You’ll find all sorts of treasures in the Aurukun pop-up Op Shop, but you’ll have to get in quick.
Items are sold as quickly as they come in, with the venture now operating every Wednesday out of the Cape York Employment (CYE) Training Centre, and with the cooler season now approaching, quality linen and including blankets and warm clothing is needed more than ever.
Previously a fortnightly venture starting in late March, the Op Shop now turns around a weekly shipment of goods from the Cairns Salvation Army, with profits going directly to the Aurukun Uniting Church.
Every Wednesday you’ll find a line-up of keen buyers waiting to take advantage of the low-priced items, and with all items capped at $3, there’s plenty of bargains to be had. Managed by CYE Activities Supervisor Konio Lynch, the venture has proved wildly popular for the community who say they cannot afford the expense of alternative shops.
Cape York Employment Officer Babainba (Lency) Adidi recently gave a quick rundown on the high costs of buying locally.
“I brought a simple work skirt for $25 locally, and the same skirt cost $1 here. A small pillow costs $25 at the shop. It’s really hard for families to afford the things they need,” she said.
According to Konio, other other high-need items in demand are linen, children’s clothing and kitchenware.
“We’ve been really surprised at how popular our op shop has been. We realised early on that we had to have it on a weekly basis as the need was so great. The feedback too is all positive, people love going through the racks and finding a bargain.
“For a small community, we make on average about $700 a week, which we then donate back to the local church who support the community in a variety of ways. We’re really looking forward to seeing this venture grow and serve the community. We see a lot of smiling faces in here on a Wednesday and that’s a good feeling.”
