Sam Coulton is one of the most recognisable people in Goondiwindi and no one would argue that he might also be one of the most passionate about growing our town and our region, now and into the future.
Sam is a part of the history of Goondiwindi, from his days as a cotton grower, where he was instrumental in building the local cotton industry into the powerhouse it is today, to his days at the helm of Goondiwindi Cotton, a homegrown clothing brand sold online and in over 200 stores across seven states and territories.
He believes to keep our region thriving, people have to want to come to our town and stay in our town and that is one of the driving forces behind the new store, discovery centre and café he is building along the river on Bowen Street.
“Building our town for the future generations is a part of my legacy,” Mr Coulton said.
“I’m doing this for myself, my family's future and for the future of our town. We need to attract young people to our towns and to do that we need to modernise and provide the same opportunities and environments these young families can get if they were living in the big cities.”
Sam has always had a passion for eliminating the divide between city and country and his new Goondiwindi Cotton building will include a discovery centre that provides a glimpse into the industries that have defined Goondiwindi over the years.
“Goondiwindi isn’t all about cotton. It’s so much more than that,” Sam said.
“We want to showcase not just irrigated cotton, but dryland cotton and cropping, beef, sheep, pigs, ag tech and some of the businesses who have made their names and their home in Goondiwindi, like Hayes Spraying and Goanna Ag.”
Sam said this town and region has a vibe and he wants to be a part of that – look good, feel good, dance.
Sam said this new headquarters for Goondiwindi Cotton is three times as big as the existing building and allows room for growth in his business.
“We’ve finally outgrown the current store and this new building will have a bigger shop front and dispatch areas, with room to continue expanding,” he said.
“It will also provide valuable insight and an extra level of discovery for our town and country cotton tours.”
The Goondiwindi Cotton Tours have been running strongly for over 18 years and the discovery centre and café will add that extra element to the tours.
Tour guide and bus driver Lois Phillips said Sam’s passion for the region is evident in everything he does, and she loves her job.
“Sam is all about keeping our town alive, showcasing local produce and keeping young people in our town. The cotton tours are a huge part of that,” Ms Phillips said.
“This new building will incorporate more of the agricultural history of Goondiwindi and broaden the horizons of the visitors to our town.“It is electric to be a part of something as progressive and passionate as Goondiwindi Cotton and I consider myself lucky to have nabbed this job and been welcomed with such open arms.”
Sam said despite changing the plans about a dozen times, the foundation has been laid for the new Goondiwindi Cotton building and he expects to hold a grand opening in May next year, weather permitting of course.
The new building is located on the corner of Bowen Street and Herbert Street, diagonally opposite Foodworks.
