More than 250 regional small businesses are set to expand their customer base further, following the launch of the new Buy From The Bush Marketplace.
The launch of the new PayPal-backed, online hub gives many rural businesses the opportunity to sell online for the first time and coincides with Buy From The Bush's first anniversary.
The initiative was founded to support small country businesses doing it tough due to drought or bushfires and has since amassed 450,000 followers on social media.
The Buy From the Bush movement also champions regional Australian women, with 97% of participating businesses being female-owned.
Buy From The Bush founder Grace Brennan said that the new marketplace launches just in time for the Christmas shopping season.
"We are so excited to have worked in partnership with PayPal to build this unique marketplace.
"We are connecting our amazing network of bush businesses with the wider Aussie community, just in time for the Christmas gifting season.
"Our makers and retailers all have a unique story and we can’t wait for Aussies to discover and support these talented individuals.
"With the pandemic driving so much Christmas shopping online, people will want to get in early to make sure everything arrives on time.
"We hope Aussies in the cities and suburbs look to the bush for Christmas shopping this year and by so doing, invest in helping rural communities recover and thrive," she said.
Brennan added that the she hopes the marketplace will help to future-proof rural businesses following the sustained impacts from COVID-19, fire, droughts and floods.
"The resilience of our bush communities and businesses across Australia has been inspiring in the face of devastating drought, bushfires and now the ongoing effects of COVID-19.
"One year after launching Buy From The Bush, the movement has created real relationships between strangers, injected hope into isolated communities, created jobs and undoubtedly saved bush businesses.
"Our vision for this exciting new marketplace is to future-proof these businesses, and we’re excited to bring their stories, and beautiful, unique products to Aussies all across the country," she said.