Prepare to Pick, Plate and Pour Your Way Through Australia's Most Authentic Paddock to Plate Food and Farming Experience This June
It's a month for anyone who believes the best meals come with a story—and maybe a little dirt under the nails. So pack your appetite and sense of adventure—this is as local as it gets.
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—serving up 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! Tickets are on sale NOW at eatlocalmonth.com.au!
Imagery, vision and VNR details at base.
From on farm experiences, brew-your-own classes, paddock walks, vineyard experiences and long lunches with your besties, the 2025 program is packed with over 100 events across the Scenic Rim—just an hour from Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The program—a flavour-packed love letter to the people, produce, and paddocks of the Scenic Rim— was unveiled today 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 program also includes almost 40 new events.
The Scenic Rim proudly holds the title of Australia's carrot-growing capital, with local farmers harvesting 600 million each year and yes, and the famous Kalfresh Carrot Day (book immediately as this experience sells out quickly!) remains one of the most popular for families everywhere. June is also the only month that Moffatt's Fresh Produce make 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 over 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 direct from the producers and growers in region," he said. "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% increase on the previous year. It generated nearly 3,000 visitor nights (up 30%) and continues to foster lasting connections between visitors and producers. An impressive 95% of intrastate and interstate guests came specifically for the event, and 90% said they plan to return. Even better, 75% of attendees reported they're more likely to buy local produce after attending, while returning visitors grew by 64%—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 over 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 be again held in and around the stunning village of Kalbar as part of a full-weekend of harvest activities from June 27 to 29! 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!
Scenic Rim Eat Local Month is proudly presented by Scenic Rim Regional Council, with support from major partners Moffatt Fresh Produce and Beaumoor, and supporting partners Kalfresh Vegetables, Urban Utilities, Community Bank Kalbar and District, Brisbane Economic Development Agency, Allclass Kubota, Queensland Hire and 612 ABC Radio Brisbane. The event is also supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland's Destination Events Program.
🌟 Your guide to the best Scenic Rim Eat Local Month ever! 🌟
Enjoying all this flavour is a serious business and trust us, pre-planning your Eat Local Month adventure is key. Here's the Top 10 tips…
- GRAB A CUPPA AND A HIGHLIGHTER – Take time to read the full program and create a wish list of favourites. Or make it a family activity, there's lots of family friendly events in here. But beware, this is going to make you salivate!
- MAP IT! – The program is designed to focus on sub-regions, meaning you can experience more events in one day, in one local area. Makes sense right? Check the map on page 6 of the program and allow time to stop and take photos and visit farm gates along the way.
- GATHER A GROUP – Call your crew and experience Eat Local Month together, over a weekend or overnighter (there's joy in numbers!). Plus, it means you can share the role of designated driver.
- LOCK IT IN – Scenic Rim Eat Local Month events are in high demand with many selling out fast, so if you spot an event you love, book it NOW at eatlocalmonth.com.au
- BOOK ACCOMMODATION – All budgets are covered, from romantic cottages, campsites, farm stays and family resorts, but this is a popular time of the year so book early!
- PACK AN ESKY – Pop an empty esky in the car, we guarantee you will fill it with stunning local produce from the region. Farm gates will be open and most events will have local produce stalls.
- DON'T FORGET YOUR WATER BOTTLE – We ask you to tread lightly through the beautiful Scenic Rim. Please bring your refillable water bottle, and of course, take waste with you or put it in bins provided. Our friends at Urban Utilities will have a water station for you at the Winter Harvest Festival.
- READY YOUR APPETITE – It IS a food festival, so have your taste buds ready and wear stretchy pants!
- ASK QUESTIONS, SAY HI TO THE PRODUCERS – Shake hands with our incredible farmers, producers and flavour makers. This is their celebration too, and they love sharing their stories of what they do.
- SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE - We love the world knowing how wonderful our region and its flavours and faces are! #eatlocalmonth #eatlocalscenicrim #visitscenicrim
SCENIC RIM EAT LOCAL MONTH 2025
Across all of June www.eatlocalmonth.com.au
Tickets on sale NOW
