Community & Business
20 November, 2025
Buy local this Christmas and save
IF you think that it’s beginning to look like Christmas in Mareeba’s central business area, then you are not mistaken.
Today marks the official launch of The Express newspaper’s Christmas Shopping competition and also Mareeba Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas Gift Cards promotions that offer widespread benefits for all local residents and visitors as part of the “Buy local this Christmas” promotion.
The Express managing editor Carl Portella encouraged shoppers to support local businesses this festive season.
“The Express newspaper and participating local retailers have again made it possible for a number of local shoppers to win a total $1500 in shopping credits before Christmas, so it is especially designed for shoppers at participating retail, business and service outlets to ask for and collect entries along with their purchases,” he said.
“Put simply, the more you support the ‘Buy local this Christmas’ campaign at participating businesses, the more chances you have of winning added Christmas purchasing power for your family and friends, and who doesn’t need that at this time of year?”
Pages displaying the wide range of participating businesses (Pgs 18-19) will appear in The Express until the 3 December issue.
“This is the 15th year that The Express has supported this ‘Buy local this Christmas’ campaign, and there is a whole host of lucky winners who have won extra spending power over each festive period, so it’s our combined effort of support for local businesses and our many readers,” Mr Portella said.
Winners will be notified of their success on 17 December, giving them more purchasing power and ample time to make their Christmas extra special this year.
Mareeba Chamber of Commerce executive committee member Jillian Trout and the chamber’s new executive officer Ebony Faichney have also launched the 2025 “Buy Local this Christmas” Gift Card today.
Mareeba Chamber Gift Cards can be obtained from participating businesses, and this gives the recipient a host of choices to obtain something they really need at the time from the many participating local businesses.
“The reality is that the Chamber Gift Card recipient’s choice is amazing,” Ms Faichney said.
“We have a great diversity of participating stores, ranging from retail, health and entertainment.
“Look for the ‘Love Mareeba’ sticker in participating shops or find the full list on the Mareeba Chamber website,” she added.
“The chamber also is offering a huge discount on membership for those business operators who want to offer the chamber’s versatile Gift Cards for their customers and clientele.”
Ms Faichney said going to a store to buy gifts was a much better alternative to online shopping.
“People who buy locally, or have obtained a Mareeba Chamber Gift Card can see, feel and try products for size and out of town online areas cannot provide that, and often have little if any, purchaser support after the order has been placed,” she said.
Ms Trout agreed, saying that online shopping directed revenue away from local economies.
She claimed that there was no need to overlook local retailers who provided thousands of local shoppers with a large variety of gift options.
“We have hundreds of long established and new local businesses and service providers in our CBD and surrounds, we really are spoilt for choice,” Ms Trout said.
“Every time someone spends out of their local retail and service providers, that’s money that is totally lost to the community, usually at a time when they need it most.”
Anyone who wishes to take part in the local business promotion, can contact Ms Trout on 0438 868 219.
