It was a forlorn atmosphere in Jamieson recently as trading ceased at the General Store on the first Sunday of the school holidays and the closed sign went up. Many locals dropped in throughout the day to farewell proprietor Andy Dolling and wish her well, while visitors to the town were surprised to find the business closed. It has been a bleaker than usual start to the July school holidays, with the lack of snow and cost-of-living pressures impacting visitor numbers to the district. Several residents have voiced concerns over recent business closures and a lack of services within Jamieson. The Jamieson General Store in Perkins Street was not only a popular meeting place for locals for a coffee and a catch-up, it stocked newspapers, bread and milk, and much more without the need to travel to Mansfield. According to the owner of the building, Jamieson's Wayne Rotherham, his plan since May this year "is to be open for papers, bread, milk and coffee while we do the renovations" before putting the premises up for sale. As a service to the community, Mr Rotherham has been selling newspapers from the Jamieson Post Office, which he runs, since the closure of the general store on 28 June. Similarly, another building in the main street, which has operated as a café over several years, sits empty with a for lease sign in the window. Access to fuel has also become an issue, with the service station rarely open, leaving locals frustrated. There were concerns about ongoing mail services in Jamieson with the retirement of Mansfield's Rodney Stewart and the winding up of the family's 100-year-old Mansfield to Woods Point mail run on 30 June. But Australia Post's Network Manager Victoria, Theresa Smith, said that "Australia Post remains committed to providing a reliable mail service. "With a new delivery arrangement now in place, local customers can continue to expect the dependable service they know and trust," she said. The new contractor, Midland Freight, took over on Wednesday 1 July. There are also new owners taking over the Courthouse Hotel, another landmark business in the town, in July. While there may be a sense of doom and gloom, others are positive about the future. Former local tourism operator and Jamieson resident since the 1980s, Andrew Dwyer AM, described the current situation as "just a road bump", having "seen the town morph through many challenges over the years". "It is a resilient town with good people," he said. "I love living here and have seen the highs and lows." Mr Dwyer conceded it has been a "difficult environment" and has been tough for some. "The most crucial thing from a tourism perspective is no fuel," he said. The service station was open last Friday, but one of the unleaded petrol pumps is out of order. Mr Dwyer said there are two empty but "fantastic" former food establishments in town – Willie's Thai Junction Tea Rooms and the café – that, with a "small investment", could be ideal opportunities for some young up-and-coming chefs to create a dining destination. While Mansfield Shire Council is not able to comment on individual business closures, which are outside its responsibility, it has endeavoured to support the community, including Jamieson, as it recovers from commercial losses and from the Longwood fire earlier this year. In a bid to boost local tourism, council invested resources into the ‘Better with you here’ digital marketing campaign, which featured businesses and destinations in Jamieson alongside Mansfield and other outlying communities. Council worked with the community for another successful Jamieson Autumn Festival in April 2026, which reflected the resilience and hard work of so many locals. The shire will also provide support for the upcoming hot rod muster event in October, another tourism drawcard. "Where council is able, it will work to secure assistance for those requesting it," Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said. "Our door is always open, and we encourage anyone who's struggling to speak to us. "Council's recovery team is working with the community to provide the actions needed to get the shire back on its feet after the fires," Cr Rabie said. "If you have a suggestion for a workshop, an event or a resource that will help the community, we would love to hear from you." "A highlight of the 2026-27 Council Budget, which went to council for adoption on 30 June, is the Jamieson Pump Track. "This was a welcome suggestion from the community, and we were pleased to include it in the budget. "We believe the pump track will become a valued community asset that residents can share with visitors to the area," Cr Rabie said. As part of council's 20-year Tracks and Trails Strategy, council is also advocating for significant funding to be invested in tracks and trails around Jamieson. Council says it is assessing telecommunications hardware and power backup services within the Jamieson area to improve the area's resilience and capacity, particularly during power outages and emergency situations.
