Townsville crowds descend for final Christmas shopping spree at CastleTown

Crowds have descended on shopping centres across Townsville in a last minute dash for gifts. The Bulletin was there to ask shoppers and retailers what it’s like at ground zero. Hear their stories.

The day before Christmas Eve is meant to be chaos at the shops – it was recently revealed to be the ‘worst day’ to go shopping during the festive season.

Naturally, the Bulletin went down to see how Townsville was fairing at CastleTown.

In the carpark John Hall did a careful job of parking his 1977 Holden Kingswood.

“My daughter just came up from Brisbane so I’m doing some quick secret shopping,” Mr Hall said.

“I did a half lap and lucked out with this park. I have to try and get the shade because the car struggles with the heat.”

John Hall with his Holden Kingswood 1977. While the car parks were busy, there was a good flow of people in and out which allowed him to snag this one.

Lots of drivers were practising the tried and true tactic of waiting for a car near them to finally click the seatbelt on and pull out of their park.

Traffic did build up at times, but catching a park was reasonably easy before midday.

Deb is up North from Albury-Wodonga, VIC to spend Christmas with her 84-year-old father.

Inside, Deb, who didn’t wish for her last name to be printed, was up from Victoria to spend Christmas with her 84-year-old father in Carlyle Gardens.

“This is his first Christmas since Mum died so I’m trying to make it easier for him,” she said.

“I’m here for some last minute Christmas shopping. Most of the family is easy to buy for but what do you get an 84-year-old? He keeps saying he doesn’t need anything.”

Deb said she’d paid for her father’s annual Netflix and Stan subscriptions, but she was after one more thing.

“He always liked to smell good. Back when he was federal police he had a different aftershave for every day of the week. I think I might go that route.”

Kim Roughley has been manning the Big W self-serve check-outs all week in a range of Christmas costumes.

In the Big W self-serve check-outs Kim Roughley continued to shine in another outfit.

“I always dress up, I dressed up all week for Halloween and I’m doing it for Christmas,” Ms Roughley said.

“I was a snowman on Tuesday, an elf on Wednesday, Mrs Claus on Thursday and I’m this today. Tomorrow I’ll be in my onesie.”

Friends Loyla Hunter and Moira Bawa get their Christmas shopping wrapped at the Salvation Army gift wrapping station, with Olivia Bawa tagging along.

Friends Loyla Hunter and Moira Baẃa from Palm Island were in CastleTown on day two of their Christmas shopping trip.

“We’re buying presents for two kids today and we got presents for some others yesterday,” Ms Baẃa said.

“It’s less busy than it was yesterday.”

The pair were getting everything wrapped at the Salvation Army gift wrapping station, which they said was a big help.

“To fit everything back on the plane, we put all the presents underneath,” Ms Baẃa said.

Ayla Adams (16) and Ava Mcdonald (14) from Otto's Harvest in CastleTown. These fruit baskets have been "going bananas" according to owner Rob Aumend.

At Otto’s Harvest owner Rob Aumend said shoppers were after convenience.

“Our fruit bundles are going bananas – pardon the pun,” Mr Aumend said.

“We pre-pack fruit and people get to buy them much cheaper. Normally we pack five limes together but for Christmas we pack nine limes because people are drinking more.”

In terms of prices, the big summer sellers of stone fruit and tree fruits were priced well after largely escaping flood damage.

“So the pricing is okay but anything that grows in the ground is expensive. Potatoes are three times the price,” Mr Aumend said.

Sisters Caroline and Jackie Kerr were on their last Christmas shop and couldn't resist this discounted Christmas tree.

Sisters Caroline and Jackie Kerr were out on their last Christmas shop together and picked up a discounted Christmas tree.

“I got it for my sister,” Jackie said.

“She saw it and liked it.”

Caroline said she needed a new tree because her new kitten was tearing her original one apart.

“I put the tree up and Bento’s been up and down it. I used as much water as I could spray but it’s kind of ruined.”

After the tree, there was only prawns and soft drink left on their shopping list.

Walter and Miriam Hall run a clothing apparel pop up shop in CastleTown. They've been retailers for 35 years.

Clothing apparel retailers Walter and Mariam Hall run a pop-up stall near Big W.

“Yesterday (Thursday) was the big day,” Mr Hall said.

“I’ve been in retail 35 years … every Christmas is kind of predictable but in recent years the pattern has been changing a bit.”

Mr Hall said most people seemed to have gotten their shopping done last week and yesterday.

“But until Christmas Eve, you never know what sort of day it’s going to be,” he said.

Originally published as Townsville crowds descend for final Christmas shopping spree at CastleTown