Don't count out Culburra Beach: local businesses call on South Coast state election candidates

This Tuesday (March 7), Culburra Beach Chamber of Commerce is set to hold its own Meet the Candidates forum

Locals will press the candidates from Labor, Liberal and the Greens on issues affecting their community.

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At the top of their list is revitalising the town with more permanent residents.

Each year is boom and bust for the Culburra Beach businesses.

Shops will do roaring trade in the summer holidays, but for the rest of the year, a small contingent of local customers keeps them afloat.

Many business owners would like to have more permanent residents in town.

But at the moment, they see most houses at Culburra Beach sitting empty. Holiday homes, waiting for the visitors to roll in with a bit of nice weather.

With enough residents to cater to, they could do more than scrape through the year. They could stay open longer for locals, or simply stay open consistently.

Owner of Em's Place café, Em Lewis, said having more permanent residents in town would make a world of difference for small businesses like hers.

"It makes it very tricky to run a business when the total population of town is so hit and miss," she said.

"It's a fine line: do I stay open and struggle through winter, or do I close because it's easier?

"I'm not going to lose money if I'm closing, sure, but I'm also not making money.

"It's a hard call to make.

"I definitely think it would be such a boost for my business and other businesses, to have more permanent residents - one hundred per cent.

"In business and in my personal life, it would change. More people would mean a more diverse group to target."

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The business owners acknowledge there isn't a single, simple solution to the complex problem.

But they are adamant that things can't continue the way they are.

They believe there needs to be some kind of intervention to get more residents moving in, and measures to ensure homes are affordable for them.

Without new residents, there is worry the town could die, instead of living up to its potential.

"You can't sustain a full time business if there's not enough population," Chamber of Commerce president Kym Heffernan said.

"There is so much natural beauty and so many great things, but it's hard for business.

"If you're not making money, you're also not spending in other areas. Because it's not just about what you make, it's about what goes back in to the community."

At Tuesday's forum, business owners will ask each of the candidates how they plan to address Culburra Beach's top issues, both in government and in opposition.

In addition to building the community and candidates vision for its future, they intend to raise issues including:

The forum will also open the floor to further questions from members of the business community.

"We'd like to know, if they are going to be our local elected representative, what are they going to do for the area on these specific topics," Mr Heffernan said.

"Some of them are local government related, but a lot of it needs state or even federal government support.

"So what is their policy on it? What are they going to take to cabinet or the premier?"

Meet the Candidates forum will be held at Culburra Beach Bowling Club on Tuesday, March 7, at 6pm.

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