Buy from the Bush catches on in the Yass Valley

But it's about so much more than stimulating the coffers of our regional economy in this prolonged dry. It's about boosting morale in the bush.

What started as a hashtag on social media has given hope to bush retailers with some recording unprecedented sales.

Gundaroo Puzzler has boxed up multiple orders to more than 200 customers since appearing on @buyfromthebush in late October.

The boutique business run by retired couple Lia and Kim McIntosh started as a hobby in 2013 and today supplements their 200-acre farm near Gundaroo in the Yass Valley region of New South Wales.

"It's been a godsend, really," Mrs McIntosh said. "It's put money in our coffer and we feel more comfortable buying water and feed."

As a water truck drove down the property's dusty track, Mrs McIntosh explained how the couple had run White Dorper sheep for the past 15 years, but was reducing its herd because of drought.

It was the McIntoshs' daughter, Jessica Puddick. who contacted the brainchild behind the @buyfromthebush campaign, Grace Brennan.

The family couldn't believe their appearance on the social media site was free and the response they've had since.

"Australians really want to support people in the bush," Mrs McIntosh said.

"Before we sold our products just to customers in NSW, but since @buyfromthebush we're Australia-wide.

"We've had buyers from Walgett and Tamworth, so it's not just people from the cities ordering either.

"It's been really encouraging and nice to know they like our product

The 3D wooden puzzles that come as turtles, kangaroos, buses and even as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, among others, are made using a unique cutting machine by Mr McIntosh.

He was in the workshop every day in the lead-up to Christmas to meet the increased demand, but gave the impression he enjoyed it as much as those who received the puzzles.

Bath mats and bags made in Jaipur, India and sold by Merchant Campbell in Yass sold out within two days of their appearance on @buyfromthebush.

Makesh, who lives above the shop he makes the mats and bags in, in Jaipur, had wanted Merchant Campbell owner Margot Shannon to buy 200 of the mats, but she didn't think she could sell them all.

To her surprise, all 125 are now in homes across Australia. "I could have bought more!" Mrs Shannon said.

The store not only supports ethically made home furnishings and lifestyle products but also employs women off the land.

"Everyone who works in the shop comes from a sheep farm," Mrs Shannon said.

She and her husband grow wool at Bookham and have felt the drought in both businesses.

"Our cockys have stopped spending because they're pouring feed on the ground," Mrs Shannon said.

"I love the fact this campaign is getting city people to buy from the bush."

The @buyfromthebush campaign started when founder Grace Brennan shared an article on Facebook about how businesses were being affected by drought and encouraged her friends to check out the local boutique in her hometown of Warren.

"A friend of mine said thanks for sharing and that her family were doing a buy from the bush theme for Kris Kringle, which planted the seed," she said.

Mrs Brennan, who has a background in community development and runs AgDraft, an agtech start-up, created an Instagram page showcasing a few local retailers.

That was just six weeks ago. Now the @buyfromthebush campaign has 122,000 followers on Instagram and 119,000 on Facebook.

And they have just created the @stayinthebush page to get people traveling to regional centres.

The Globe Inn in Yass, Hold Cottage in Gunning and The Sir George in Jugiong appeared on the sister page within a week of it launching at the beginning of November.

Hold Cottage owners Melinda Neame and Tim Bean said they've received hundreds of likes on social media and have been talking to potential guests daily since appearing on @stayinthebush.

The wife and husband from Canberra renovated the cottage as their escape to the country but are already booked out until June 2020 after only opening in June this year.

They would love to move out of the city but with Mrs Neame's work at online magazine Her Canberra and Mr Bean's work at ACT Fire and Rescue, plus two teenagers with busy social and sporting lives, it's unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Running Hold Cottage gives them the best of both worlds.

"As we can't make the permanent move to the country, we can use the place as a weekender and share it with other people," Mrs Neame said.

Mrs Neame said they're aware of how the drought is impacting people in the bush and hope Hold Cottage will contribute to Gunning's economy.

Wooden tokens for free coffee at the village's Merino Cafe and a guide to other nearby areas of interest are provided to cottage guests.

"We pay the cafe and most people go for breakfast as well," Mrs Neame said.

Mrs Neame and Mr Bean also have plans to host masterclasses with local florists, artists and wineries at the cottage.

The Globe Inn owners and couple Greg Miller and David Small think it's good that someone is being proactive to help businesses in the bush.

It was Mr Miller who reached out to @stayinthebush to see if their Georgian guesthouse could feature.

"There were only three followers on the Instagram account then," Mr Small said.

Now the Instagram account has more than 14,000 followers and the Facebook account has close to 3000 followers.

Mr Miller and Mr Small haven't received any bookings since their appearance on @stayinthebush but say their social media following has grown.

"Any exposure is good. Like everyone, I think we're impacted by the drought," Mr Small said.

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