Archer River Roadhouse Sale

Guilty as charged. Just back from Bunnings this morning. LOL But I can ride my pushbike there and Mitre 10 is a 4 km drive. Things have changed a lot since you were in Giles and before many here were not even a glint in a parents eye. Ahh, the good old days.

"Ahh, the good old days" indeed Warrie.
But at my age, tomorrow is the best day of my life. Eh?

Hey boys : i drive pass Bunnings to go to mitre6 most times except for Sunday mornings for the sausage sizzle LOL ;)))

Cuppa and Dusta: My original post never said corporate giant. The point of this stir is that instead of 6 roadhouses run by 6 unrelated owners, now one owner/board runs all 6 and has holidays in the Bahamas. They take the cream and pay low wages to casual workers. Maybe the original owners also paid low but holidayed in Cairns. How long until the corporate power of a multi roadhouse owner restricts camping anywhere within 100 km of their business? Looks like 4WD 24/7 Off grid better get out and do it asap before it's all shut down. It's the way it's going.
In the case of Bunnings it's bottom tier $$ to those on the shop floor and fat profits to the executive and dividends to the 484,000 Wesfarmers shareholders. It's almost an oligopoly for them as competition has been erased.

nice edit on your original rant warrie. Your original post had alot in it which you have now removed. Nice attempt.

Warrie I wasn’t criticising you, & I think Dusta’s use of the term ‘rant’ is a bit strong. I agree with your views on the corporates spoiling successful small businesses, but my post tried to reflect the flavour of the Cape York Weekly article, which seemed to paint a picture of a small company which focuses upon a handful of small outback enterprises. All a matter of scale I guess.

It's called "progress", the way of the world.

Once upon a time you had to cross Sydney Harbour by a rowed ferry, then they built a bridge, later a tunnel…. progress?

The real point is that if you don't like it then you need not avail yourself of the corporate service. As Charlotte Keyes put it….. "Suppose They Gave a War and No One Came".

Anything offered by Bunnings can be sourced elsewhere, but Bunnings made it more convenient, so the masses flocked to them and the little guys closed up. It takes a lot of commitment to stick to your ideals. But beating a drum is pretty easy.

The reason the" corporate giant " has bought up these outback properties is that nobody else wants them.
Try and get a 40+ couple to go out to Cocklebiddy, or Nullarbor or Archer River or anywhere else where there's no gym or beauty parlour, take on a bloody great mortgage for 30 plus years, not much chance.
We took on a $500,000 mortgage when we bought a motel freehold in 2000 but it was in a Sth Western Australia tourist town. I was 52, executive director of housekeeping was 48. We looked at Caravan parks along the Great Eastern Highway but none appealed to us.
Yes if I was 52 , I'd do it again but not remote.

Hi all , the real footy is on -- NRL not AFL so that will offend half. I have not edited any of the original post and I am not a liar. Simple as that. Quote: Giant agribusinesses versus family farms etc etc. Endquote. It does not say "corporate giant" .... Go the Blues. LOL