Scenic Rim's gateway the opener for Eat Local Month weekends

Gin blending classes at The Cauldron Distillery will add to the flavour of the Eat Local Month program. Photo credit: Scenic Rim Eat Local Month.

The eastern gateway to the Scenic Rim - Canungra, Beechmont and Tamborine Mountain - will provide the opener for Eat Local Month in June, hosting the first in a series of weekends celebrating the flavour of the region.

Against the backdrop of stunning mountain-scapes and World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforests, the first flavour-focused weekend of 2 to 4 June will set the scene for the Scenic Rim's lavish month-long celebration of its farmers, growers, producers, artisans, chefs and quality food and beverages.

As a taste of what is in store during Eat Local Month, Friday 2 June begins with the Crop-to-Cup Brewing Class for coffee aficionados and javaphiles alike at Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation and ends with the first-ever Blume x Witches Falls Degustation Dinner hosted by acclaimed chef, Scenic Rim Food Ambassador, Jack Stuart, at Tamborine Mountain's award-winning Witches Falls Winery.

There will be plenty of tipples to tempt across the weekend with Australia’s most awarded distillery since 2000, Tamborine Mountain Distillery, hosting tastings and classes while the nearby Cauldon Distillery will be sharing the secrets of successful gin blending.

Foodies are invited to dine in the sky when Binna Burra at Beechmont presents its Parrots Picnic Lunch on Saturday 3 June and to linger a little longer by staying over at this spectacular Scenic Rim destination.

Enjoy an early winter afternoon when My Country Escape at Canungra hosts A Country Cook and Taste with Mrs Frost’s Kitchen or end the day Scenic Rim-style with the Sunset Soiree at the Copperhead Restaurant on Tamborine Mountain.

Tamborine Mountain’s tipples and sips will be the toast of the town on Sunday 4 June. There will be Grape to Glass classes at Witches Falls Winery, a tour of the Tamborine Mountain Distillery, lunchtime Burgers and Beers on the Grass at the Picnic Real Food Bar on Main Street and afternoon drinks to round off the weekend at Fortitude Brewing Company or Hampton Estate Wines.

Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said the opening weekend of Eat Local Month marked a number of ‘firsts’ for the region’s greatest-ever celebration of paddock-to-plate experiences.

“For the first time we are celebrating Eat Local Month, from 1 June to 2 July as the stellar success of Eat Local Week saw this landmark event mushroom from just 10 events in 2011 to 125 events in 2022, so nine days, with just two weekends, was no longer enough to showcase all our region has to offer,” he said.

“In another ‘first’, the Eat Local Month program features three flavour-filled weekends across the Scenic Rim so locals and visitors can make the most of the delicious menu of events in each area.”

Eleven local wineries and breweries will be open across the Scenic Rim every weekend during Eat Local Month, with the Cauldron Distillery on Tamborine Mountain also offering gin blending classes on Sunday 11, 18, 25 June and 2 July.

On Sunday 11 June, Cedar Creek Lodges at Thunderbird Park will be hosting a three-course Tastes of the Forest lunch showcasing native ingredients.

For those who like to eat local year-round, The Paddock restaurant at Beechmont Estate offers an a la carte menu, by Executive Chef Simon Furley, featuring the region’s finest seasonal produce.

“The concept of ‘paddock-to-plate’ has become something of a culinary cliché, but here in the Scenic Rim it’s something we embrace not only during Eat Local Month but also year-round,” Mayor Christensen said.

“It’s authentic food experiences like these that have contributed to the Scenic Rim’s inclusion in The Lonely Planet’s list of top 10 regions in the world to visit in 2022 and its naming by delicious magazine as one of the top five places to visit in 2023.”

With something for every taste and budget, from $5 family-friendly fun to lavish gourmet experiences at $299 per person, Eat Local Month has something for every taste and budget.

Running from Thursday 1 June, it culminates in the Winter Harvest Festival at Aratula on Saturday 1 July.

The full Eat Local Month 2023 program is available for downloading from the Scenic Rim Eat Local Month website eatlocalmonth.com.au/ from Thursday 20 April.

Scenic Rim Eat Local Month is proudly presented by Scenic Rim Regional Council, with support from Major Partners Kalfresh Vegetables and Moffatt Fresh Produce, and Supporting Partners Urban Utilities, Community Bank Kalbar & District and Brisbane Economic Development Agency. The event is also supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.