Historic Ringsfield House at Nanango hosted a family reunion of 20 at its Sunday Roast Lunch … the busload of visitors were all linked to Thora Hayes, from Closeburn, who recently turned 80; Thora had eight children, four of whom were born at Ringsfield when it was a maternity hospital: Sheryl Guthrie, from Carseldine; Kerry Hayes, from Japan; Mariee Van Der List, from Gladstone and Gary Hayes, from Warwick 

October 10, 2013

The new Labour Day Long Weekend provided the perfect opportunity for businesses in the South Burnett and Cherbourg council areas to “go on show”, which is exactly what happened.

The “South Burnett and Cherbourg On Show” spotlight shone on good food, good wine and entertainment of all kinds … from folk music to fishing; from 4WDs to flowers …

There were also heaps of opportunities for visitors to brush up on history: at Wengenville, Taabinga, Murgon, Cherbourg, Wondai and Nanango.

So much to see and do … whether it was for visitors from Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast, or South Burnett residents enjoying a “stay-cation”.

Organisers are still measuring the economic benefits of the promotion but South Burnett & Cherbourg On Show looks set to become an annual event.

Members of the organising committee, which is headed by Cr Kathy Duff, told southburnett.com.au they had received a very positive reaction to the concept and believe the event could expand even further in 2014.

This year’s promotion was four times the size of the first “South Burnett On Show” which was organised last October by the South Burnett Wine Industry Association.

“South Burnett On Show” – which this year expanded to become “South Burnett & Cherbourg On Show” – is modelled on a similar idea that has already proven successful for Victoria’s Heathcote wine region.

“The idea is that individual venues do their own thing – whether that be a dinner, an art exhibition, an Open Day or something similar – but they all do it at the same time,” SBWIA President Jason Kinsella said.

“This gives visitors – and locals – a smorgasbord of places to visit and things to do over a long weekend, no matter what their interests are.”

The central organising committee’s job isn’t to run any events itself but rather to collect information about them, then go out and market it as a total package.

The 2013 organising committee is now gathering data from South Burnett accommodation operators on room-night sales over the long weekend, as well as feedback from individual event organisers.

This data will be collated and analysed later this month.

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Burke & Wills Degustation Dinner

Judy and Bernie Cooper, from Booie, with Jason Ford, Kingaroy 

Burke & Wills proprietor Peter Quinn with Ann and Winston Thompson, from Nanango

Barbara and David Just, from the Sunshine Coast with Karen Ford, from Kingaroy

Music On The Mountains – Cider Gum Cafe

Eric Carey and daughter Ashleigh provided a musical afternoon to remember at the Cider Gum Cafe and Restaurant 
Enjoying dinner at the packed Cider Gum restaurant were, from left, Nicole, Matthew, 7, Paul and Breanna Van Hout, from Shailer Park; and  Laraine and Ken Cooper, from Brisbane

Grape To Glass – Tipperary Estate

Pauline Gillett, from Tipperary Estate, had fun giving visitors a “Grape To Glass” vineyard tour on Saturday and Sunday morning

Duck a l’Orange At Yurri Muntha – Cherbourg

Marcus Priaulx, from Kingaroy, is served coffee by Patrick Alberts at Yurri Muntha Cafe after a Duck a l’orange lunch while the rest of his family tucks into dessert

Open Day At The Ration Shed – Cherbourg

Sandra Morgan, Ada Simpson and Jeanette Brown take a breather on the verandah after a busy morning at The Ration Shed Museum in Cherbourg

Sax On The Ridge – Moffatdale Ridge

They love it up here … Adrian and Marilyn Powers travelled up from Ipswich to soak in the jazz at Moffatdale Ridge

Big Booie BBQ – Crane Wines

Manning the all-important barbecue at Crane Wines was Bernie Cooper  

Bruce and Debbie Groer, from Kingaroy

Col and Desley Wolski, from Kingaroy
Ryan and Neil Cook, from Kingaroy, with Justin Cook from Brisbane 

Bocce and Bubbles – Taste South Burnett

Megan and Shannon Scott were kept busy behind the counter at Taste South Burnett in Kingaroy

Pizza & Wines – Kingsley Grove

Jo and Simon Berry were making wood-fired pizzas at Kingsley Grove Winery … a spectacular, controlled burn-off nearby by the local rural fire brigade added a bit more “wood-fire” than usual to the experience for visitors

Open Day At Taabinga Homestead

The historic Taabinga Homestead had a busy Sunday morning with more than 40 visitors rolling in for tours of the property; amongst them were Sam, Yvonne, Katherine and Anthony Lambert, from Jimboomba 

Sunday Lunch At Ringsfield

Graham and Maureen Rattledge with Rick and Gloria Kirkness and Libby McCallum, from Nanango, were enjoying a Sunday roast on the verendah at Historic Ringsfield House

Lyn Lowe and Joyce Smith, from Nanango

Judy Crawford and Marisha Rodak, from JC Catering, were busy in the kitchen 

More South Burnett & Cherbourg On Show events: