September 2, 2013
Peanuts fascinate many people who visit the South Burnett.
Kingaroy is nationally known as the Peanut Capital of Australia – and peanut silos dominate the town’s skyline – but most visitors usually know surprisingly little about this everyday foodstuff.
Some common misconceptions are that peanuts grow on trees or that peanuts really are nuts (they’re actually legumes, just like peas!)
Kingaroy’s Visitor Information Centre and the adjoining Kingaroy Heritage Museum provide a wealth of information about this staple crop, including videos of peanut production on the farm and a wide display of peanut farming equipment and historic photographs that catalogue the early days of the industry in the region.
But if you’re keen to get really “hands on” with peanuts – all the way from how they’re grown through to sampling the finished product fresh from the factory – then this year’s South Burnett-Cherbourg On Show long weekend has something special for you.
On Sunday, October 6, Taste South Burnett and Kingaroy Gourmet Peanuts will be running a Peanut Factory Tour at 67 William Street in Kingaroy.
Kingaroy Gourmet Peanuts processes fresh, locally grown peanuts into crunchy roasted snack treats (many of which are available at Taste South Burnett immediately next door).
At 10:30am, they’ll be taking visitors on a guided tour through through the grounds of the historic site and the peanut roasting facility to explain not only the history of peanuts and how they’re grown and harvested, but also show the processes that are used to turn them from raw harvested product into what customers expect.
Shannon Scott, from Taste South Burnett, will act as the tour guide on the day, explaining all facets of peanut production and answering any questions you might have about them.
And David Billen from Kingaroy Gourmet Peanuts will be demonstrating the processes he uses in his company’s factory to turn out these iconic treats. There’ll also be fresh samples you’re welcome to try at the end of the show.
Tickets for the Peanut Tour are $9.50 per head and strictly limited because of the size of the factory.
They can be booked by phoning Taste South Burnett on (07) 4162-8222 or 0435-522-661 by email.
You can also find out more about Taste South Burnett by clicking here.
