Elijah Douglas pays $600 for his fortnightly grocery shop at the local store — three times more than he would at the nearest city supermarket, but that’s five hours' drive away.
He's one of about 1,000 residents who have long battled exorbitant living costs in the remote Queensland community of Doomadgee.
Excessive prices in the town triggered a federal parliamentary inquiry in 2020 that failed to deliver any meaningful results, according to residents.
Those who are already struggling to make ends meet are now facing even further price hikes as the ripple effects of conflict in the Ukraine hit remote areas hard.
Mr Douglas says he's worried about how vulnerable communities like Doomadgee are going to survive.
"We are already barely getting by. The prices are just insane. I paid $120 for a rump steak," he said.
"Out here, we are living pay cheque to pay cheque, and we share a lot between families because sometimes people don't have enough."
The only grocery store in Doomadgee is run by Community Enterprise Queensland (CEQ), a not-for-profit, government statutory body.
The organisation has indicated that prices of grocery items may increase in line with rising costs across the industry.
"We are expecting food manufacturers to start some creep in prices due to freight costs, but at this time the only impact we are seeing is at sites where we sell fuel," chief executive Ian Copeland said.
Costly food a health risk
Mr Douglas said any further spike in the cost of food would have dire impacts on the health of Doomadgee's predominantly Indigenous population.
"Some people out here get paid $300, $400 a fortnight and are having to pay rent and bills, but all that money goes to the store.
"We do have a lot of chronic health issues out here. And I think a lot of that is centred around not being able to afford basic, healthy food.
"We can't afford meat and the prices of salad foods are too expensive.
Welfare services inundated
About 450 kilometres south of Doomadgee, in the outback mining community of Mount Isa, the number of homeless people jumped by at least 380 individuals last year, according to government records.
Welfare organisations have been stretched thin with increased numbers of people accessing their services during COVID-19.
Now they're bracing for even more clients.
"We have been seeing an increase in people accessing our services in the last 12 months especially due to COVID-19," said Centacare North Queensland Homelessness program manager Breeze Thodson.
"In Mount Isa, our clientele are predominantly Indigenous, but we're seeing that change as a lot more people from different areas and backgrounds access our services."
The Mount Isa Men's Hostel has also been inundated with those needing mental health and emergency accommodation services.
"We're seeing more people that are becoming disempowered, homeless, and suffering the crippling mental and emotional flow-on effects of these situations," said hostel coordinator Cleavon Davis.
"That means more people that can spiral into damaging and dangerous habits.
'This is our home'
For Mr Douglas, not even the skyrocketing cost of living can drive him and his family out of Doomadgee.
He said many residents were relying more on "bush tucker".
"This is our home. We love our land. Now, we are fishing a lot, living off kangaroo, wallaby, turkey, whatever else we can get," he said.
"I just wish they'd give us more of a fair go."
