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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Lanie Tindale

This town relies on Canberra tourists: it is preparing for a summer rush

Seven days a week, Wendy Lees is kneading, gluing, crafting and creating bangles, scarves, pendants, earrings and bookmarks.

The Braidwood retailer sells upcycled jewellery from Vetro e Metallo, her combined store and workshop.

With Christmas coming, Ms Lees needs a lot of stock.

"I'm always making and threading and gluing and doing things in here," she said.

"We're just busy making lots of things, getting ready for lots of holidaymakers."

Ms Lees is just one business owner in country NSW or the South Coast bracing themselves for what could be a very busy Christmas.

ACT public school holidays will begin on Saturday, with many college and private school students having already finished up.

Manager of Provisions, Morgane Meillat, prepares for the summer holiday rush in Braidwood. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

Manager of the newly opened gourmet deli and creperie, Provisions, Morgane Meillat, is well prepared for a Christmas rush.

While many businesses are struggling to find workers, Provisions is utilising keen local teenagers.

"[They do] an amazing job [and] they're available during the school holidays," Ms Meillat said.

Now all she is waiting on is sunny weather.

"Braidwood, because it's in between Canberra and the coast, it really depends on the weather. If people go enjoy the weather, then we are busy, but if it's pouring rain, [we will] be quiet," she said.

"For our business, it really depends on the weather because as you can see, we have beautiful courtyard."

The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts the town to have a few showers on Wednesday and Thursday, but mostly clear up by Sunday and Monday.

Wendy Lees owner, of Vetro e Metallo, is preparing for the summer holiday rush. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

Vetro e Metallo and Provisions survived during COVID-19 by delivering goods, but both hope the summer months will inject some much needed cash into Braidwood.

Ms Lees has seen many browse her shop for Christmas gifts, even before the silly season officially starts.

"[Plus] I always say if anyone buys a present and the person doesn't have the right reaction, they can bring it back and swap," she said.

"I don't want it to sit on a shelf."

Most of the tourists visiting Braidwood and the surrounding towns are Canberrans, former president of the Braidwood business chamber said.

Suzanne Gearing is now business manager of the Canberra Region Joint Organisation, a body which supports tourism in eleven council areas surrounding Canberra.

The main street of Braidwood during a busy period. Picture by Dion Georgopoulos

Ms Gearing said Braidwood needed support after years of drought and COVID.

"It's really been struggling for a long, long time [but] it's certainly picked up in the last three to six months," she said.

She said this was most likely because Canberra residents were rushing to the beach.

"We think there's going to be a lot of through traffic going through to the coast ... we're already seeing that increase," Ms Gearing said.

"For a lot of people that are coming through, it is almost like meeting old friends again, because they come through regularly and it's been such a long time."

Ms Gearing said tourism had also increased since the launch of the Queanbeyan-Palerang council's treasure trial road trip campaign, promoting Queanbeyan, Bungendore, Braidwood and Captain's Flat.

She said because Braidwood lacked accommodation, it was smart to plan a daytrip to visit the park, eat some food and go shopping.

"If you're stopping through for Christmas shopping, it's a really good place to buy stuff that you won't find somewhere else," she said.

Ms Gearing said rainy weather wouldn't impact Braidwood too much, but damaged roads would stop tourists visiting popular nearby towns, like Majors Creek and Araluen.

"Majors Creek [has] some beautiful old buildings. It's this little gold town that just survived all the years, it's amazing. And Araluen is another one of those really little country towns that you just don't get to experience, particularly when you're this close to a major city," she said.

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