Businesses and residents around the district are having to cross their fingers and hope their parcels are delivered.
As the volume of parcel freight breaks new records the number of official collection points in the town continues to shrink.
Last month Coonamble Pharmacy opted out of the role as depot for Midstate Freight, so they now join other major freight on-forwarders TNT, Toll and Direct Freight with no physical presence in Coonamble or surrounding towns.
When couriers have no designated place to leave parcels, particularly for rural customers or town residents who are unable to collect due to work or other commitments, the packages are redirected to a Dubbo depot.
Members of the Coonamble Branch of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) have been watching the issue unfold and have sprung into action.
“This not only affects consumer freight – items unavailable locally, gifts, online shopping, it affects business freight – particularly farming and agribusinesses in terms of important parts and tools for machinery,” said CWA Secretary Sharon Single.
“The sudden loss of Midstate Freight depot will affect a significant number of ratepayers and businesses.
“There is direct loss to the local economy in terms of loss of business productivity and opportunity cost of pushing locals to Dubbo for collection.”
Local ag supply stores have traditionally acted as a fallback option for rural customers needing a place to pick up their goods.
However, at least one of these businesses has reported a surge in local residents trying to track down parcels since the Pharmacy depot closed.
They told the Coonamble Times staff can spend up to four hours each day dealing with parcels and inquiries.
Without compensation for this service to freight companies’ customers, the CWA say it is unfair to local business and their staff.
“It’s incredibly disappointing given these on-forwarders out bid other services such as Australia Post for freight contracts, yet do not invest locally,” Mrs Single said.
“These companies should be paying to centrally depot Coonamble and surrounding towns, they have been awarded contracts that advertise Australia-wide delivery, but instead are cost-cutting and putting the onus on residents.”
On Wednesday 3 December the CWA meeting heard six outraged members talk about missing parcels.
While Farmer and CWA member Sharron Single said she had lost two already that week, another member said her daughter had made her first ever online purchase recently, only for it to be left undelivered.
Mrs Single said “unless your phone number is attached to a parcel, people don’t know where their parcels are.”
“I’ve had things turn up in town at various locations that have sat there for months, because I didn’t know it was there.”
Deliveries through Australia Post are unaffected and Castlereagh Industries are contracted as the depot for Orana Couriers only.
However Castlereah Industries manager Amanda Nixon said there has been a lot of uncertainty around which couriers are dropping parcels where.
“There’s been confusion around parcels for the past couple of months,” Ms Nixon said.
In February this year the CWA raised the freight distribution issue with previous federal MP Mark Coulton to find a solution.
He explained that the issue could not be solved by federal government, as they were only in charge of Australia Post and StarTrack.
Instead, he directed them towards the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Last Thursday, the CWA made their next move, taking on Mr Coulton’s advice.
The group have written to Coonamble Shire Council seeking their support in approaching the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The CWA says pressure needs to be put on the privately-owned freight companies to hold a permanent depot officially in town.
They also proposed trialling a shared freight depot arrangement with the private couriers, including a negotiated fee-for-service.
“Nobody’s asking them to come out to the properties, but everyone is asking them to go back to paying someone to have a depot in town,” Mrs Single said.
Although the parcel depot issue is shire-wide, it is farmers and rural business who are pulling the shortest straws.
Mrs Single said rural residents are needing to make alternate arrangements with couriers and ask for help from local businesses.
“They’d drop at various businesses in town for people so that the owners can pick up their parcels,” She said.
“It’s post-harvest; there’s a lot of freight moving around for parts and different things.”
The CWA suggest residents try to only order through companies who utilise Australia Post and StarTrack to minimise risk of lost goods.
Editor’s note: The Coonamble Times has tried multiple times and ways to contact Midstate Freight and other freight companies for comment. Phone calls were unanswered or automated for customers only.