24/12/2025
If you are in Taree NSW today and are hungry or feeling lonely please drop in.
A Taree cafe is flinging open its doors on Christmas Day and offering free festive fare to all comers.
Bohemian Cafe on Victoria Street will be open from 10am to serve a roast meal with brisket, desserts and coffee or tea.
"Even if one person comes through this door tomorrow that means more to me than any gift anyone can give me," Cafe owner Coralie Robinson said.
"I look at this and go "if I can just help one person tomorrow, make them feel like they are something special'."
In her six years of owning the cafe Ms Robinson has been flooded twice and seen many others suffer the same fate.
"The town has been through so much," she said.
"As a business owner I know how hard it can be mentally and emotionally. I thought 'if I am going through that, there's a lot more people in the town going through it as well' so I just wanted to give back."
The free Christmas feast has received strong community support with customers even volunteering to come help on the day and many local businesses also saying yes "straight off the bat", including McGrath Meats which donated a "huge" brisket.
"They (McGrath) didn't even hesitate," Ms Robison said.
"I said 'are you sure about this?' and he said 'Yeah, we want to help you guys out."
Ms Robinson said for the homeless, the elderly and others separated from families for whatever reason Christmas could be a time of deep despair.
"I have a beautiful lady that comes in here for a long time. She lost her husband this year and her children won't be home," Ms Robinson said.
"It broke my heart when people stand here almost in tears telling me how lonely they are.
"Everyone has a right to be loved and respected.
"Unfortunately this day and age that's going out the doors, it doesn't exist for a lot of people anymore."
