Festival comperes Jeff Connor and Acting Mayor Gavin Jones with Barry Trousdell, centre, from Mt Binga Orchards … Barry was one of the inspirations for establishing the annual Avocado Festival in Blackbutt

September 13, 2023

Blackbutt’s annual celebration of everything avocado attracted crowds to the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail parkland near Memorial Hall on Saturday.

There were roving entertainers, wacky games involving avocados, mocktails, lots of market stalls for people to browse and, of course, Alvin the Avocado.

Stages set up beside the rail trail provided live musical entertainment all day.

Competitions included the hotly contested AvoRoll, wheelbarrow races and the AvoDrop where a flag-bearing parachutist landed close to marked cups.  The owner of the winning cup went home with a $500 cash prize.

Helicopter rides, which have been a feature at recent events across the South Burnett, proved popular.

And Blackbutt State School did a roaring business on a hot day with its lemonade stall!

CTC Youth also hosted a skateboard workshop at the nearby skate park.

The Avocado Festival parade, held along the rail trail, featured floats from community groups, a local car club and the two local schools.

Former committee president Jeff Connor, who stepped back from organisational duties this year, and local councillor Gavin Jones were on the microphone, promoting activities.

There was also a focus this year on avocado growers, with industry talks inside Memorial Hall.

Also inside the hall, Jason Peppler from caterers Brisbane Valley Farm Direct, did cooking demonstrations using … avocados.

Visitor numbers were boosted by the arrival of cyclists who had taken part in the annual Brisbane Valley Rail Trail “Festival of Cycling” on Saturday.

Riders this year had the choice of starting at Harlin (45km), Esk (75km) or Coominya (100km) with all the rides finishing at Blackbutt.

Teneille Douglas, from “Curbside Carnival”, was bubbling as one of the roving entertainers
Eva Young, 6, from Narangba, and Grace Schumacher, 10, from Kingaroy, were making friends with a green-nosed avocado dog
Tiana Mitchell, from Cherry Creek Estate, was selling bottled avocado oil … the orchard, near Blackbutt, has 40,000 avocado trees but unfortunately supermarket chains only want “perfect” fruit; seconds (which are still totally okay) are pressed for oil; it takes about 16 avocados to make just one bottle of oil
Blackbutt State School teacher Lin Lynch with Year 6 Student Council member Xiara Cuthbert … the students were running a popular lemonade stand
Ross Drew, from Blackbutt, was hoping to have success in the AvoDrop competition, buying multiple sand-filled cups to take part … the winner was the nearest cup picked up by the parachutist
Ryohei Yamato and Sian Gadd, from the Sunshine Coast, were student volunteers at the festival
Blackbutt Lions Club treasurer Brian Callaghan was selling soft drinks at the club’s stall
QUT’s “Big Lift Club” sent 13 students to help out at the festival … Hayley Vandera and Keeley Murphy were selling avocado-based mocktails

Juggling, including avocado juggling, was back for the 2023 festival

Brad Swanton, from Brisbane, had just completed a 100km ride from Coominya to Blackbutt
Crowds at the Blackbutt Avocado Festival browsed market stalls as well as taking part in wacky games

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Festival Parade

For the second year, the Avocado Festival parade travelled along a stretch of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, through the heart of the festival: 

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