Just spent a week in the Flinders, yes! it's a delightful area at this time of year.
However, I strongly suggest you purchase provisions well before arrival, in either Port Augusta or Port Pirie, similar with fuel, the less you have to spend whist up there the better, prices are exorbitant, I suspect traders in the area have strong genetic ties to Ned Kelly.
With freight coming in probably to Adelaide, then on-forwarded to the Flinders, you are as you say, looking at a further 460km. Does that not warrant extra freight charges. When we were working in the Prairie Hotel in Parachinla, our "local" shop was in Leigh Creek. If we did not travel up to Leigh Creek (I think it was about 60k there, 60k return) our only alternative was a few hours drive back to Port Augusta.
I think the fuel bill would have been larger than the difference in grocery prices. I stand by what I say, tourists and travellers need to inject their funds into these outback services. With out our funds, they will disappear.
__________________
Pay it forward - what goes around comes around
DUNMOWIN is no longer on the road and still DUNMOWIN!
SNIP~~~ I stand by what I say, tourists and travellers need to inject their funds into these outback services. With out our funds, they will disappear.
Gday...
I stand wif ya Dunmowin ... I do try to keep some "base stock" in the van ... but ALWAYS make sure I spend a few $$$ at the 'out-of-town' places that I visit.
They may be dearer on most things ... but hey, better to pay for a bit more for items from time to time rather than turn up and find the store/outlet has closed.
Cheers - John
__________________
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
I suppose if you broke down out there and needed assistance for your sleigh Santa you wouldn't use a local, better off to call for help at pirie or port Augusta .. they might be a bit cheaper.
I suppose if you broke down out there and needed assistance for your sleigh Santa you wouldn't use a local, better off to call for help at pirie or port Augusta .. they might be a bit cheaper.
Thanks RL & Dazz, we just spent 5 weeks up the Cape, if we had taken supplies and fuel to counter the prices up there (considerably more expensive than the Flinders Ranges) we would have been grossly overweight.
__________________
Pay it forward - what goes around comes around
DUNMOWIN is no longer on the road and still DUNMOWIN!
Or some of the roadhouses, crossing The Nullarbor! Happens in towns and cities as well - here in Perth last Friday one small garage had unleaded and diesel for $1.19l - about 10k down the road, one of the supposedly discount stations was $1.34 for both!
__________________
jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Hi Santa, Everyone gotta make a living, My old man use to say " If you don't use them, You will lose them".
Retail businesses fail for many different reasons, for every one that falls by the wayside another will take it's place.
Gday...
Theoretically correct Santa.
However, in a small town, the one that "takes its place" is very unlikely to be in the same small town.
When denigrating these small town businesses, with low stock turnover due to amount of trade/traffic, think how much it cost you to buy the products in the "big town/big store" and then to transport it to the area/store you refuse to patronise.
Cost your fuel, wear & tear, labour (your time) etc etc etc and reduce it from the 'savings' you enjoyed from buying in the "big town/big store".
I know I would prefer to support the local, small and often struggling, businesses and help ensure they can remain for the next time I visit.
Of course, their continued existence is not just good for MY convenience, but also for those locals who often have little option but to rely on their availability.
Cheers - John
__________________
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
We try and support the small stores - buying the necessary items that you need to buy regularly - as RL says - add your petrol for another 50k journey to the "big town", and the fuel back, plus the lunch, coffee and "bargains" you will purchase.
__________________
jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
SWMBO likes to do a weekly shop just like at home, so who am I to argue. Consequently, we fill up at major towns' supermarkets & then top up at the smaller shops as necessary along the way.
If the locals produce fruit, veges, seafood etc. we always pick up some. As well, I much prefer local killed/butchered meat too & don't stock up at Supermarkets. Perhaps one 'emergency' steak & sausages meal is kept in the freezer, just in case.
I always keep on hand an adequate supply (about 1 week's worth) of reasonably priced & acceptable quality wine. (ie $15 - $20 from Dan Murphy's et al.) If the local pub doesn't have an acceptable bottle at a reasonable price, I just abstain or perhaps have a beer with SWMBO at the bar.
edit ... Oops, forgot to add that if we are in a place for more than a week, we just suck it up & buy what we need at the local store.
We like to browse the country clothing shops too & sometimes pick up some interesting stuff ..... just like in the second hand/antique shops.
-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 1st of November 2017 10:10:42 PM
And we kept getting story of how important the grey nomads are to outback communities with all the money they spend and how they should supply us with free camps to thanks us for all the money we spend there , Tell them they are dreaming .
Three pubs have been shut in recent times in the Flinders hawker blinman and Copley. But Santa wouldn't care. He got his cheap booze in pt Augusta. Hope he takes powdered milk as there won't be anywhere left to buy fresh or a loaf of bread in the Flinders if we keep up this attitude. I have been in a small business ( pub).and let me tell you it is not easy to make a quid and no tradie or public servant would put in 80 hours a week for a pittance whilst risking his investment in a business . sorry. Had to get it off my chest. Daz
Dazz49 - good post mate. We need to support these small towns, or we lose them completely - had a great schnitzel night at Copley pub one time, it was packed, we sat with a couple from Victoria somewhere - nicer than dining on our own, they thought the same thing - so we joined up.
The caravan park down the road used to have 10am morning teas, homemade scones, pikelets, etc.
Took half an hour for one of the mine trains to pass us by - daily pastime - count the carriages, and see how long it takes.
__________________
jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Three pubs have been shut in recent times in the Flinders hawker blinman and Copley. But Santa wouldn't care. He got his cheap booze in pt Augusta. Hope he takes powdered milk as there won't be anywhere left to buy fresh or a loaf of bread in the Flinders if we keep up this attitude. I have been in a small business ( pub).and let me tell you it is not easy to make a quid and no tradie or public servant would put in 80 hours a week for a pittance whilst risking his investment in a business . sorry. Had to get it off my chest. Daz
I have two opinions on this post I do not have any facts and figures at hand, so I could therefore be way off the mark
I try to look at things with a signtific mind By looking at the signs, that I see
More of us are retiring More of us are travelling More of us are richer than our parents were More of us are just as poor as, or even poorer than our parents were
Santa has helped some travellers, by pointing out the higher cost of a certain area, so that they are forewarned Others pointed out that if we do not patronise the shops in the smaller towns, we will lose them In my opinion, both the above statements are applicable
As we are all different, I can only speak for myself I would prefer to see small towns put an area aside, for self contained vehicles to free camp, on the provision that the free campers Keep that area clean, and patronise the local shops
On the other hand, I forget the name of the town, but in 2013 I passed through a town, near a coastal border between VIC and NSW They had turned an unused caravan park, into a free camp without power, but with water, flushing toilets, and cold showers available Talking to some locals, not many free campers patronised the shop I can only say, more fool us, for ignoring the hand, which was trying to help us
We don't free camp, but I am just finishing putting in a new 12v system that includes Solar, so we will have the ability to free camp in future.
It is good to be forewarned of high grocery prices so that we can make the decisions that suit us.
We patronise some but not all of the small town shops, but like most, we have a finite budget & make savings where we choose.
If I see a reasonable mark up then I accept it, but if I see what I consider is a rip off then I keep my coin & sometimes give feedback.
I don't see it as my role to subsidise unprofitable businesses and nor do I see it as the role of the local rate payers to provide me with free accommodation. Maybe we should look harder for the middle ground.
We were near a small town on the coast of WA recently - the " grocery/newsagency/just about everything shop" had sausages in the freezer, that they put in there when almost out of date - cost was a bit cheaper than original - so rather than throw the goods out, they sold them at a reduced price. Enterprise.
__________________
jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
We were near a small town on the coast of WA recently - the " grocery/newsagency/just about everything shop" had sausages in the freezer, that they put in there when almost out of date - cost was a bit cheaper than original - so rather than throw the goods out, they sold them at a reduced price. Enterprise.
We were near a small town on the coast of WA recently - the " grocery/newsagency/just about everything shop" had sausages in the freezer, that they put in there when almost out of date - cost was a bit cheaper than original - so rather than throw the goods out, they sold them at a reduced price. Enterprise.
Ah yes, small business and penny pinching, lived in a small far Northern SA town for many years, the local store owner was a very (frugal) lady, the girls that worked in the deli section were required to wipe the age slime of the ham every morning with a cloth dipped in vinegar, could quote other instances in the same business, needless to say, no more meat purchases from that place.
We were near a small town on the coast of WA recently - the " grocery/newsagency/just about everything shop" had sausages in the freezer, that they put in there when almost out of date - cost was a bit cheaper than original - so rather than throw the goods out, they sold them at a reduced price. Enterprise.
Ah yes, small business and penny pinching, lived in a small far Northern SA town for many years, the local store owner was a very (frugal) lady, the girls that worked in the deli section were required to wipe the age slime of the ham every morning with a cloth dipped in vinegar, could quote other instances in the same business, needless to say, no more meat purchases from that place.
I am sure that this happens elsewhere, Santa
I shall not mention the shop, (a large supermarket in Bunbury WA)
Daughter was employed stacking shelves, the procedure was, (on some occasions)
Remove old stock Wipe shelf down with, (a cleaning product from another shelf) New stock to rear Old stock to front Replace cleaning product, from where you got it
Perhaps the shelf stackers were employed by outside contractors, who were suppose to have their own cleaning product
