In October 2012 we created a Facebook group known as Hills District Mums. The idea was to form a small online mothers’ group for the Hills area where local mums could meet ‘virtually’ and discuss baby and kids’ stuff, motherhood, parenting and anything else that took our fancy. The group would provide a place where mums could ask for advice, share recommendations and make connections with other mums in the Hills District. We thought the group may have a couple of hundred members, maybe 500 tops.

Fast forward to now. The Hills District Mums Facebook group comprises 2,000+ mums and is growing every day! It is an active and engaged group of local mums, meaning members are participating, reading and paying attention to the posts in the group. The following statistics give you an idea of the group’s activity and cover a recent 60 day period:

• There were 9,672 posts.
• On the 9,672 posts, there were 130,308 comments and 177,484 reactions.
• Of the 16,000+ members, over 15,100 engaged with the group. This is 94%, a HUGE proportion of the group and validates that it is an active, engaged audience.

But we are more than just a Facebook group. We also have a Facebook page with close to 40,000 followers, an Instagram following of almost 15k and more than 6,000 enewsletter subscribers.

In March 2015, we launched a Hills District Mums website! Hillsdistrictmums.com.au offers many of the features and information found in the Facebook group but in an easier to find format and location. In the group, common posts about recommendations for a cleaner, personal trainer or plumber would get swallowed up in the fast moving traffic. Here, the information can be easily found in our business guide. Mums like to get recommendations from other mums so we’d love you to review your favourite local businesses! And if you’re a local business, we’d love to have you as part of our HDM community too!

Hillsdistrictmums.com.au is an extension of the supportive community that exists within our Facebook group. You’ll find all sorts of information on the site – from activities to do with your little ones in the Hills, special offers from local businesses just for Hills District Mums to information on lots of playgrounds, reviews of local cafes and restaurants, and more. You’ll also find interesting ‘mum’ stuff too – some factual, some serious and importantly, some funny. If we’ve learnt anything from our fabulous Facebook group, it’s that mums love a laugh, in fact it’s vital to their survival!

In April 2016 we were awarded Most Outstanding New Business in the Hills Local Business Awards and in 2017 we received an Australia Day Award for Community Contribution.

We hope you enjoy being a part of the HDM community!

– Justine and Jenni

Hills District Mums