FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
25 February 2026
The fundraising strategy for the Old Packhouse Market follows a clear, disciplined two-stage approach.
Stage One – $7 Million
Stage One focuses solely on securing the land and buildings, undertaking essential maintenance and compliance works, providing prudent contingency, and establishing a stable financial foundation.
This stage is about consolidation. It ensures that the property is secured responsibly and that ownership costs are covered before any expansion is considered.
We will not progress beyond this phase until we are confident the asset is stable, sustainably structured, and firmly under community stewardship.
Stage Two – $3 Million (Development Phase)
Once Stage One is complete and the foundation is secure, Stage Two would involve funding up to $3 million to introduce the planned complementary initiatives, including:
- A Community Grocery Store
- A small-scale agricultural processing facility (primarily meat)
- A Commercial Kitchen to enable surplus produce processing and skills training
- A Repair Workshop to support practical resilience
Note that these do not all necessarily need to happen at once, and could be done in a staged process as funds become available. These initiatives are part of the longer-term vision, but they are not prerequisites for securing the property itself.
AIP Immigration Pathway
There is one exception to the staged sequence.
If we are successful in identifying a suitable individual under the Active Investor Plus (AIP) immigration pathway, which allows a $10 million philanthropic contribution to an approved charitable trust in exchange for residency, then both stages could be secured simultaneously.
Any such arrangement would be subject to rigorous alignment with our values, governance standards, and long-term objectives. Community stewardship and independence are non-negotiable.
Our approach remains cautious, structured, and principled.
Stage One secures the asset.
Stage Two strengthens the ecosystem.
Progression will occur in that order unless a clearly aligned and appropriately structured opportunity allows both to be achieved responsibly.
For further information, please visit our website or contact:
Di Maxwell
Far North Resilient Communities Charitable Trust
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