It’s a heartbreaking time in Australia with more than 12 million acres of land scorched, almost half a billion animals lives lost, more than 1400 homes lost and businesses lost, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, human lives have ended tragically and so much more. If you’re not affected directly, we guarantee you know someone who is or that you’re feeling helpless and want to do something to support those in need.
It’s not over, it’s far from over. Many fires are still burning and will continue to burn. The ripple effect from the devastation expands across Australia and the world and we all need to step in and do our part.
So if you can, please spare a little money or a little time. Even perform a simple act of kindness for someone who might be struggling or just share the posts on social media to help spread the word.
We’ve done a quick search and put together a list of some amazing businesses in the Canberra hospitality industry who are doing their bit to help. So if you’re eating out over the next week or so, you might want to pay one of them, or all of them a visit.
The G Spot
Andrew Dale and his team have been coordinating donations, deliveries and so much more for the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) and people affected by the bushfires, alongside the #slabsforheroes group that can be found on Facebook. The donations they’ve received is incredible and we’ve donated several bags of items. The support from Canberrans is absolutely amazing.
Check out the G Spot’s Facebook page and the #slabsforheroes Facebook group for more information about how you can help and what is needed.
The G Spot on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TheGspotCanberra/
#slabsforheroes Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1436604429838828/
XO
XO in Narrabundah will be showcasing wine from affected vineyards over the coming weeks and will be donating proceeds from sales to the NSW RFS.
So book your table and enjoy their amazing food with a wine or three.
Visit their website to book a table https://www.xo-restaurant.com.au/
Ziggys Fresh – Belconnen Markets and Fyshwick Markets
Ziggys Fresh will be donating $1 from every kilo of apples sold to the Australian Red Cross for their buy ‘Buy Apples for Batlow’ campaign that will run until 20th January. The more Batlow apples you buy between now and then, the more they can donate while also helping the farmers rebuild their businesses.
Contentious Character Winery – 810 Norton Rd, Wamboin
Head to Contentious Character Winery on Sunday 26th January for their Summer Sunday Sounds for the Wamboin Rural Fire Brigade event on Australia Day with live music from The Advocates Canberra. The event is usually free entry but tickets will be $15 on the day with all proceeds from tickets going to the NSW RFS.
Mookie
Mookie are offering free food (burgers, wings, fries and all of the deliciousness they dish up – see the feature image) to the NSW RFS and emergency services volunteers and staff at their Civic and Tuggeranong locations to say thank you for their help during this horrible time.
Visit their website http://xn--nck7e.co/ or visit them at 4A/21 Genge St, Canberra OR at the South Point Shopping Mall in Tuggeranong.
The Old Canberra Inn – 195 Mouat Street, Lyneham
Make a donation at the Old Canberra Inn and they will match every dollar donated. They’ve already raised $5250. They will have their RFS collection buckets at the pub throughout January so look out for the buckets when you visit. Their chicken wings are finger lickin’ good!
The Goods Wholefoods – No Name Lane, 40 Marcus Clarke St, Canberra City
Visit The Goods Wholefoods on Thursday 9th January and purchase a coffee. They’ve teamed up with Gabriel Coffee so all coffee sales on the day will go to WIRES Wildlife Rescue.
They will also be taking donations of non-perishable food items and mens and women’s toiletry items to donate to a local charity called St Benedict’s Community Centre based in Queanbeyan. They not only provide food and accommodation for those in need 365 days a year, but have now also been inundated with people in need due to the bush fires.
A tip jar for donations will also be there with all donations going to the two organisations mentioned above.
The Meating Room – 45 Liardet St, Weston
The Meating Room will be donating all proceeds from drinks and tips between 4-6pm on Friday 10th January to WIRES Wildlife Rescue.
Ginseng Hellenic and The Hellenic Club Woden
Ginseng Hellenic and The Hellenic Club Woden are hosting a bushfire fundraising dinner to raise money for those impacted by the bushfires, with 100% of the proceeds from the night donated to the Australian Red Cross.
Enjoy a shared-plate style dinner, with soft drinks, house beer and house wine included. Food and beverage on the night, is being donated by Ginseng Hellenic and The Hellenic Club Woden, and the kitchen and floor team have all volunteered their time.
Get a table of 10 together or book a smaller group and you will be placed on a table with others.
DETAILS
Date: Saturday 11 January 2020
Time: 6.00pm
Location: Ginseng Hellenic, Matilda Street, Woden
Cost: $70pp
Call 02 6282 9866 or email ginseng@hellenicclub.com.au to book your table.
Visit the event Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/events/555121785344284/
ACT Red Cross staff and volunteers will be present on the evening.
Ace High Eatery – 191 Anketell St, Tuggeranong
Grab a Burger of the Month from Ace High Eatery in January. They will donate $5 from every ‘Aussie Spirit’ burger sold in January to the NSW RFS. What’s one the ‘Aussie Spirit’ burger? 100% Aussie beef patty, cheddar cheese, red onion, tomato and vegemite!
Zaab – Unit 2, 9 Lonsdale Street, Braddon
All proceeds from Tiger beer purchases at Zaab will be donated to the NSW RFS.
The Dock – 7/81 Giles St, Kingston
The Dock is offering free food and drinks if you’re with the Rural Fire Service or emergency services.
The George Harcourt Inn – 3 Gold Creek Rd, Nicholls
The George Harcourt Inn had to close their doors for two days but that didn’t stop them from helping others. They offered the food that they had prepped to sell for FREE to emergency service workers and displaced people from the South Coast fires. They also ran a Parmy for a Firey night recently and have money tins on the bar to collect donations for fire stations in the area. Stop in for a drink or meal at The George Harcourt Inn to support them for supporting others and leave a donation in the tin while you’re there.
Harvest Coffee – 40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra
Buy a cookie at Harvest Coffee because all cookies sales from this week will be donated to the NSW RFS and Red Cross Australia. Any tips in their bowl will also be donated. I can confirm their cookies are amazing and as if you need an excuse to have a cookie…
Momoda – Melbourne Building 39-47 Northbourne Ave
All Momoda Lager sales will be donated to the NSW RFS.
Barrio Collective Coffee – 59, Ori Building, 28 Lonsdale Street, Braddon
Visit Barrio in the morning on Thursday 9th for a cup of coffee because all coffee sales during that time will be donated to bushfire relief.
Have we missed a hospitality business that’s doing something special to help those affected by the bushfires? Send an email to eatcanberra@gmail.com so we can update this article.
Feature image: Mookie burger by Amelia Bidgood from Eat Canberra.
Some organisations you can donate to:
Celeste Barber Fund for the Trustee for NSW Rural Fire Service and Brigades Donations Fund – https://www.facebook.com/donate/1010958179269977/2477326602586291/
Australian Red Cross – https://www.redcross.org.au/campaigns/disaster-relief-and-recovery-donate
NSW Rural Fire Service – https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/volunteer/support-your-local-brigade
World Wildlife Fund – https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/bushfire-emergency#gs.q77xgv OR https://donate.wwf.org.au/donate/koala-crisis/koala-crisis?t=AP1119W03#gs.q76o3v
NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) – https://www.facebook.com/donate/1386120504919105/10158318179549750/
Foodbank – https://www.foodbank.org.au/support-us/make-a-donation/?state=vic
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.