Barbeques Galore axed, hundreds lose jobs   :(

News.com.au
09 June 2026


Australia’s largest barbeque and outdoor furniture retailer, Barbeques Galore, is set to cease trading this month, resulting in hundreds of job losses and the closure of dozens of stores nationwide.

A rescue deal with suppliers could not be finalised, sealing the fate of the iconic brand.   :(

The collapse will see 62 company-owned stores close their doors, impacting staff and customers across the country.

New South Wales will bear the brunt of the closures with 33 stores, followed by Victoria with 19, Queensland with 18, and Western Australia with 14.

South Australia will lose five stores, Tasmania three, the Australian Capital Territory two, and the Northern Territory one.

However, News Corp understands 27 franchise stores won’t be impacted by the closures.


Store closures are slated to commence from June 16, with all gift cards honoured until June 30.

However, a significant caveat has emerged for gift card holders: cards will only be redeemable if customers spend twice their value in cash. For example, a customer wishing to redeem a $50 gift card will need to make a total purchase of $150, with $100 paid after the gift card credit is applied.


Australia’s largest barbecue and outdoor furniture retailer, Barbeques Galore, has plunged into receivership, placing the jobs of approximately 500 staff across the country in jeopardy. Facebook (Barbeques Galore Australia)

Approximately 500 employees are facing redundancy, with staff expected to be informed of the news on Tuesday afternoon.

This devastating news comes just months after the company was placed into voluntary administration in February.

Liquidity issues were cited as the primary cause for the initial administration, with a restructure or sale initially earmarked as potential solutions.

However, these efforts have ultimately proven unsuccessful.

A deed of company arrangement proposal from Barbeques Galore’s primary lender, Gordon Bros, aimed at rescuing the company from administration, could not be signed off.

The inability to agree on commercial trading terms with suppliers ultimately scuppered the deal, as reported by the Australian Financial Review.

Barbeques Galore franchisees Raj and Anju Khanal. Picture: Evan Morgan

At the time of the administration, Barbeques Galore’s chief executive, David White, had expressed optimism.

“Management was excited to turn around the business and move to the next evolution of the brand,” Mr White stated, according to the Daily Mail.

He added that “considerable progress has been made in recent months leading to significant improvements across the business and operations.”

However, these efforts were ultimately insufficient to overcome “ongoing liquidity challenges,” which Mr White cited as the reason for the necessary restructuring.

The collapse marks a poignant moment for a brand deeply embedded in Australian culture, co-founded nearly five decades ago by the late Peter Woodland. Mr Woodland, a prominent Sydney businessman also known for co-founding BeefEater Barbeques, tragically died in a helicopter crash in April 2022.

Government should create a new tax to stop this from happening, they try to fix everything else by introducing more or new taxes so why not tax anyone going broke 50%.

Vegetarians, eh....

Sad to hear this.
I said to hubby, how difficult it is for anyone trying to start up a business and most fail, yet here’s a huge brand name, that made it big, well known and loved, belly up!

So where is the magic formula for a successful business now? To either start up or keep one afloat already in motion?

Tip of iceberg….who’s next?

As long as government keep taxing us all stupid with their blinkers on!

We have our own observations….hubby’s work place, the food industry, supplying food to many factories which many of these factories have closed down, out of business.
My hubby’s work place is losing that business too, and what they are making now is barely keeping afloat, for now.
In my little online marketing, spare car parts, sales have slown down a lot! Every time there’s an interest rate hike, or gloomy financial news, or diesel/petrol/war, or upcoming elections, people hold back. It’s normal to do that.
I’ve held back from shopping, pulling the purse strings tight.
It’s what one does to survive. The tax and council rates and insurance companies, and car Regos, and bank interest, they’re the only ones upping their costs and don’t feel a godam thing! Laughing all the way to the bank they are!  Plus our Aussie dollar has fallen due to Middle East conflict. Thanks a lot  >:(

Then interest rates rises because of inflation! But it’s them above mentioned that are contributing to that cause and effect!

Oh and many doctors now dropping bulk billing.
Why do that? Weren’t they getting enough for the 3.5 mins each patient?

What else was there, if I’ve missed anything … contribute to the list.

Was thinking of a few businesses gone belly up … remember retravision?
Peter Stephens. Katies. Millers. Rivers.
And whomever takes these empty shops on…. good luck to them but I can’t help feeling worried for them.

So here’s a report I just read.

Why are so many businesses closing in Australia?

A surge in operating costs—including rising rents, utilities, insurance, and labor expenses—combined with weak consumer spending and aggressive global online competition, is forcing many Australian businesses to close. The crisis has hit the small-to-medium enterprise (SME) sector, particularly hospitality and retail, the hardest.

The wave of business insolvencies and voluntary closures is driven by a combination of key economic factors:
Soaring Cost of Doing Business: Operators are facing the same inflation pressures as consumers. Utility bills, supply chain costs, commercial rent, and inventory prices have all skyrocketed.

Widespread Consumer Caution: With the high cost of living, Australians are cutting back on discretionary spending. Cafés, restaurants, and retail shops are experiencing lower foot traffic and smaller average transaction sizes.

Intense Global E-Commerce Competition: Independent physical retailers are struggling to compete with ultra-low-cost, offshore online operators (like Temu and Shein), which local operators argue bypass domestic regulatory and employment commitments.

Labor and Wage Pressures: Businesses are grappling with higher minimum wages and mandatory superannuation increases alongside ongoing, difficult-to-fill labor shortages.

Tax Debt Recovery: The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has increased its efforts to recover billions in outstanding tax debts that many businesses deferred during the pandemic, forcing highly leveraged companies into insolvency.