It's been a tough year for small businesses – and even tougher for those in rural and remote Queensland, but now you can support those bush businesses without leaving Brisbane.
Minister for Employment, Small Business and Training Di Farmer said Buy from the Bush Queensland has opened a pop-up shop in New Farm – and she's wants us all to support it.
"This is a remarkable story of resilience and perseverance – a group of country women banding together to defy the odds," Ms Farmer said.
"Buy from the Bush Queensland started two-and-a-half years ago when small rural businesses across the state got together to create an online country market.
"This Christmas they've gone one better and brought the bush to Brisbane – and I'd encourage everyone to get behind this great Queensland small business success story.
"The Palaszczuk Government is a strong supporter of buying local and this Christmas people should get behind their fellow Queenslanders and go to the local shops and buy locally made and grown products.
"This government backs small business, including with COVID-19 tax relief, on time payment of invoices, and our $140 million to our Big Plans for Small Business strategy.
"Our economic recovery is well underway after a year of many challenges and one of the best ways to keep it going is to get behind Queensland businesses.
"Let every dollar make a difference this Christmas – buying local supports your fellow Queenslanders.
Founder of Buy from the Bush Queensland Kerri Brennan said the response to the shop has been overwhelming.
"We've had customers travel from as far as the Gold Coast and Moreton Bay to buy some of our products – everything from pickles, chutneys, soaps and bath salts to jewellery, scarfs, lamp shades and duffel bags," Ms Brennan said.
"We source our products form businesses right across the state – from Goondiwindi in the south, to Mission Beach in the north, and Longreach in the west.
"This all began because many women on the land had started microbusinesses to supplement the family income during a devastating drought.
"Individually we had very small networks but when we banded together, we quickly grew to have much greater reach through social media.
"Last year we had 5000 Facebook followers and now we have more than 22,000 – but opening our own shop has taken it to a whole new level.
"New Farm locals Lawrie and Tony Ward offered us the space for free and I said yes before I thought about how we could make it work.
"It's a low budget affair, we sleep on swags between the pelts and macadamia nuts at night before opening the shop in the morning."
"We opened on November 30 and will carry on until December 23 which should give us just enough time to get home for Christmas."
The Buy from the Bush pop-up shop is located at 866 Brunswick Street New Farm.
