Future Initiatives
Securing the Old Packhouse Market for community ownership is only the beginning. Once held in trust, it becomes a living centre for resilience and sustainability – supporting communities right throughout the Far North. From this shared foundation, community-led initiatives will grow, guided by local strengths, shared values, and a collective commitment to a thriving, self-reliant region.
THE OUTPOSTS
Because no man (or town) is an island, and residents right throughout the district are the beneficiaries of the trust, we are about the entire Far North. Our Outposts project will create a distribution network connecting the far flung communities with the larger towns, supporting everyone with easier access to nutritious food and a support network to help them sell produce and earn additional income.
COOPERATIVE GROCER STORE
Imagine, a small grocery store that brings back the feel of the old style local grocery; basic, fair-priced, and stocked with locally sourced, nutritious food. Better still, in cooperative ownership so the people have access to decent food at a good price. This will ensure that the value stays in the region and that profits generated are targeted towards what the community decides.
REPAIR WORKSHOP
Our throw-away society has been good for neither our environment, nor our pockets. Cheap products that last a minimum of time before cluttering our landfills are a scourge on our wellbeing. We need to buy quality products and look after them, repairing items to ensure longevity. We need to stop throwing away items that are out of fashion and value them for what they are; this will support the integrity of that value.
RURAL RESILIENCE LEARNING CENTRE
We will offer practical workshops, short courses, and longer programmes that give people affordable, real-world skills for living well in times of economic scarcity.
Learning will focus on growing food and putting the right basics in place, such as fencing, water, and simple systems, across all scales, from small backyards and lifestyle blocks to small farms, blending traditional knowledge with modern, community-led approaches.
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LOCAL FOOD SECURITY
A commercial kitchen and processing facility will provide essential food infrastructure for the Far North.
It will turn local produce and surplus into regionally branded products, reduce waste, support regenerative farmers, and create a direct pathway from paddock to plate – strengthening food security and local livelihoods.
EMPOWERING KIDS
We plan to offer school holiday programmes for children that are hands-on, locally grounded, and designed to build real-life skills. Kids will learn how to grow food, care for land, repair and make things, understand money, and work together, building resilience, self-sufficiency, and confidence through practical experience.