‘Gary captures the true character of Territorians’: Meet Gary from Dunmarra, the roadhouse owner who made the Budget speech

IN his Budget speech, Chief Minister Michael Gunner made a rare mention of an individual Territorian and his hard yakka. That person was roadhouse owner Gary Frost, whose innovations during the pandemic make him no ordinary businessman.

• Treasurer Gunner’s full budget speech
• NT Budget: Cash for struggling roadhouses hit by COVID-19

GARY from Dunmarra is no ordinary businessman — he is a superhero, and key to the Territory’s economic recovery.

Gary Frost, 71, is the owner of one of the many roadhouse gems of the Territory, Dunmarra Wayside Inn, 634km from Darwin.

“I’d like to be here another 20 years with the way I feel,” he laughed.

Dunmarra Wayside Inn owner Gary Frost plans to take advantage of the Roadhouse to Recovery fund. Picture: Justin Sanson

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The inn was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, losing the majority of the income it needed to survive the wet season.

“ (COVID-19) made us think out of the box and how it’s going and what we need to do,” Gary said.

One of these ideas was delivering pizzas by plane to cattle stations.

“All the cattle stations were locked down. Staff weren’t allowed to leave the stations,” he said.

“It was just something with a bit of humour. Instead of being miserable, we thought we’d take it on the chin and roll with it.”

Dunmarra Wayside Inn owner Gary Frost plans to take advantage of the Roadhouse to Recovery fund. Picture: Justin Sanson

While Gary’s now traded pizzas for new projects and more than 100 homemade pies a day, his ingenuity was why Chief Minister Michael Gunner made mention of the Inn owner while announcing the $4m Roadhouses to Recovery fund this week.

“Gary captures the true character of Territorians,” he said.

“He is down-to-earth, he is a hard worker, he looks out for people.

“After all these years, Gary still has ideas for how he can make his little slice of the Territory even better for the people who pass through.”

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Gary said he planned to take advantage of the fund and urged others to do so.

“It’s a really good move, not just for the roadhouses but the whole highway needs a good facelift,” he said.

“Because of the geography of the Territory and its uniqueness compared to other states, roadhouses can introduce people to the Territory.”

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