Denise Gartside has 28 years' experience as a collector and antiques store owner.

First, she ran a collector's store in Castlemaine. Now, she managed the Inglewood Emporium.

Alongside two other local antique stores, she pioneered a push to put Inglewood on the map for collectors.

"We had nothing else, we've all banded together," Ms Gartside said.

She said the region had the potential to turn Goldfields towns into treasure troves for collectors' items.

"Maldon was a very well known town for selling collectables and historical items, back in the early 90s," Ms Gartside said.

"There were 17 collectible shops there. Now there's only one."

Down the road, Castlemaine was known for its vintage store offerings, but Ms Gartside said any neighbouring town could have the same success — if they put in the effort.

"All of the shops, almost all of them had closed down.

"Now there's six collectible shops in the one street."

Business owners call for support

Maryborough business owner Garry Higgins had operated for more than a decade but said a lack of foot traffic was one of the main challenges for the town.

"We need to develop a catalogue around special events … a lot of those smaller weekend events," Mr Higgins said.

He also wanted to see businesses work more collaboratively.

"If we're all heading in the one direction, we've got a real chance," he said.

Plan to turn streets into 'fossicker's paradise'

The Central Goldfields Shire Council was keen to put Maryborough on the antique map.

Central Goldfields Shire Mayor Chris Meddows-Taylor said Maryborough businesses had struggled during the pandemic.

"We want to encourage people to support our businesses to grow again, for people to shop, to spend money, to visit," he said.

The council identified five characteristics which described the Maryborough's retail identity — undiscovered, a fossicker's paradise, a complete package, everyone's a local and proudly independent.

While the latter referred to longstanding businesses on the main street, there were plenty of other areas which were underused.

Cr Meddows-Taylor said the categories would help form initiatives to revitalise the town's main streets.

"Fossicker's picking up elements at niche, boutique shops encourages tourism," he said.

One new initiatives was the Makers and Collector's Market.

"That's a great way we've found to showcase those unique and interesting stores to the local public, and also the wider tourism public as well," said David Leatham, the council's acting manager of economic development.

"It's been very successful in the first couple of months, to get people more engaged … both from a local and visitor perspective."