Bundaberg’sfarmingheritagedatesbacktothelate1860s
whenthefirstpioneerstilledthesoilanda thrivingsugar
industrydeveloped.Today,a mixoffamily-ownedfarms
—manymultigenerational—andlarge-scaleenterprises
arecreatinginnovationandopportunities.
Manyhavefollowedtheleadoficonicbrandssuchas
BundabergRumandBundabergBrewedDrinks,whichput
thetownonthemapbyofferingtourssothatvisitorscan
learnmoreabouttheirproducts.Recentadditionstofood
tourismincludeBargaraBrewingCompany,OhanaCider
HouseandKalkiMoonDistillingandBrewingCompany.
Growingdemandforon-farmexperiencespromptedlocal
foodenthusiastSuzieClarketolaunchBundyFoodTours
in2016.“It’sa specialexperience,notjustfortheguest,but
theproduceraswell.Ithasevolvedandconnectedmewith
a lotoflike-mindedpeopleandfarmerswhoarepassionate
aboutfoodandwhattheygrow,”saysthe49-year-old,whose
backgroundisineducation,hospitalityandfood.
Suziedevelopedanearlyloveofcooking,growingupin
WeipaontheGulfofCarpentariawhereshecaughtseafood
andcookeditoverthefire,orspentholidayswithher
grandparentsinVictoriapickingfruittomakepreserves.
Sheworkedasa chefinMelbourneandParisbeforerunning
her own catering business in Australia. Suzie and Ross, her
husband,movedtoBundabergin 2001 andshecompleted
a LeCordonBleuMasterofGastronomicTourismdegree.
“IlovethatI canaccessfreshproducehereandthere’s
usuallyanabundanceofsomethingatanyonetime.Our
neighbourscomeoverandgiveusa bagofmangoesandwe
doanexchange.It’saneasy-goinglifestyleandI’mhome
within 15 minutesofdrivingthroughpaddocks.”
InadditiontoTinaberries,Suzie’sexcursionscover
a cross-sectionofthefarmingcommunity,including
AllowayFarmMarket(aone-stopfarmstorewitha large
varietyofseasonallocalproduceaswellasBaff leDairy
FreshmilkandBauer’sButcherymeat),BundabergRoses,
WindhumFarms’goldsweetpotatoesandBundyLimes.
Thecloseproximityofthefarmsmeansthere’stimetovisit
uptofiveproducersina morning,thenheadtothebeach.
“Itgivespeopleanappreciationofthediversityoffarming
intheregion.Bygettingtoknowthefarmerthere’sa more
in-depthexchange.There’sa senseofconnectiontothe
localsandtheproducethat’sgrownhere,”Suziesays.
Apartfromprovidinginsightintohowfoodisgrown,
Suziesaysproducersarehappytosharetheirfavourite
recipeorcookingadvice.Socomepreparedtotakenotes,
butbesuretoleaveroominthecarforthetriphome.
For more information, visit bundabergregion.orgSeasonalproduceisavailableatfarm
gatestallsthroughouttheregion.
FACINGPAGELocalhoneyforsaleatDrive
ThrutotheLettucePatch,a freshfruit
andvegetablestoreonBargaraRoad.
SEPTEMBER 2019COU NTRY ST Y LE 103BUNDABERG QUEENSLANDJOURNEY