Flooding across Central Australia, including the Stuart Highway, is impacting the supply of food to several Outback Stores in remote communities.
The communities most affected are Papunya, Canteen Creek, Wetenngerr, Santa Teresa, and Mt Liebig, with some becoming inaccessible due to flooded roads and airstrips.
The Outback Stores in these areas are starting to run low on fresh fruit and vegetables and perishable dairy items, although still have access to a moderate range of grocery products.
Outback Stores, which manages 46 retail stores in some of the country’s most remote locations, has been affected by the freight interruptions between Adelaide and Alice Springs, as well as freight routes from Western Australia and Queensland.
Michael Borg, CEO of Outback Stores, said that the Outback Stores team is working hard to support the remote communities they service and that they will keep external stakeholders updated as they address the issues at hand.
Outback Stores is currently working with business partners and key stakeholders on developing alternative methods to maintain food supplies.