Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Chris Hudson of Huds Pythons (left), Candace Young of Salted Roots (left-centre) and Neil Machin (right) and partner Patricia Thomas (right-centre) of Scrubby’s Teahouse pose outside the revitalised shopfronts on Eighth Avenue. Photo credit: Jacob Casha
Since the turn of the millennium, regional town centres have come face-to-face with a global pandemic, economic volatility, and the meteoric rise of online shopping. But a cluster of recently opened businesses on Home Hill’s Eighth Avenue is sparking a renewed sense of confidence about the future of the CBD.
BY JACOB CASHA
Home Hill’s foray into a new commercial era has potentially begun on Eighth Avenue, where three ventures have breathed new life into a row of boarded-up storefronts.
Newly established businesses Salted Roots, Scrubby’s Teahouse, and Huds Pythons recently opened their doors on Home Hill's main street, renovating and occupying storefronts that had sat vacant for up to 12 years.
The trio of openings has provided a welcome burst of activity along the town's main stretch, prompting questions about whether the investment represents a broader shift in confidence for Home Hill’s town centre.
Candace Young, owner and operator of Salted Roots, said her and her partner Scott saw Home Hill’s supportive community and favourable lease rates as key drivers in their decision to invest in the town.
“Home Hill has sort of been forgotten about when it comes to shops and new things. Everyone goes to Ayr because they know they're going to have that foot traffic pretty much straight away,” she said.
“When we opened, people were telling us it’s so good that something’s finally coming to Home Hill and bringing something different—bringing the town to life.”
The business officially opened its doors last Saturday, welcoming customers to browse a wide, curated range of homewares, artisan foods and lifestyle goods.
Ms Young said local support would be integral to the future of the business.
“[The business] is not just mine and my husband’s, it belongs to [the community], because they’re the ones that are supporting us,” she said.
Meanwhile, Neil Machin from neighbouring Scrubby’s Teahouse said the roast beef rolls he and partner Patricia Thomas serve have already become a town favourite since opening last weekend.
"People are using the word ‘famous' already,” he quipped.
Alongside its popular beef rolls, the cafe offers mash potato rolls, bacon and scrambled egg rolls, and coffee, while specialising in tea.
Mr Machin called the business “something different” after years of work as a builder.
“We were very uncertain at first, but the building industry was in its own turmoil at the time, so it made sense to open when we did,” he said.
“We thought the town needed something. A couple people were playing with the idea, but no one was committed, so we thought, ‘let’s have a crack at it.’”
A few blocks down from Scrubby’s is Huds Pythons and Food, the brainchild of reptile enthusiast Christopher Hudson. Mostly a “hobby” of Mr Hudson’s, the business opened to the public around four months ago, offering customers a unique range of reptiles, 90 per cent of which were bred by Chris himself.
He said the establishment of the three businesses on Eighth Avenue had already prompted an uptick in foot traffic along the strip.
“When I was just the only one here, we used to get maybe half a dozen people come through. Now, it’s nothing to get 50 people a day,” Mr Hudson said.
“I’ve been getting all the grey nomads coming through, and have even had a bloke through the other day from Denmark, who’s a keeper over there … You get so many people through, and it's just phenomenal.”
Burdekin Shire Council Deputy Mayor and Home Hill local Max Musumeci said the openings were a clear sign of growing business confidence in the area.
"Opening a business requires a significant commitment of time, money and effort, so it's not something people generally do with only the short term in mind. While every business journey is different, these openings are certainly an encouraging sign that investors and entrepreneurs believe in the future of our community,” he said.
The Deputy Mayor said the latest arrivals marked an encouraging step forward for the community.
“I remember when the street was full of thriving businesses, and it was sad to see some shopfronts become vacant over the years,” he said.
“To now see new businesses opening and investing in the town is a real sign of improvement and growth.
“It creates optimism for the future and reinforces what many of us already know—that Home Hill, and the whole of the Burdekin Shire is a great place to live, work, play, visit and invest.”
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