Across Australia’s most isolated communities, the simple act of buying fresh, healthy food can be anything but simple.
Across Australia’s most remote regions, buying groceries is still a struggle. For many First Nations families, the nearest supermarket is hundreds of kilometres away. The roads are rough. Floods in the wet season cut off access. Summer heat cracks the ground. Travel is expensive — and often dangerous. To help ease this burden, the federal government has announced new support. Under the $9.6 million Food Security Resilience Package, seven more community-run stores will receive funding to improve access to affordable food.
Helping Stores That Keep Communities Fed
The initiative focuses on upgrading stores that face the biggest risks during bad weather. It means stronger cold storage. More reliable power. Extra space to stock food year-round. “Remote First Nations communities are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity,” said Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy. “This package is about bolstering supplies at stores most vulnerable to having access cut off.” One of the biggest grants — $1.3 million — is going to the Wandawuy Community Store in North East Arnhem Land. The store will expand its storage, upgrade security, and improve its solar system to stay open even during outages.
Local Stores, Local Survival
For Glenda Abraham, CEO of the Laynhapuy Aboriginal Corporation, the support is vital. Her team oversees the Wandawuy store, which serves four homelands. “More than 1,100 of the most remote and disadvantaged people in Australia rely on us for food and household goods,” she said. When stores can’t keep up, people are forced to travel long distances — up to 400 kilometres — just to buy basic supplies. That means spending money on bush taxis, fuel, and car repairs. And it means putting lives at risk on unsafe roads in old vehicles. “Getting food locally doesn’t just save money,” Ms Abraham said. “It keeps our families safe.”
Pilbara Stores Also Receive Support
In Western Australia’s Pilbara region, the Parnngurr Community Store is receiving over $130,000. The funding will go toward roof repairs, new cold storage, and a better point-of-sale system. Dr Prem Mudhan, Independent Director of the Parnngurr Aboriginal Corporation, said climate change is making things worse. “It’s now common for roads to flood during cyclones and for temperatures to spike in summer,” he said. “This funding lets us keep food safe, repair old systems, and transport fresh fruit and veg more often.”
More Stores, Wider Impact
Along with Wandawuy and Parnngurr, five other stores are included in this round of support:
- Warakurna Store (WA)
- Yakanarra Community Store (WA)
- Bayulu Supermarket (WA)
- Wangkatjungka Community Store (WA)
- Pipalyatjara Store (SA)
These grants are part of the National Strategy for Food Security in Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities. The goal is long-term resilience — not just one-off fixes.
Investing in Food, Investing in Futures
Marion Scrymgour, Special Envoy for Remote Communities, said the funding is a step toward more secure, self-reliant systems. “Anyone who has lived out bush knows how hard it is to get fresh, healthy food — especially when the weather turns,” she said. “This program builds strength into the supply chain and helps make sure people have what they need.”
Why It Matters
Food security is more than a health issue. It’s about safety. It’s about dignity. And it’s about the right to live well on Country. As these upgrades roll out, their true value won’t just be seen in new fridges or upgraded checkouts. It will be felt in every meal that doesn’t require a long, dangerous trip. In every elder who can stay close to home. In every child who grows up eating fresh, nourishing food. This funding won’t fix everything. But for the communities it reaches, it’s a lifeline — and a step in the right direction.
Source: https://nit.com.au/19-06-2025/18639/remote-stores-given-funding-boost-to-improve-food-security
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