It's 3am on a Sunday, and while you might hear a pin drop in the main streets of many other country towns in Australia, Traralgon in Victoria's Latrobe Valley is pumping.
Synonymous with images of coal-fired power stations and powerlines rising from picturesque, green, dairy pastures, Traralgon — population about 27,000 — is the unlikely facilitator of a bustling, cosmopolitan night-time economy.
Sitting in the beer garden outside the city's Kay Street entertainment complex, local Aaron Grimes is among a crowd of about 900 revellers who have gathered for the final night of the Saloon Bar.
It's a nostalgic night, a sensory tangle of music, lights and pulsating tribal beats, in a venue that has been a rite-of-passage experience for many.
"Traralgon is one of the few places other than Melbourne where you can come out and have a good time," Mr Grimes says.
"I heard it was the last night ever to come here so I wanted to get on it."
With a new era of trendy eateries and nightspots opening up in Traralgon, the market has evolved from pavilion-style clubs that can hold thousands of punters to more boutique, intimate venues.
A variety of venues offer indoor and outdoor lounge areas where people can sit, chat with a cocktail or jump up for a dance at the bar.
1,000 new businesses
Recent data reveals an 87 per cent increase in weekend visitor spending for dining and entertainment in Traralgon when comparing February 2019–January 2020 with February 2022–January 2023, despite inflationary pressures of 7 or 8 per cent.
The majority of visitors are coming from neighbouring towns such as Sale, with limited nightlife options.
Latrobe City mayor Kellie O'Callaghan says the centre has more offerings available for visitors who are travelling to or through the town.
"This includes welcoming our neighbours, including those identified in visitor data from Sale, Warragul, Rosedale, Drouin and Trafalgar," she says.
Despite a decade of disasters including the Hazelwood mine fire of 2014, subsequent closure, devastating floods in 2021, and the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, 1,336 new businesses have been registered since in Traralgon since 2018.
"This increase provides a welcome boost to our local economy, particularly for the hospitality industry which was significantly impacted during the peak of the pandemic with businesses unable to operate dine in or with restricted patron capacity," Cr O'Callaghan says.
"We are seeing a strong recovery in this sector, which plays an important role in our local economy."
Tough times, small luxuries
Earlier in the evening at another venue, a full lounge of patrons have no hesitation in spending $20 per bespoke cocktail at the plush Melbournian-styled bar.
With international travel, domestic holidays and even weekends away to major cities becoming increasingly out of financial reach, fun times can be found in smaller luxuries much closer to home.
"It's so hard with everything at the moment, going out is a luxury, but people still want to do it, people make time and they put money aside," says Benjamin on Franklin bar manager Brody Hegarty.
Mr Hegarty says it is clear people are still treating themselves to an escapist night out to forget their troubles and celebrate life where they can.
"We get birthday celebrations, going-away parties, work break-ups, lots of bridal parties, lots of celebrations," he says.
"We get a mix of people, we get a lot of the younger crowd coming in for pre-drinks, then the older crowd coming in for the whole evening — it just depends on the night."
Mr Hegarty says although regulars are spending less, a greater number of customers are coming through, as business picks up after the post-Christmas lull.
"Familiar faces don't come around as often as they used to," he says.
"People come in and say, 'I haven't been out for ages'. It's too expensive to do anything now, but there are enough people around that it kind of balances out."
Back to the 90s
With the music of the 1990s and early 2000s back in vogue, earworm tracks from the era are sampled and remixed for their nostalgic value.
But painful high heels are gone, replaced with a comfort uniform of flat sandals and sandshoes.
On this night, there has only been one minor fight.
Phones are tucked away as the crowd appears primarily interested in immersing themselves in the atmosphere, having a social experience and feeling part of the unified swarm on the dance floor.
"Anyone can come in," Mr Grimes says.
"It's a great place to meet new people and see old people you haven't seen in ages."
He says everybody knows someone in "the Valley", so there is always someone to talk to.
"What I get out of it is a good time — the music, the people, it's a great time," he says.
