Sweet triumph: Grant provides Mossman bakery a recipe for recovery
Natural disasters can reshape communities, but they also reveal the resilience and strength within.
This was certainly the case for Duke’s Artisan Bakehouse, a beloved family-run bakery in Mossman that faced ruin when Tropical Cyclone Jasper struck Far North Queensland in late 2023.
Renowned for its handcrafted treats and strong community connections, Duke's Artisan Bakehouse started life as a weekend hobby known as Duke’s Doughnuts for the husband and wife team of Michael and Sally Miller at the Port Douglas Markets.
In early 2023, the newly re-named Duke's Artisan Bakehouse opened its brick-and-mortar Mossman shop, transforming from a beloved market staple into a full-fledged bakery. Serving more than just doughnuts, everything made by Michael and Sally is done in-house with quality locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.
With deep roots in the local school, Duke’s launched a breakfast program ensuring every student, no matter their circumstances, starts the day nourished, supported, and fed.
Duke's was hit hard by Jasper later that year, with floodwaters surging through the business, destroying critical equipment including mixers, ovens and display cases needed to keep serving customers.
It was a devastating blow for Michael and Sally, who were left with a massive clean-up and a steep uphill climb to reopen their bakery.
Thankfully the couple secured a $20,000 Small Business Exceptional Assistance Grant, funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), which provided a recipe for recovery.
Designed to help small businesses bounce back after disasters, the grant enabled Duke's to replace damaged equipment and begin the long road to recovery.
By mid-2024, Duke’s Artisan Bakehouse was not only operational again but thriving once more, baking their signature offerings with care and creativity.
The bakery also re-established its community role in Mossman, resuming its school breakfast program and providing the community with a comforting sense of normalcy after the cyclone.
Today, Duke’s Artisan Bakehouse is a proud testament to the resilience of Far North Queensland small businesses, and the Mossman community.
The recovery story of Duke's speaks to the strength in shared experience. In community spirit. And the determination to not walk away from a dream, even when the recovery journey ahead seems impossible.
It also emphasises how timely support through the DRFA can help transform despair into delivery.
The $25 million DRFA Small Business Exceptional Assistance Grants package is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments to help cyclone affected businesses like Duke’s Artisan Bakehouse rebuild and thrive once more.
