Freeman’s Organic Farm: 106-year-old farm faces closure as extended lockdown, border closures wreak havoc
The owner of a beloved hinterland farm says his business is on the brink of collapse, with only weeks left of trading possible if the hard lockdown and border closures continue. WHAT HE SAID >>>
Gold Coast
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THE owner of an historic Gold Coast farm says he will be “toast” within weeks if the Queensland lockdown is extended on Sunday and he is left to suffer on his own.
David Freeman, of Freeman’s Organic Farm, said his 106-year-old family business at Currumbin Valley had lost more than $50,000 during the pandemic and in one desperate moment last year he took out a $30,000 personal loan and used his Army pension to cover overheads.
In this lockdown – extended to 4pm Sunday – the fourth-generation farmer said he stood to lose $16,000-20,000 in gross revenue.
“If it goes for another week I’m done – unless there’s significant government support. If I can’t get proper support, then I’m toast,” Mr Freeman said.
“It’s a 106-year-old family business; it’s not just in what I’m selling, it’s a place where people can come and sit in nature and get away from the coast.”
The farm’s proximity to the border along Tomewin Mountain Road is also proving to be a huge blow, as many of his customers are shut out of the state.
“It’s crippling. I’ve spoken to other local businesses (located near the border); I think the right word is devastated. We feel gutted.”
The border closure at Tomewin Mountain Road was creating an “enormous disconnect between cross-borders businesses and communities,” Mr Freeman said, particularly for families whose children go to school in Murwillumbah and commuters.
“Fine local people will lose their jobs if these border closures continue. A lot of commuters who work on the mountain and live at the Tweed are really hurt by this.”
Member for Currumbin Laura Gerber said the government needed to do more to support struggling border communities and businesses.
“I’ve been calling for targeted support for these areas since the pandemic began,” she said.
“Border businesses are uniquely affected, not just lockdowns, but with border closures too. Those businesses that are right on that lockdown border zone don’t have any trade at all.”
She said the state government’s $5000 support package announced on Monday would do little to support smaller entities as the one-off grant was only accessible by businesses who had an annual turnover of $75,000 or a payroll of $10m or less.
“It’s just not going to cut it,” she said. “These border communities shoulder the hardships of lockdowns and border closures and little is being done to support them.”
‘GOING TO GET A LOT WORSE’: JOBS ON LINE AS BUSINESSES FACE COLLAPSE
MANY businesses in Gold Coast’s tourism mecca will close in eight to 12 weeks as the latest lockdown puts another nail in their coffins.
That’s the desperate warning from Aquaduck Gold Coast managing director and Destination Gold Coast board director Sarah Colgate, who has urged the state government to cough up more financial support for businesses.
The lockdown has dealt another blow to thousands of small businesses already struggling in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Main Beach.
Once the jewels in the Coast’s tourism crown, these areas have turned into ghost towns scattered with vacant shopfronts.
Ms Colgate said her sightseeing tour business had almost no customers since the lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne.
“Two weeks ago we had our worst week in 25 years. It’s obviously not going to get any better,” she said.
“Two weeks ago we had two people on a boat compared to 200 (before Covid).”
Ms Colgate said businesses could not cope with the endless uncertainty.
“We’ve survived 73 weeks of this, what do we do now?
“A lot of (businesses) are saying they are not going to be in business in eight to 12 weeks – that’s in Surfers, Main Beach and Broadbeach.”
The tourism operator said the state government’s $5000 payments to small and medium businesses impacted across Queensland would not help operators already close to the edge.
“That doesn’t even cover my insurance for a month – it doesn’t even cover rent.”
Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek expected more vacant shopfronts in his electorate over the coming weeks.
“If I was still a dentist, my practice would be dying,” Mr Langbroek said.
“It’s going to get a lot worse.
“A lot of (business owners) aren’t saying anything because they are so frustrated.
“They are just resigned to their fate.”
He said business owners were crying out for more financial support in the short-term, and certainty in the long-term.
Division 10 councillor Darren Taylor said it would be a challenge for all businesses to adapt and push through these tough times.
He said the council was working on a masterplan to rejuvenate Surfers Paradise.
“We’re looking at what improvements we can do to Surfers Paradise over the forthcoming years and also long-term,” Cr Taylor said.
“Surfers has not kept up with the growth of the city and it’s time investment comes back here.”
Originally published as Freeman’s Organic Farm: 106-year-old farm faces closure as extended lockdown, border closures wreak havoc
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