Spend your Fraser Coast Buy Local Gift Card before it expires

Local residents with unspent Fraser Coast Buy Local Gift Cards are being encouraged to use them soon and keep their dollars working locally, with some older cards now reaching their expiry dates.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said more than $48,700 in unredeemed funds is waiting to be spent at participating local businesses.

“The Fraser Coast Buy Local Gift Card is designed to keep money circulating in our region, supporting jobs and strengthening local businesses,” Cr Seymour said.

“Buying local is the best way to support businesses on the Fraser Coast; it’s great for employment, communities, and the economy. Every $100 spent locally provides up to $180 benefit to the local economy through the multiplier effect.

“If you have a card in your wallet or drawer, now is the time to use it or lose it and enjoy the wide range of shops, cafés, salons and services that accept it.”

Gift card balances expire three years after the funds are loaded. If a balance expires, about 75 per cent of the funds are returned to Council to help expand and promote the Buy Local program, while the remaining 25 per cent covers the card provider’s processing costs.

Council can, in some cases, help residents who discover an expired card, particularly if it has a significant balance.

“If someone finds an old card with a large amount left, Council may be able to issue a replacement card,” Cr Seymour said. “But the best way to keep every dollar locally is to spend the balance before the three-year limit.”

More than 200 Fraser Coast businesses are part of the program, which was first launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as a key Buy Local initiative.

Cr Seymour said Council is also preparing to launch a digital version of the gift card in the coming weeks, just in time for the fast-approaching festive season.

“The digital card will give shoppers more flexibility and convenience, and will allow even more local businesses – including those using Square and other EFTPOS systems – to take part,” he said.

“The Fraser Coast Buy Local Gift Card is a great gift for those who are hard to buy for, and it’s the kind of gift that keeps on giving, because every time a card is purchased, the money stays local.”

The Fraser Coast Buy Local Gift Card can be purchased and used at a wide variety of local retailers and service providers. For details and a full list of participating businesses, visit www.frasercoastgiftcard.com