Mungindi: The Resilience of a Community

One year today a temporary grocery store was set up in Mungindi’s RSL building after a fire tore through the main street destroying the local SPAR supermarket, PJ’s Country Wares, and Red’s butcher shop.

Not only had this resilient community faced the adversity of droughts, floods, and NSW-QLD border restrictions due to COVID, but now it faced being left without essential services.

Mungindi Progress Association President Katherine McMillan said, “The fire was absolutely devastating for the business owners who’d lost their livelihood and the community as a whole”.

The NSW Government quickly allocated $100,000 in emergency funding. The Progress Association and community members decided the money would be used to transform the former RSL building into a pop-up general store, and quickly!

The building conversion was a community effort and was completed in under two weeks. A working bee was held to clean up the location with volunteers then installing the supermarket displays, as well as stocking the freezers and shelves.

Mrs. McMillan said one year on and the rebuild is still a slow process.

“The rebuild has not happened yet, however, the new store owner is still operating from the RSL premises”, said Mrs. McMillan.

“We are still saddened each time we drive up the street where the fire did its damage.”

Moree Plains Shire Council Mayor Katrina Humphries remembers arriving the morning after the fire very well.

“I was first amazed that the whole block had not been destroyed and then I heard the stories of a community fighting the fire throughout the night alongside the emergency services. There were troops of locals helping and hugging each other, all teary-eyed and already making plans to move on.”

Mungindi’s currently faced border restrictions that mirror those of last year.

Mrs. McMillan commented, “The border closure for Mungindi has meant that our town has, again, been divided. It makes life a little difficult with shopping, education, and very soon harvest will be upon us.”

“The traffic in the main shopping area is minimal at the moment and part of that is due to the border closure”.

Mrs. McMillan said the community recently got a break and, after lots of campaigning, the hospital is once again available to both NSW and QLD residents.

“The hospital residents have since been reunited with family and friends. Thank you to our wonderful community for speaking up and also Dr. Anthony Brown for his compassion during this time.”

“Mungindi is the little town with a huge heart, always friendly, welcoming, and productive. What an awesome community”, said Cr Humphries.