30/09/2026
❤️ A heartfelt announcement from Dusty Buns ❤️
After a great deal of thought, reflection and some incredibly difficult conversations, we've made the heartbreaking decision to close Dusty Buns at Origins Market.
We're currently pencilling in Christmas Eve, 24 December, as our intended final day of trading. We'll confirm the details closer to the time, but until then, we'll continue doing what we love and giving our customers the high quality baking they've come to expect from us.
After nearly three decades in the baking industry, this is not a decision I've made lightly.
Baking has been my life since I started my apprenticeship on 10 March 1998, and I've poured everything I have into building a career and a business that I'm incredibly proud of.
Over those years, I've been fortunate enough to win multiple baking competitions, represent Western Australia on the national stage and receive what I consider one of the highest honours a baker can achieve in Australia — the prestigious LA Judge Award in 2004. These achievements will always mean a great deal to me, but perhaps my greatest satisfaction has come from putting everything I've learned into building what I genuinely believe is one of the best bakeries in the Southwest, right here in Busselton.
In many ways, the hardest part of this decision is that we've never been busier. We're producing what I genuinely believe is the best baking of my entire career, creating new products every week and constantly pushing ourselves creatively. The demand for our products has been incredible, and for that, we're truly grateful.
We're also incredibly proud to have maintained our five-star Google rating, backed by more than 500 customer reviews. It's a milestone that reflects years of hard work, consistency, creativity and the incredible support we've received from our customers.
To know that so many people have taken the time to share their experiences and support our little bakery means the world to us. It's something we'll always be incredibly proud of.
But sometimes, even when business is good, the numbers and the reality of running a small business simply don't stack up.
Staff shortages, rising operating costs and the economics of operating a business with significant overheads but restricted trading days have created challenges that are increasingly difficult to overcome.
Operating a business four days a week while carrying the costs of a full-time commercial premises presents its own challenges.
It's a little like running a restaurant that only opens four nights a week while still having to carry the costs of running the business throughout the entire week.
These are some of the difficult realities facing small businesses today. Even when customer demand is strong, the underlying operating model still needs to be sustainable.
Keeping up with demand is a good problem to have, but when you're working in excess of 100 hours a week, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, the personal cost eventually becomes too great.
I've also been fighting Crohn's disease, an inflammatory condition, and the physical toll of those hours has become something I can no longer ignore. Years of physically demanding work have taken their toll on my back, too, with three bulging discs adding to the challenges I face.
I've spent much of my working life pushing through, putting the business and our customers first. But I have to acknowledge that my health and wellbeing need to become a priority.
As heartbreaking as this decision is, I know something has to change.
I've put more blood, sweat and tears into building Dusty Buns and supporting the success of Origins Market than I could ever properly explain. I genuinely believe I've done everything in my power to make it work, not just for our own business, but for the wider market and the community around us.
I have no regrets.
After nearly three decades in baking, I can look back knowing I've given it everything I've got. I've competed, won awards, represented my state and had the privilege of building a bakery that our customers genuinely love.
If this is where my baking journey takes its next turn, I can think of no better way to finish this chapter than knowing what we've achieved with Dusty Buns.
We've continued to create, innovate and deliver baking that we're proud of right until the end.
We're going out on a high, not a low.
And if this is my time to step away from the industry I've dedicated so much of my life to, I can do so with enormous pride in what we've accomplished.
I also want to acknowledge my wife, Mel, who has sacrificed so much to support Dusty Buns. Anyone who has visited us knows the consistency, efficiency, care and love she brings to the business. I couldn't be prouder of her, and none of this would have been possible without her.
A special thank you also goes to Elisha, for her incredible support, loyalty, integrity, dedication and work ethic. We wish her all the very best with her future studies and have every confidence that she will succeed in whatever she chooses to pursue.
To all our past employees, thank you for the contributions you've made along the way. Every person who has been part of Dusty Buns has helped shape the business into what it is today, and we're incredibly grateful for the role you've played in our journey.
So, what does the future hold?
We're currently exploring opportunities to find a more sustainable production space that would allow us to continue doing what we love without the relentless hours and pressures that have brought us to this point.
Our hope is to find an environment that supports small business, encourages creativity and gives us a realistic opportunity to build something sustainable for the future. We're hopeful that the right opportunity will come along, and if it does, we'll certainly explore it.
For me personally, this is also a time to reflect on what the next chapter of life might look like. I'm considering further study and exploring new opportunities that might allow me to apply my experience in different ways, while finally finding a healthier balance between work and life.
One area I'm particularly interested in pursuing is politics.
After nearly three decades in the baking industry, building a business, employing people and experiencing firsthand the challenges facing small businesses and the wider community, I believe I have valuable life experience to contribute.
I've always believed in asking questions, challenging the status quo and looking for practical solutions rather than simply accepting that things have to be the way they are. I believe decisions should be guided by truth, science, evidence and common sense, not just political talking points.
I'm exploring the possibility of establishing a new federal political party built around a simple idea: Australians deserve a fairer go.
I'd like to see a greater focus on the everyday people who work hard, run small businesses, raise families and do their best to get ahead. I believe we need fresh thinking, honest conversations and policies that are grounded in evidence and deliver practical outcomes for the community.
It's still early days, and there's a great deal to learn and consider. Of course, there's probably a little more to politics than just having a strong opinion and being willing to share it! I suspect learning the art of diplomacy might be part of the journey — and those who know me well might agree that's an area with some room for improvement! 😂
If this is something you'd be interested in following or supporting, I'd love to hear from you. At this early stage, I'm exploring the idea and gauging community interest as I consider what might be possible.
After so many years of living to work, perhaps it's time to remember that we're supposed to work to live.
To every customer who has supported us, every person who has lined up for our baked goods, and everyone who has encouraged us along the way, thank you. You've made this journey incredibly special.
This decision breaks my heart, but I'm proud of what we've built, grateful for the community that has supported us, and hopeful about what the future might hold.
I'd like to dedicate the success of Dusty Buns to my mum, who always believed in me and never gave up on me.
I've spent my life trying to follow in my mum's footsteps. She raised me with integrity, strong values and a high moral compass, and those are qualities I've always tried to carry with me in everything I do.
Mum, so much of who I am and what I've achieved comes from you, and for that, I'll always be grateful. ❤️
With love and gratitude,
Joel & Mel
Dusty Buns ❤
