively – rounded out the top three.
The insights come as NAB’s lending to small businesses increased 9.2% to $13 billion in the past year.
NAB Executive for Small Business Krissie Jones said Australia’s small business community was vibrant and growing in places people might not expect.
“Small businesses are the engine room of Australia’s economy, and our data reveals hot spots from growth corridors to CBDs and a regional hub,” Ms Jones said.
“Legal and accounting services businesses are the fastest growing in Melbourne and Sydney CBDs, while the golden triangle of Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit and Truganina is seeing growth in road freight transport businesses, perhaps not surprisingly given its proximity to freeways and relative rent and land affordability.”
NAB customer Yasemin Talat owns Flex & Flow Pilates Studio, a female only studio with five locations in Melbourne’s west and north. She opened in Point Cook four years ago and was one of the first businesses in her pocket.
Krissie Jones, NAB Executive Small Business
“The west is thriving right now and there are a lot of great businesses in the Point Cook area and surrounds,” Ms Talat said. “They’re businesses people who live around here need and want, from fitness to food. You don’t have to go to the CBD or travel outside of your own suburb to find Pilates, great restaurants, and beauty services anymore.” Ms Talat said many of her customers at the studio also ran small and micro businesses. “In our community, there's a lot of women and mums who have built home businesses too, who like me either started while on maternity leave or are building businesses around their kids and family needs,” she said.
Flex and Flow Pilates
“We love collaborating, and cross-promoting, with our neighbouring small businesses too, to really support and celebrate local business in the area.”
NAB Economics’ latest Monthly Business Survey, opens in new window showed business confidence and conditions remained above the long-term average, despite easy slightly on the previous month.
“At NAB, we bank one in four Aussie SMEs and one in three agribusinesses and are ready to help our customers – be them just starting out or well established – seize the opportunities ahead,” Ms Jones said. “Pleasingly, capacity utilisation is at an 18-month high, showcasing the resilience of small businesses. “We’ve grown total business deposits 1.4 times the system in the past five years and customers I talk to are ambitious. That means investing, hiring and planning to grow.”
Notes:
- Data in this media release is based on NAB Business Transaction Account openings in the year to 30 September 2025.
- References to 12% growth compares number of NAB Business Transaction Account openings in the year to 30 September 2025 with the previous year. Growth in lending to small businesses increased 9.2% to $13 billion in the year to 30 September 2025. See slide 50 in the NAB 2025 Full Year Results investor pack, opens in new window for more.
- Growth in total business deposits increased 1.4 times system since NAB FY20. See slide 18 in the NAB 2025 Full Year Results investor pack, opens in new window for more
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