Yarraman Vinnies shop closes permanently after flood damage

The Yarraman St Vincent de Paul second-hand shop has permanently closed after being devastated with flood damage late last year, leaving locals heartbroken.

A much loved “cornerstone” of the Yarraman community has permanently closed, leaving many locals feeling disappointed and upset.

A much loved “cornerstone” of the Yarraman community has permanently closed, leaving many locals disappointed and upset.

The Yarraman St Vincent de Paul second-hand shop closed after it sustained flood damage during the severe weather the region received late last year, but there were hopes the store would be able to reopen.

Shop manager Glennys Woltmann posted the announcement on social media on March 15 to inform the community the op shop would not reopen.

“It is with a heavy heart that I write to you today regarding our beloved St Vincent de Paul Society shop,” she wrote.

“I have just been formally advised late yesterday from our Regional President, that a decision has been made to permanently close our store due to the devastating flood damage sustained late last year.”

She thanked the many volunteers who had given countless hours to the charity over the decades the shop had operated and highlighted how their contributions had positively impacted the community.

“Your unwavering commitment, boundless energy, and innovative ideas have been instrumental in making our shop a beacon of hope and support for our community,” she said.

“While this closure marks the end of an era, it by no means diminishes the incredible impact we have made together.”

Shop manager Glennys Woltmann posted the announcement on social media on March 15 to inform the community that the op shop would not re-open.

Dozens of people shared their sadness, and many said how disappointed they were with the decision.

“This is such sad and bad news for our town,” one person wrote.

“Is there someone the community of Yarraman can email to support and pressure them to reconsider the decision to close because this loss will be felt. Every store closure hurts a small town.”

“It’s a shame to see this little community cornerstone being closed down,” another person wrote.

“Such a shame, I remember going in there when I was a young girl,” another person posted.

Many people questioned why the shop was closed permanently instead of being moved to another location in town.

At the time of publication, the shop was almost completely empty, with the floors striped bare and just a few shelving units visible inside.

At the time of publication, there were reportedly several empty shops in Yarraman and one person questioned whether the Vinnies could even collaborate with one of the local churches.

One man shared his anger with the charity and encouraged others to submit formal complaints.

“This is bad for Yarraman & the local community … Not good enough Vinnies!” he wrote.

Heavy rain inundated the South Burnett late last year, with some areas experiencing flash flooding after over 200mm of rain fell over two days in December.

Weeks of “unprecedented” storms and heavy rain continued into mid-January, which resulted in many businesses closing for weeks due to flooding.

At the time, Mayor Kathy Duff said the South Burnett had more rain in December than the region would normally get in six months.

St Vincent de Paul was contacted for comment but did not respond by the time of publication.