Bunbury: small business supports in your area
Find out where to get practical business and mental health support in Bunbury and surrounding areas.
Businesses in Bunbury have shown remarkable resilience, and following COVID-19, the local economy is making a good recovery.
While Bunbury did not experience large COVID-19 outbreaks or extended lockdowns in 2020 or early 2021, businesses have still been impacted by continual border closures. Many businesses have, and continue to adjust to, new restrictions by moving online, working from home, and adapting services.
As a small business owner in Bunbury, have you wondered how the pandemic has affected your area compared to the rest of Australia? While Bunbury fared relatively well compared to other regions, it has still been impacted in many ways.
Across Australia, industries operating in food and beverage services, air travel and tourism, creative arts and entertainment, and sports and recreation activities have been reported among those most impacted by COVID-191. These types of businesses rely heavily on the physical presence of customers and face many challenges in adapting to restrictions.
There is not a considerable overlap between the industries hit hardest by COVID-19 Australia-wide and the top industries in Bunbury. In Bunbury, these industries make up 20% of jobs2.
This means, 6.5% of local businesses applied for JobKeeper support during the pandemic, placing Bunbury at number 392/506 of Australia’s Local Government Areas requiring this support3.
Employment fell by 0.9% immediately following COVID-19 but made a quick recovery. Employment is now higher in many industries compared to pre-pandemic times4.
The Ahead for Business team has been engaging with the Bunbury small business community since mid-2020. Through this experience, the team found that small business owners in Bunbury were most stressed about adjustments to working from home and feeling like things were outside of their control during the midst of the pandemic.
There are also a lot of businesses that rely on tourism in the region to bring customers. With hard border closures both domestically and internationally, many businesses faced considerable decreases in revenue.
Understandably, as a small business owner you may feel stressed during these uncertain times. It is therefore essential that you look after yourself.
With the unpredictable nature of COVID-19, you may continue to be faced with the challenges that come with restrictions and uncertainty. It is important to be prepared and proactive about looking after your mental health during these times. Taking care of yourself, even when you are feeling mentally healthy, will put you in a better position to cope when things aren’t going so well. There are a lot of ways you can look after yourself and improve your mental wellbeing as a small business owner in Bunbury.
Despite JobKeeper and other government supports ending, there is some financial assistance you can access as a small business owner.
Find out where to get practical business and mental health support in Bunbury and surrounding areas.
Trampoline park owner Juliette Davies encourages small business owners to remind themselves of their own strengths in stressful times.
As a small business owner, you may still be feeling overwhelmed by the financial impact of COVID-19 and stressed about the future of your business.
Adverse events, such as natural disasters or public health crises, can have a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of communities and individuals, especially small business owners.