Each morning, just before the Sun climbs out of the Pacific Ocean and begins sailing across the skies, there are local people on Bribie Island up and about, making things, with their hands, for other people on Bribie Island.
There are bakers making bread, croissants, cakes and other delicious treats that only bakers can make; there are mechanics and their apprentices, already up and about getting ready to complete repairing your wheels or fix the broken ones you brought in yesterday. There are fruit people getting their fresh fruit available for you to purchase in their new fruit markets; there are truckies getting prepared to carry food, products, fuel, water, and rubbish around and away from Bribie Island, every day.
There are people who catch fish, people who work in pharmacies and doctor’s surgeries, people who make supermarkets work, people who look after your hair, people who work in hospitality such as hotels, clubs, and restaurants. Some people work in servos, making sure you have to fuel for your vehicle. There are people who sell you things; builders and tradies are getting ready to assemble, fix and build houses, sheds, and apartments. They are all on Bribie Island; they live there, it is their life, and like you, it is their home.
These are small local businesses – they exist because their owners have assessed that there is a need for these businesses to service or satisfy the demand for their products or services on Bribie Island.
Without them and the services and products, they supply and provide, Bribie Island would not be an enjoyable place to live – it would be a rather barren place to live.
It is effortless to decide to drive 25 km or so to larger retail outlets – seeking lower retail unit prices but the economic factors of time, fuel, risk and wear and tear on vehicles and passengers are significant in these decisions. More often than not, the product or the service you seek at a larger outlet will be more expensive than the same product or service available on Bribie Island.
Why?
Because of the factors mentioned above have already been calculated into the price structure on Bribie Island plus the businesses on Bribie Island can purchase products at a better rate than you can – any time!
But this issue is much, much more than that. This about where you live and what makes it pleasant for you to live there.
As in any country/rural town, there is always the conflict amongst the locals that the regional centres are cheaper than the local shops. I spend much of my time in Western Queensland and I see and regularly hear examples of locals driving to Toowoomba to buy meat, fruit, even furniture rather than spend their money with the local retailers.
They do not allow for the fuel for the 300 km round trip, the wear and tear on their vehicle and their time, and, in one case, the freight bill for the furniture made the landed cost many, many dollars more than they would have paid had they purchased from the local store.
Now – I know that going to Morayfield or Caboolture is not a round trip of 300 km from Bribie, I suggest, however, that the principle stands. The local businesses on Bribie Island, exist for you, no one else. Residents of Caboolture and Morayfield do not drive to Bribie to do their shopping on a daily basis – they may drive there to get fish and chips – who would n’t? Bribie’s fish and chips are some of the best in the world – big call, you say – pfft – do it all the time; make big calls that is!
If you live on Bribie Island, you are fortunate to live in a beautiful community with impressive facilities. University of the Third Age is one of the best on Australia’s East Coast, and many locals use it, plus I know of ‘ mainlanders ‘ who also drive there weekly.
By spending your money on and in local businesses on Bribie Island, you strengthen the local economy; you give confidence to local companies to expand, and this completes an iron law of economics, which is, strong local economies breed confidence and expansion. You are contributing to your well being.
Having grown up in local rural and isolated communities, I follow the rules established by my Grand Parents and still apply today:-
Buy from a Local.
Buy Hand Made.
Buy from People you Know.
Buy from Self Employed.
I am reasonably well travelled and have yet to find fish and chips better than those available on Bribie Island – although I would be prepared to go on a sponsored global journey to sample other’s efforts and report back !
The ISLAND and Surrounds is a local business employing local people and we appreciate your local support!