Small-scale florists hope to fill gap for romantics in Kununurra
There is perhaps no easier, more sure-fire way to brighten a loved one's day than to send a fresh bunch of flowers. That is of course, if they live in a city.
It is a different story for those living in remote towns and communities.
Perth resident Gerald Contreras is acutely aware of this challenge as he now struggles to surprise his partner who lives 3,000 kilometres north of him in Kununurra.
Until recently, one major supplier of flowers serviced the town's permanent population of about 5,500 people.
Gerald Contreras and his partner Cesarina Fitzgerald live 3,000 kilometres apart. (Supplied: Gerald Contreras)
Mr Contreras said he sent his partner flowers at least once every two months, but that ended when the florist business closed.
"Being Kununurra, a very small town, there's not many options to surprise my partner with love gestures," he said.
"Not even anything like ordering a simple meal; so, flowers was one of the very few ways I could show affection, love, and surprise my partner."
End of an era
For three decades Diane and Chris Robinson were the main players in Kununurra when it came to flowers.
They would grow their own blooms when the weather permitted and trucked up flowers from Perth.
"During the wet season, when we can only grow tropical flowers. We did bring flowers from down south and gradually it just turned into all year," Ms Robinson said.
"We can't grow roses … and also the Australian native flowers are not very good here."
While demand was consistent, the pair struggled to find a long-term shop assistant to sell their flowers.
Diane Robinson sold flowers in Kununurra for more than 30 years. (ABC Kimberley: Jess Baker)
With the Robinsons are looking to retire, a decision needed to be made.
"We're going down that retirement path, so they [the flowers] were pretty easy to [let go of] because we couldn't get a florist," Ms Robinson said.
"If we perhaps had somebody that was staying, we wouldn't have shut the shop quite so quickly."
Diane Robinson says growing flowers in Kununurra is interesting, with only tropical flowers able to be grown in the wet season. (ABC Kimberley: Jess Baker)
Selling flowers on smaller scale
Meanwhile, Bianca Brown has begun assembling and supplying flower bouquets while also running an agricultural transport business.
Ms Brown said she wanted to fill a gap in the market.
"Already I'm at the point where I probably could put somebody else on and I'll probably look at scaling up next year and seeing where it goes," she said.
Ms Brown was sourcing flowers locally and from Perth, and was looking forward to seeing what types of flowers she could grow herself.
Bianca Brown recently started selling floral arrangements in Kununurra. (Supplied: Bianca Brown)
Mr Contreras said he was eager to use Ms Brown's flower delivery service.
"Beyond text messages and calls and video dates, I'm keen to try the new florist who is in a much smaller capacity," he said.
"When I did surprise my partner by flying up I was looking all over town for flowers, and couldn't find any, even in person.
"But the florist did restock the next day with a small amount of flowers. I think I bought almost half the stock."
Sophie Cooke's outback flower patch is open to the public on Saturday dry season mornings. (ABC Kimberley: Jess Baker)
There is one other option to buy blooms in the remote town, but only in the dry season and on Saturdays.
Sophie Cooke lets people visit her family farm and pick flowers themselves to buy.
Ms Cooke said her customers mostly bought flowers for their homes, but also visited the patch for special occasions.
She said a number of residents had started arranging flowers to meet the town's needs, but there was scope to grow more flowers and the industry.
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