While looking at her fledgling vegetable garden and free range chooks, Renee McGilvery coined the idea of a destination weekend that showcases all things made, grown and produced in the North Burnett. Combined with a desire to show her teenage daughter everything that the region has to offer, the Heartland Festival came to life. The Heartland Festival is earthy and delicious and a little bit count
ry. Boasting a Wine & Cheese Art Evening, Market Day, First Class Heritage Railway Dinner, Gleneden Organic Farm Tour and Bullock Display, and Long Table Lunch, the inaugural event, from 8th to 10th July, promises to be a treat for food and festival lovers of all ages. From flowers, garlic and citrus to art and wine, the market day on Saturday, 9th July has over 40 stalls selling products and products from the Bundaberg-North Burnett region. Running from 10am – 4pm, there will also be entertainment, workshops (such as cheese making, damper cooking, belt making, art workshops), and plenty of ready-to-eat food. The official opening of the Festival will be during the Wine & Cheese Art Exhibition on Friday night, 8th July, which offers the first opportunity of the weekend to savour local produce and food platters. Two exclusive fine dining experiences are also on offer over the weekend. The First Class Heritage Railway Dinner begins on Saturday evening with pre-dinner drinks and wine tasting in the Heritage Railway carriages before moving into a 3-course menu where fresh, local produce are the hero ingredients. The following day, Mundubbera Food Company is hosting a 5-course fine dining Long Table Lunch on the banks of the Burnett River. A Sunday, take in a working bullock display and organic farm tour at Gleneden Organic Farm. The Gleneden Organic Farm is a fascinating experience as Rohan and Fiona Morris share their sustainable farming practices, organic meat and vegetables, mud brick house, traditional farm skills and over a hundred years of family history. Heartland Festival is the opening act of the 10-day Bundaberg Winterfeast Festival, which brings thousands of people together to celebrate food, farmers and local produce.
