‘Very excited’: Janyima community store reopens after years

Residents of a remote Northern Territory community previously forced to rely on others to buy food can now access essentials near home, as their local store reopened after several years.

Residents of a remote Northern Territory community previously forced to rely on others to buy food can now access essentials near home, as their local store reopened after several years.

Janyima community store (Bulla Store) has reopened with the backing of federal government-owned enterprise Outback Stores.

Outback Stores granted $60,000 to purchase stock and more than $200,000 to improve store infrastructure, after the community asked for assistance to re-open the store and manage it going forward.

Local stores provide more than 90 per cent of food consumed in remote communities, making them crucial for food security.

Bulla Store Director Shadrack Retchdford said it would make a big difference to residents without transport to travel 60km to Timber Creek to shop.

Janyima community store (Bulla Store) has reopened after several years with the help of publicly-owned enterprise Outback Stores. Picture: Outback Stores.

“We are very excited, it has been a long time since the store was closed,” he said.

“It makes it very easy for us to get our groceries. Our residents now don’t need to travel to Timber Creek to get food and particularly the ones that have no transport will now have access to essential items within the community.

“The past years have seen floodings during the wet season, with the community relying on food drops throughout the wet season.

“We are (now) hoping to have a long-term food security solution for our community residents.”

Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour said good nutrition was essential for good health and strong futures.

“It is sadly too often the case that Aboriginal families and children in remote communities go without a nutritious meal due to a lack of access to healthy and affordable food,” she said.

“This leads to higher rates of illness and disease directly linked to food security.”

Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy said food insecurity disproportionately affected people in remote Aboriginal communities, where stores commonly operate in challenging environments.

“Long transport distances, high operating expenses and weather extremes mean many small communities cannot sustain a store,” she said.