Bundaberg business owners beg for support amid road work delays

30 businesses caught in the middle of road works on a busy Bundaberg street have been left to fend for themselves amid confusion over the future of the project. VIDEO.

The future of more than 30 small businesses on a busy Bundaberg street is ‘looking dire’ as extensive and ongoing roadworks threaten to send some to the wall.

Roadworks on Princess St were originally scheduled to finish on June 30, 2025, but business owners have now been told they will continue through July with no end date given.

Among the affected business owners are Craig and Melissa Bauer, who have run their Princess St butcher shop for half a century.

The family business itself dates back to 1884, with generations of Bauers calling East Bundaberg home and serving the local community for nearly 140 years.

Inside the old school meat shop, evidence of the family’s history is clearly documented: family photos decorate the walls near the front counter, and their children’s names along with their ever-changing height at different moments in time have been memorialised in faded ink on a post at the centre of the shop.

Inside Bauer’s Butcher. Family portraits decorate the walls of the historic meat shop in East Bundaberg.

Craig Bauer said he’d been working in the shop for the past 50 years, and his family had built a loyal customer base.

However once the roadworks began earlier this year, he said the business suffered an estimated loss of about “two-thirds of his customers”.

Most days they close up shop for the evening and the front display fridge remains mostly full.

Lee Price is another business owner on the usually busy Princess St, where he operates his car and dog wash site, Puddles.

He said he found out about the project by chance.

While visiting another business owner down the street, Lee said he was informed of the upcoming roadworks by two Department of Transport and Main Roads representatives.

He questioned whether he would have learned anything about the planned works had he not been there at the time.

“My first question was, ‘so there’ll be compensation for businesses on the street’,” he said.

The TMR reps said “you’d think you’d be happy with the safer road”, he said.

Ongoing roadworks on Princess St, Bundaberg

Puddles manager Christine Simpson said she was around for the first lot of roadworks Princess St underwent four years ago.

She said the most recent bout of roadworks were scheduled because “the road failed last time”.

Both Lee and Christine said they only learned the roadworks were going to be extended by asking other business owners whether they’d received updates.

In a bid to curb declining business, they’re currently offering reduced prices on their car washing services and have appealed to the Bundaberg community online to support the small businesses doing it tough on Princess St.

“It’s not about Puddles,” Lee said

“I know it’s a pain in the arse but come and buy some meat from Bauers.

“Come and get your car washed.

“If you need a battery go and see the guys down the road,” he said.

Ongoing roadworks on Princess St, Bundaberg have been pushed back to the end of July, leaving many business’ teetering on the edge of closure.

Another business, Think Blinds, has operated from its new Princess St location for less than two years.

Grant Smith, Anita Smith and their son Luke Smith said the roadworks had been “sporadic”.

Earlier this month, the family said their driveway, which provided access to staff parking, was torn up without warning during a business day, leaving them unable to get out that afternoon.

For them, the biggest issue has been the lack of communication.

Luke, who handles sales for the family business said he was in the store when the two TMR representatives came in with a notice detailing the roadworks.

He said “it was early March they came in”.

“It was a brief thing explaining what they were doing” and how they were directing traffic.

The future of more than 30 small businesses on a busy Bundaberg street is ‘looking dire’ as extensive and ongoing roadworks threaten to send some to the wall.

On it was a description of ‘what to expect’ which included the operational work hours and a mud map of road detours for drivers.

Written on the notice was the expected start date of March 2025 with an estimated three months for completion.

The first notice outlined that “works will be undertaken 24 hours a day from Sunday to Thursday”.

Multiple businesses have said that was not the case.

“They’ve done jack-shit” Grant said of the continuing roadworks.

He said they learned of the extension from Luke, who happened to drive past an electronic sign near Kendall Flats.

Luke said the sign had always displayed the original June deadline, but one day, seemingly overnight, he noticed it had been pushed back to July.

They received official confirmation by way of generic letter signed by TMR regional director Brendan Clancy and placed in the neighbouring businesses’ letter box.

The original March notice some businesses received ahead of the Princess St roadworks in Bundaberg.

A TMR spokesperson said two-way traffic on Princess St was expected to reopen by July 31, 2025, weather permitting.

Motorists travelling west to Bundaberg are advised to use the approved detour via Bundaberg Ring Road, Telegraph Road and Scotland Street, while business access remains available under controlled conditions.

“The efficiency of the detour relies on motorists not taking shortcuts via side streets, which can also create unnecessary safety risks,” TMR said.

Originally published as Bundaberg business owners beg for support amid road work delays