Sure, it doesn't seem like a big deal to buy a few things out of town – we’ve all done it - but think about this: if only twenty Walcha folk buy one item a week outside town – that could be bought in Walcha - that's 1,040 purchases a year.

By the way, I’m not knocking Armidale or Tamworth. They’re both great towns and I visit them regularly to do things (and buy things I can’t get here). What I’m talking about is making the most of the goods and services available locally, before we use other towns ... or the internet.

In small rural towns like Walcha, the CBD is more than a place to buy our essentials. It's the heart of our community but the vitality we have in our town cannot be taken for granted. 

In suggesting that it’s in the interest of everyone to shop locally - when possible - I am certainly not proposing that we should shop locally no matter what. I believe the responsibility to keep our little CBD thriving is equally shared between the businesses and the customers. Like any enterprise anywhere, if a local business isn’t up to scratch, people will rightly go elsewhere.

We’re lucky in Walcha. There are some great businesses in town.  I admire people who try different things. An interesting town is more pleasant to live in. It also appeals to visitors, who stop, enjoy and spend a little money. Some visitors get so taken with the town they decide to move here ... and what a boost to our vitality that is, in so many ways.

And a final thought: Most of our local business people have to pre-pay for the goods they get into their stores. This means that leading-up to Christmas, a lot of money, and time, is invested in trying to predict and provide what we’d like to give each other under the Christmas tree. I’m going to do my best to make it a Walcha Christmas this year.

By the way, I don’t own a business in Walcha. I’m just lucky enough to live here.