Sustainability

It’s Not a Strategy. It’s a Survival Instinct.

Wild Local exists because of the natural environment that surrounds it. Every coral trout, every mud crab, every tiger prawn comes from waterways that must be protected, managed, and respected if they are to sustain us – and future generations – for decades to come.

We operate in one of Australia’s most extraordinary and fragile natural environments: where the Great Barrier Reef meets ancient rainforest, where the Hinchinbrook Channel winds through 164 square kilometres of mangrove wilderness, and where the health of the waterway directly determines the quality of the seafood on our table.

Sustainability at Wild Local is not a marketing message. It is a business requirement, a community obligation, and a deeply personal commitment – expressed in everything we do under what we call The Hinchinbrook Way.

Our sustainability approach is guided by a formal Sustainability Plan across five dimensions: Environmental, Cultural, Social, Economic, and Ethical.

Environmental — The Sun Does the Heavy Lifting Now

In March 2026, Wild Local completed the installation of a 99.96kW solar system with 180kWh battery storage – the most significant environmental investment in our 18-year history. The system generates an estimated 138 MWh of clean energy annually, reducing our grid dependence by 76% and ensuring Wild Local can remain fully operational during flood and cyclone events when the grid goes down.

We also actively participate in Queensland’s Containers for Change 10c container refund scheme – recycling approximately 10,300 containers annually – and have replaced all single-use plastic water bottles in-store with reusable aluminium bottles.

Small actions and large ones. All of them matter.

Cultural — Walking Alongside Mungalla Station

Wild Local’s partnership with Mungalla Station – an Indigenous-owned tourism and conservation property in the Hinchinbrook region – is one of the most meaningful relationships in our business.

Together, we deliver the BushTucker Tasting Experience: a unique combination of wild Hinchinbrook seafood and Indigenous BushTucker flavours that introduces visitors to both the food culture and the living culture of this remarkable region. From cruise ship patrons to international student groups, this experience connects people to country in a way that is genuine, respectful, and unforgettable.

Wild Local performs an Acknowledgement of Country recognising the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which we operate and their enduring connection to country, waterways, and culture.

Social — A Community That Feeds Itself

Wild Local has always believed that great food should be accessible to everyone.

Our $12 Fish & Chips exists because we believe our elderly, vulnerable, and fixed-income community members deserve access to fresh, wild-caught Australian seafood every single day of the week.

When the worst flooding in living memory hit Ingham in February 2025, Wild Local stayed open for five days – feeding SES workers, police, army personnel, and community members when they needed it most. Our solar investment ensures we can do this again, independent of the grid, whenever the community needs us.

We cater warmly and with cultural sensitivity for ABSTUDY families visiting children at Abergowrie College – ensuring every family feels welcomed and at home. And every winter, we load up and deliver fresh cooked prawns, mud crabs, fish and oysters directly to Rollingstone Caravan Park – a tradition we have upheld for 18 years.

Economic – Keeping It Local

95% of our seafood is locally caught. Our coffee is roasted in Cairns. Our gelato is made in Townsville. Our staff are local to the Hinchinbrook region. Every dollar we can keep in this community, we do.

We work exclusively with local fishing families who practise sustainable, best-in-class fishing methods – all holders of the Master Fishermen Accreditation through Ocean Watch – and we refuse to substitute local wild-caught seafood with cheaper imported alternatives. It costs us margin. It is absolutely worth it.

Ethical – Leading the Industry

We Love Wild Local’s transparency goes well beyond what the law requires. Every species in our display is labelled with its catch method, origin, and provenance — because we believe every customer deserves the full story of what they are eating and where it came from.

We founded Wild & Fresh Hinchinbrook in October 2025 – bringing together 25 commercial fishing families to support one another and advocate collectively to government on the issues facing the wild-caught seafood sector.

And in September 2026, Wild Local is leading Spotlight on Hinchinbrook: Wild & Fresh – a three-day seafood industry networking expo bringing together commercial fishers, scientists, government representatives, and industry leaders to celebrate and strengthen Queensland’s sustainable wild-caught seafood sector.

Because sustainability is not just about what happens in our shop. It is about the future of an entire industry, an entire ecosystem, and an entire community.

This is The Hinchinbrook Way. And we are just getting started.