Attention Southeast Queensland epicureans. Our state’s premiere paddock-to-plate event is nearly here—and this year’s shindig looks scrumptious. Known as Scenic Rim Eat Local Month, the eclectic festival showcases top Scenic Rim food producers through a smorgasbord of tastebud-tantalising events.
Keen to sink your teeth into this satiating occasion? We’ve whipped up a delicious Eat Local Month 2024 guide.
What is the Scenic Rim & Eat Local Month?
Located an hour from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, the Scenic Rim spans lush rainforest-shrouded mountains to bountiful agricultural lands. Farmers produce a buffet of goodies here, from raw fruit and veggies to handcrafted treats like cheese, relish, and jam. Tourists flock to the Scenic Rim throughout the year for its wineries, wedding venues, farm stays, and retreats.
Eat Local Month is an authentic paddock-to-plate food and farming festival held all over the Scenic Rim. The month-long shindig sees a slew of weekend events promoting quality local produce, gourmet food, and artisanal drinks. The festival began in 2011 as Eat Local Week and has expanded each subsequent year.
The organisers have split the festival into the Eastern, Western, and Central Regions. Each region takes centre stage during a specific festival weekend.
Events have also been divided into five categories, with themes to cater for every foodie.
- Long Lunches, Dinner & Degustations (multi-course meals, often paired with artisanal drinks and held in a spectacular setting)
- Family Friendly (foodie events with activities the little ones will love, like carrot picking, campfire cookouts and on-farm experiences).
- Workshops and classes (educational events where participants can learn about cheese making, sustainable farming, cooking bush tucker, and more from the experts)
- Tours and experiences (guided tours of locations like farms, vineyards, and distilleries)
- Meet the producers (interactive events where participants chat with local farmers, producers and food-makers)
An elite team of 15 Scenic Rim Food Ambassadors will spearhead many events.
Eat Local Month kicks off on June 01, 2024, and runs until the end of the month.
The Eat Local Month Ethos
Eat Local Month encourages swapping foreign, mass-produced ingredients for quality and locally-grown nosh, which encompasses their ‘eat local all year round’ ethos. From extra freshness to reduced carbon emissions and bolstering the regional economy, there’s a host of reasons to eat local.
As SEQ farm-fresh cuisine lovers, Kiff & Culture value the passion and purpose behind Eat Local Month and are honoured to be involved.
What’s Happening during Scenic Rim Eat Local Month
Eat Local Month spans 120 foodie events throughout the Scenic Rim, from Beaudesert to Beechmont. Some re-occur over multiple days, while others pop up just once. Either way, book early to secure your spot.
Whether you crave decadent gourmet degustation or a tipsy wine-tasting session, there’s a get-together for every epicurean. Here’s a short sample of some sensational Eat Local Month shindigs.
Sunset Cocktails & Vodka Tasting
Craving a tasty end-of-day tipple with your mates? Head to Harrisville on June 01 for Sunset Cocktails & Vodka Tasting at Summer Land Camels. Epic Western Rim scenery and a caravan of curious camels make an idyllic backdrop for your favourite drinks.
But before you hit the heavy stuff, tuck into their award-winning camel milk cheese and charcuterie. Once the sun has sunk over the horizon, you’ll devour a delicious dinner of slow-cooked camel curry with camel milk gelato for dessert.
Beef and Bonfire
Swap the bustle of the big city for a meaty country-style banquet by a big roaring bonfire at Sarabah Estate Vineyard. Located an hour from Brissie and the Gold Coast, Beef & Bonfire is a culinary celebration worth the drive. The June 14 feast begins with a hearty Jerusalem artichoke soup before moving on to the main course, hay-smoked beef with charred onions and orange miso dressing.
Sublime Sarabah Estate Vineyard wines like Brut Sparkling, Sparkling Shiraz, and Tawny Port Sipper go down a treat.
Sunset Session at The Overflow
For a choice of market style or top-tier eats with live music, you won’t want to miss the Sunset Session. On June 22, The first event celebrates Aussie alt-country music with local sensation Laura Frank, who will be belting out tunes at The Overflow Estate 1895, a renowned Scenic Rim vineyard straddling Wyaralong Dam.
Choosing the VIP four-course degustation package will take you on a gourmet gastronomic excursion with Scenic Rim Food Ambassador Olivier Boudon and Chef Jake Hatch. As for the vino? Overflow Estate does a mean Vermentino and Montepulciano.
Campfire Lunch and Nature Immersion in the Forest
Keen to up your campsite culinary game? Campfire Lunch and Nature Immersion in the Forest teaches you how to prepare delicious vegetarian recipes, from tarte Tatin to slow-cooked tagines and a whole roast pumpkin salad.
You’ll then munch on your wholesome plant-based creations at a long table lunch in a luscious bush setting. Next, it’s time to hike through a moody Eucalypt forest—watch out for koalas. The event occurs at the Wild Mountains Environmental Education Centre in Running Creek on June 22 & 23.
Be Seen on the Green
You don’t have to be a lawn bowls pro to enjoy this lazy late-afternoon event. Scenic Rim Food Ambassador Olivier Boudon takes care of the cuisine at Be Seen on the Green with a produce-driven three-course lunch on June 15. Held at the The Bowl Boonah, you’ll sip and dine right by the Green.
Once lunch is done, grab a cocktail and head outside for a cheeky game of barefoot bowls. Stick around until sunset to see the surrounding mountains bathe in majestic golden hues.
Feast and Fire
On June 14, Towri Sheep Cheeses in Allenview will host Feast and Fire, the perfect workshop for budding wood-fired barbequers. Award-winning chefs from Embers will hone your butchering, marinading, and barbequing skills during the three-hour event.
Like any decent culinary workshop, you’ll get to chew through your creations with a sit-down lunch at the end.
Towri Growers Market
On June 01, Towri Growers Market lets you wax lyrical with Scenic Rim growers and purchase their top-quality wares. A solid selection of fruit, vegetable, meat, and dairy farmers will attend the open-air market, which takes place at Towri Sheep Cheeses in Allenview.
Sheep milking demonstrations, lawn games, and barnyard animal patting sessions will keep the little ones entertained. As for the grown-ups? There’ll be live music, tasty food, and locally-made wine.
Winter Harvest Festival
On June 29, Eat Local Month culminates with the Winter Harvest Festival, an epic epicurean event that brings Scenic Rim growers, producers, chefs, and flavour artisans together. Cooking demonstrations, interactive displays, and workshops let you meet the makers firsthand.
Should you fancy a bite or tipple, stroll 60-odd market stalls to sample delicious home-grown flavours.
The Homestead Kitchen stage will host demonstrations from the Scenic Rim Food Ambassadors. More interested in music? Enjoy a local brew and listen to tunes on the Roots & Revelry stage. The little ones can dance to their own rhythm (and gets hands-on) at the Sprouts Play Patch instead. The pièce de résistance, however, has got to be the World Famous Tractor Pull.
The Winter Harvest Festival is the headline event of the Winter Harvest Weekend, a celebratory three-day occasion (June 28-30) that marks the end of Eat Local Month.
Book your Eat Local Month event today
We’ve covered a handful of our favourite Eat Local Month events. But there’s so much more to do at this amazing foodie festival. From gin-blending classes to farm tours and roaming degustation menus, you’ll find something for every taste. And as the Scenic Rim is a quick car trip from Brisbane and the Goldie, all this tasty goodness sits right on your doorstep.
Some events have already sold out, so get in quick. Click on our hyperlinked recommendations to book your spot, or see what else is happening during Eat Local Month this June, or simply download the program.
