Mackay butchers keeping ‘foods on tables’ as Coles and Woolworths run bare

Residents are turning to local butchers to put food on tables as flooded roads restrict supply to major supermarkets.

Essential items such as water stocked up while meat shelves run low at Coles Sydney Street

Flooding has left empty shelves across two of Mackay’s largest food providers with more residents turning to local butchers to put protein on the table.

As North Queensland is battered by rain with some parts copping upwards of about 1.5m in just days, leaving homes uninhabitable, eating away critical infrastructure and cutting traffic on the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Ayr.

Near empty meat and seafood shelves have been spotted across Mackay Woolworths and Coles in the past couple of days though the supermarket giant wants to reassure residents they are working to get stock back on shelves.

In a statement, a Coles spokesperson said preparations were made to maintain essential supplies ahead of the weather event and they were working to maintain deliveries where roads were accessible.

“We ask customers to only buy what they need so that everyone in the community can access essential items,” they said.

Essential stock such as water stacked up, Mackay Sydney Street Coles, February 5, 2025

Woolworths have introduced a two-pack purchase limit on a small number of products in their Mackay stores.

A Woolworths spokesperson said the reopening of the Bruce Highway on Wednesday allowed the company to replenish their Townsville Distribution Centre to improve supply for stores in Townsville, Ayr, Mission Beach and Mackay.

Cliff Ward from the George Street Butcher Shoppe said they looked after people when the supermarkets ran out because they’re not “relying on a truck”.

“We process in store, that’s what keeps kids’ food on the tables,” he said.

Tracy Smith from Sinclair Meats Mackay said while her butcher was getting “smashed right now” with customers coming from supermarkets, small independent butchers were absolutely essential because they were able to plan well in advance.

“The managers sort of see it coming and we carry a lot of stock,” she said.

“We’re round to the pump, make no mistake, because people are buying.”

As a supplier for smaller butchers in the area, Ms Smith from Sinclair Meats said independent distributors and vendors became absolutely “vital” when supply ran out.

“We are keeping food on people’s tables.”

Nick Meara, General Manager at Thomas Borthwicks & Sons in Bakers Creek said his abattoir was working with reduced volumes as cattle flow from the north was affected by the rain and floods.

“By this time of the year, we generally expect it,” he said.

“We’re prepared for this.”

Richmond Rd at Glenella closed due to flooding. Photo taken at 8.20am, February 4 2025. Picture: Luke Lay

Heavy rain is expected to continue throughout the rest of the work week in Mackay as Monsoon troughs dumped 322ml of water in Hamilton Island overnight, the highest 24 hour rainfall total since records began in that area in 2001.

Woolworths has begun airlifting stock into Ingham where residents experienced the brunt of the flooding with helicopters carrying products including bottled water, fruit and vegetables and meat.