Forks up folks, it’s feasting time!
The famous Scenic Rim Eat Local Month returns this June with more flavour, fun and fire, as well as carrots, cheese, wine, beer and pickles, than ever before.
The event will serve an epic month-long celebration of the region’s award-winning producers, makers, farmers, brewers, bakers and food innovators. And, for the first time in the event’s 14 flavour-filled years, it takes to the air!
From on-farm experiences, brew-your-own classes, paddock walks, vineyard experiences and long lunches with your besties, the 2025 program is packed with more than 100 events across the Scenic Rim, just an hour from Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
The program – a flavour-filled love letter to the people, produce and paddocks of the Scenic Rim – was unveiled last month at The Overflow Estate 1895.
It features a menu of themed weekends, fresh events, paddock-to-plate feasts and full-and-multi-day food adventures curated for families, couples, mates and solo samplers alike.
This year, there’s more than 100 food events including 41 long lunches, degustations and dinners, 25 workshops and classes, almost 50 family-friendly options and a record 64 on-farm adventures.
The Scenic Rim proudly holds the title of Australia’s carrot-growing capital, with local farmers harvesting 600 million each year and yes, the famous Kalfresh Carrot Day remains one of the most popular for families everywhere.
June is also the only month that Moffatt’s Fresh Produce makes their sought-after Carrot Ice-Cream!
The event is supported by 12 serious food names, with this roll call of volunteer Scenic Rim Food Ambassador chefs the envy of the country — Alison Alexander (Queensland Food Fellow), Brenda Fawdon (Picnic Real Food Bar), Cameron Matthews (Mapleton Public House), Caroline Jones (Three Girls Skipping), Daniel Groneberg (Kooroomba Vineyard and Restaurant), Elliot Platz (Monte Land Wine Bar), Glen Barratt (renowned Pastry Chef), Jack Stuart (Blume Restaurant), Javier Codina (Moda Steak. Tapas. Seasons), Josh Lopez (Lopez at Home), French-born Olivier Boudon from Roastbeef and The Frog at The Overflow Estate 1895 and Richard Ousby (Cru Bar & Sixes and Sevens).
Scenic Rim regional council mayor Tom Sharp said:
“Eat Local Month provides the opportunity for our local community, visitors and people from all ages and backgrounds to enjoy an authentic paddock-to-plate experience and to renew their connection with our natural environment and agricultural production.
“With more than 100 events on offer, there is a variety of options for everyone and for every taste and budget.
“Traditionally, growers have taken their product to market, however we are seeing an increase in consumers wanting to connect with where their food comes from and buy directly from producers and growers in the region.
“People are not only tasting the freshness and quality of the product but gain an understanding of the farmers’ experience, their lifestyle and their dedication to quality produce.
“This raises awareness of the improvements being made in farming practices to build resilience in rural production and we’re seeing more and more artisans take raw and by-products to create something of even greater worth.
“From its modest beginnings in 2011, this event has provided a boost to our rural sector, helping to create jobs and drive our region’s prosperity.
“However, it also increases the appreciation for those who put food on our tables and where our food comes from.“
Food tourism is a powerhouse in the Scenic Rim and the numbers say it all
Scenic Rim Eat Local Month has become a major economic driver, contributing almost $2 million to the region’s economy in 2024 —a 49 per cent increase on the previous year.
It generated nearly 3000 visitor nights (up 30pc) and continues to foster lasting connections between visitors and producers.
An impressive 95pc of intrastate and interstate guests came specifically for the event and 90pc said they planned to return.
Even better, 75pc of attendees reported they’re more likely to buy local produce after attending, while returning visitors grew by 64pc — a clear sign that this celebration of local flavour leaves a lasting taste.
A Feast of Firsts: And in 2025, Eat Local Month Takes to the Air!
On opening weekend, leading the first charge is the Foraged, Fired and Farmed Lunch at Binna Burra Lodge, where guests will dine under the rainforest canopy on saltbush chips, flame-grilled corn, smoked brisket and even green tree ants. Up on the mountain there’s High Tea and Cocktails in the Rainforest, a culinary collaboration between Pethers Rainforest Retreat and Tamborine Mountain Distillery, marrying sweet treats with sassy sips.
Foodies can also become brewers for a day with Boxer Brewing Co’s head brewer and celebrate the opening weekend in style at The Cauldron Distillery’s Spirit of the Mountain, where First Nations storytelling, local spirits and a performance by Ben Lee set the tone for a spectacular month.
On the rich pastures of Harrisville there’s the Heritage Poultry Farm Tour and Sunset Dinner, hosted by Scenic Rim Food Ambassador Daniel Groneberg, while vegetarians can rejoice at the Long Table Vegetarian Feast at the Old Church BNB Boonah — a garden party of the highest (and greenest) order.
Mid-month, soar at sunrise with Hot Air Ballooning and a Producers’ Breakfast at O’Reilly’s or make your way to the Scenic Rim Farming Expo in Harrisville, where more than 100 exhibitors will showcase the latest in farming, sustainability and rural living.
The more adventurous can craft their own rum or citrus liqueur at Tamborine Mountain Distillery, or slow down with a soulful Vegetarian Fireside Feast on Wild Mountains.
That same weekend, you can picnic with alpacas, taste cheese and honey at Towri Sheep Cheeses, trek through native orchards, or experience the Edible Garden Trail on Tamborine Mountain.
And, for those hungry for connection as much as cuisine, the unmissable Smoke and Mirrors at Tommerup’s Dairy Farm will be a masterclass in meaningful dining and story-telling.
Set on the famed sixth-generation farm that celebrated 150 years last year, the event pairs three chefs with three farmers for a grounding, delicious and unforgettable paddock-to-plate experience.
Workshops and hands-on masterclasses dot the calendar too — from herb garden-making at Kooralbyn Community Garden to fermentation, cheese-making, beekeeping and so much more.
The popular Winter Harvest Festival, the signature event and finale of Scenic Rim Eat Local Month, will again be held in and around the stunning village of Kalbar as part of a full-weekend of harvest activities from 27 to 29 June.
There’s the Friday night Harvest Dinner at Kooroomba Vineyard and Restaurant, a Saturday evening Harvest Hoedown and, of course, the day-long Winter Harvest Festival celebrating the joy of harvest produce and featuring the legendary Tractor Pull event.
A Celebration of Lost Culinary Arts will take over the Kalbar School of Arts on the Saturday, offering a deliciously nostalgic nod to the generations of women who preserved, pickled and prepared from scratch.
Presented by 612 ABC Radio Brisbane, this free event invites guests to explore traditional skills through talks, demonstrations and market stalls — honouring the creativity, resilience and culinary ingenuity that filled pantries and fed families long before refrigeration and supermarkets.
The final weekend brings even more newness: the Winter Harvest Dinner at Kooroomba Vineyard and Restaurant and Speckles on the Teviot with its long lunch and Speckle Park beef.
The best advice is to plan your visit, take some time to read the program and book accommodation and tickets now, because with a menu this good, it will sell out!
* Please visit www.eatlocalmonth.com.au.
