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, the meteoric rise of online shopping and subsequent commercial volatility. But a cluster of new businesses on Home Hill’s Eighth Avenue has given rise to a renewed sense of confidence about the future of its CBD.
The foundations of a promising new commercial era have been laid on Home Hill’s Eighth Avenue, where three entrepreneurial ventures have given a row of dormant storefronts a new lease on life.
Newly established businesses Salted Roots, Scrubby’s Teahouse, and Huds Pythons and Food recently opened their doors on the town's main street, renovating and occupying commercial spaces that had sat vacant for up to 12 years.
The trio of openings has injected fresh activity along the 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 she and her husband Scott saw Home Hill’s supportive community and favourable lease rates as key drivers in their decision to back 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.
"People are using the word ‘famous' already,” he quipped.
The business officially opened last Saturday after several weeks of limited trading. Alongside its popular beef rolls, the cafe offers mash potato rolls, bacon and scrambled egg rolls, and coffee, while specialising in tea.
Mr Machin described the venture as “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.’”
Christopher Hudson, owner of Huds Pythons and Food, said the arrival of Scrubby's and Salted Roots two doors down had already brought a significant uptick in foot traffic along the strip.
Opened four months ago, Mr Hudson’s business—which he also calls his “hobby”—houses and sells a unique range of reptiles, 90 per cent of which he bred himself.
He said that with the arrival of the neighbouring establishments, his own store had experienced an almost tenfold increase in daily visitors.
“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 recent 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,” Mr Musumeci said.
“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 their establishment marked a positive 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 … 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.”
Publishers Indemnity. Any individual or entity that places advertising, supplies copy material, or submits editorial content to Core Life Publishing agrees and undertakes to ensure that all such material:- Does not infringe upon any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights;- Is free from any content that could be considered defamatory, libelous, or slanderous;- Does not infringe upon any rights related to privacy or breach of confidence;- Contains no obscene, indecent, or otherwise unlawful material;- Complies fully with the Trade Practices Act and all other applicable laws, regulations, or statutes.Furthermore, by submitting or placing such material, these individuals or entities agree to indemnify and hold harmless the publisher, Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd, and/or its agents from and against any and all investigations, claims, demands, liabilities, damages, costs, or judgments arising out of or in connection with the material provided. All material is believed to be accurate at the time of printing and remains the copyright of Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd.
© 2026 Life Publishing Group Pty Ltd.
.jpg)
