September 26, 2012
South Burnett tourist operators are hoping for sunny skies this weekend to help launch Queensland’s new mini-holiday.
Many of the region’s wineries, cellar doors and restaurants – as well as two big annual festivals – will be running special events designed to catch the interest of visitors and locals.
And it’s all designed to help turn the new October long weekend into something that people in Brisbane, Toowoomba and on the coast will automatically associate with our region, the same way the Carnival of Flowers is associated with Toowoomba or the Seafood Festival is linked to Hervey Bay.
The weekend’s events are part of “South Burnett On Show”, a simple concept put together by the region’s wine industry based on a similar idea that’s been running successfully in Victoria’s Heathcote wine region for many years.
It boils down to offering visitors and locals a smorgasbord of inexpensive entertainment and dining choices that can make a long weekend in our region memorable and well worth the drive to get here.
For example, one of the events that will be running in Kingaroy on Saturday is “Bubbles and Bocce” at Taste South Burnett in William Street, Kingaroy.
From noon until 5:00pm the cellar door will be offering guests a relaxed Saturday afternoon of entertainment with live music by Matt Wild, free bocce games (ie Italian bowls) in the landscaped picnic area, lunch platters and wine by the glass or bottle, along with non-alcoholic drinks and fudge.
That same afternoon, Crane Wines at Booie Range, will be holding “The Big Booie BBQ” at their cellar door between noon and 4:00pm, with live and recorded music, gourmet Barkers Creek Pork burgers with home-made condiments (sausages for the kids) plus wines, soft drinks and liqueur spritzers for the more adventurous.
Meanwhile at Kingsley Grove, on Stuart Valley Drive near the Stuart River, there’ll be escorted vineyard and winery tours running from 11:00am to 4:00pm along with freshly prepared wood-fired pizzas in the cellar door.
In the northern part of the region, Moffatdale Ridge’s guests can kick back and relax over a long, lazy lunch with music supplied by popular South Burnett saxophonist Tom McKenzie, or zip around to nearby Clovely Estate for French cuisine and matching South Burnett wines in the Old Dairy Restaurant.
Visitors with a taste for rodeos and country music can also choose to spend the day enjoying Nanango’s Boots & Bulldust Festival at the Nanango Showgrounds, while keen gardeners can take in the popular Wondai Spring Garden Expo.
In the evening, take in the sweeping views and an a la carte dinner at the Bello Vista restaurant on the Booie Range.
On Sunday, there’s a peanut factory tour at Taste South Burnett; a Tuscan Feast at Moffatdale Ridge; a roast beef lunch at Nanango’s Ringsfield House; or dinner and a full moon concert with Tom McCahan at the Bello Vista.
On Saturday and Sunday nights, Kingaroy Speedway will also be roaring into action with the first events of the new racing season, including the Street Sedan State title.
“We’re very excited about this weekend,” South Burnett Wine Industry Association Vice-President Shannon Scott said.
“We’ve taken a low-key approach to things this year to launch South Burnett On Show but we’ve been very heartened by the good response we’ve had from local tourism operators.
“The tourist market has been tough for everyone in Queensland since the 2011 floods but there are lots of indications that things are starting to pick up again. We hope this new long weekend can grow over time to become a real mini-boom for the area.”
