Pie tourism is on the rise and it seems grey nomads are taking an awfully big bite of the pastry.
With sometimes hundreds of relatively uninteresting kilometres between attractions, long-distance travellers can perhaps be forgiven for fantasising about upcoming food stops … and their appetites are boosting rural economies.
Secure in the knowledge that a good bakery can put a place on the grey nomad map, the Northern Territory town of Timber Creek has started to earn an honest crust.
The Wirib Tourism Park General Store bakery has just been re-launched and the number of tourists
The food verandah has been packed with hungry grey nomads
suddenly stopping there on their trips between Katherine and Kununurra, has already far exceeded expectations.
The store’s signature pies have sold out every day since last week’s relaunch and the store’s normally empty dining verandah has been packed.
“I had been on the store’s verandah the day before the bakery changed, and there was no one there, not for the whole day,” Aboriginal Investment Group chief executive Steve Smith told the Katherine Times. “Now, with a bit of signage, a wider range of food and the availability of freshly baked bread, the number people coming into the shop, buying food and sitting down to eat has grown out of sight … I couldn’t believe it!”
Aboriginal Investment Group is determined to make the store a vibrant and profitable one, and the benefits go beyond seeing money come into the local economy.
Wirib General Store has 80% local indigenous staff and they are developing some invaluable skills.
Mr Smith said staff have been taught to proof, bake, cool and package the bread, and they are also filling and baking pies, pasties and sausage rolls.
“Gone are the days of buying frozen, sliced bread that is a week old,” he said.
That’s great that 80% are indigenous staff , stayed on our way through earlier this year , love the park n Timber Creek
The pie van at Cardwell foreshore makes fabulous pies, certainly worth a stop.
Going that way next year so will definitely call in
Yes agree with Doris, had many a pie from Cardwell pie van, when trucking that route in a past life.Hard to beat. Stevo.
Always buy pies at Bourke and Wills Junction Roadhouse to eat that night with mash and veg. And a couple to freeze for down the track. They’re magnificent.
I am definitely in the nomad pie tourist class, normally at lunch time, I look for the nearest bakery. You get some good ones and some bad ones, but it is fun exploring the different bakeries. But if you ever travel on The Great Ocean Road, you should go to the Apollo Bay Bakery and try one of their Scallop Pies, they are the best I have ever had, and I consume a lot of pies.
Cheers,
Ralph.
Thanks for that Ralph…
Scallop pies…geez..cant wait.
Gettin a bit over Croc n Buffalo pies…!
Cheers.
There’s a good Bakery at Crystal Brook SA, nice pasties, pies, cakes very well presented bakery with good coffee.
As a pie aholic , must have at least 4 each week or I start to shake, Banjo’s pies are up there with the best. The staff are happy & friendly to boot.