Free-range chickens produce the freshest eggs.
Come June each year, flavour seekers from near and far converge upon Queensland’s Tamborine Mountain region to be part of the Scenic Rim Eat Local Month.
Comprising of 100 unique culinary experiences that culminates in the Winter Harvest Festival, this overwhelmingly popular annual gathering has cemented its reputation as Australia’s most authentic paddock-to-plate food and farming experience.
Going strong well into its current 14th edition, this smorgasbord of tantalising events celebrates Scenic Rim’s award winning local produce, rich farming heritage and laid-back country lifestyle.
Located barely an hour’s drive away from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, this ultimate foodie adventure showcases classic long lunches, handpicked family-friendly picnics and exclusive tasting experiences held across this stunningly beautiful region’s rustic towns and quaint villages.
Brenda with a wide selection of Scenic Rim fresh produce at Picnic Real Food Bar.
Storied past
High on a long list of must-visit places here is the Tommerup’s Dairy Farm. Located just past Beaudesert in picturesque Kerry Valley, this sixth generation enterprise is managed by Dave and Kay Tommerup. Together with their two children, the farm’s dairy cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs and chickens represent the perfect microcosm of Scenic Rim’s alluring fabric.
Honouring previous generations who have run the farm since 1874, the passionate couple remain true to their agricultural heritage by highlighting actual food origins and providing better understandings of how butter, cheese, ham and milk are made to those who normally purchase the ready-made products off supermarket shelves.
Through sheer hard work, Kay has successfully established a strong following for the various products produced by the Tommerup’s Dairy Farm.
Marching to the beat of their own drum, the Tommerups have gradually diversified to successfully establish a strong following for their ethically raised pork and veal, free range eggs as well as artisan dairy products.
The strong camaraderie between the Tommerups and the other producers during the Scenic Rim Eat Local Month provides ample proof of the local community’s strong kinship bonds nurtured through common purpose, individual niche contributions and diverse offerings.
Compelling narrative
Despite not having as much of a storied past as the Tommerups, Forgotten Sound Farm’s Jaimi Lee has nonetheless successfully made a name for herself. Taking many by surprise, this flourishing 0.3 acre small holding was just a dream scribbled into sketch only two short years ago.
Today, the mother of two looks back at her achievement with pride. Her advice for those pursuing their own dreams: “Ignore the outside voices of doubt and charge ahead with fearless determination and unrelenting stubbornness. However, do pause every now and then to take stock and appreciate the progress made.”
Just two years ago, Forgotten Sound Farm was just a dream scribbled into sketch.
Named to evoke sounds synonymous to traditional farms predating the dawn of widespread machinery use, Forgotten Sound Farm provides ample opportunity to hit pause in a fast moving world and appreciate natural birdsongs, insect buzzes and wind rustling among native tree leaves.
Nestled in Scenic Rim’s rural Wonglepong region, the farm is committed to a regenerative agricultural technique which results in vibrant and flavour-packed produce that resonates with the compelling narrative regarding the virtues of sustainable farming. Going beyond organic, Jaimi prioritises thriving soil life to ensure that each vegetable and flower harvested radiates optimal quality and unparalleled freshness.
Shunning synthetic pesticides to create a biodynamic symphony of robust and flavourful butterhead lettuce, spinach, kale, red radish and various seasonal vegetables, Forgotten Sound Farm is a community cornerstone that is part of a close knit network supplying within-the-hour picked produce to various retail outlets throughout the Scenic Rim including those at North Stores.
Popular precinct
Located in the community heart of Tamborine Mountain, North Stores is a popular precinct of thoughtfully curated eateries, shops and bars celebrating fresh local produce and boutique beverages while providing easy access to ethical retail and holistic wellness. This collective champions sustainability through features like closed-loop composting system, UV-filtered fresh spring water supply, bio-wastewater system and the use of bio-compostable products and packaging.
Picnic Real Food Bar is the brainchild of Brenda and Sonja.
Existing in harmony with a nearby ancient forest, stand out outlets here are Picnic Real Food Bar and Loborn Tasting Bar. Worthy of a trip up the mountain alone, the former boasts of a comprehensive menu filled with tasty snacks like zucchini fritters topped with yoghurt and avocado salad, buckwheat pancakes loaded with berries and labna, house made chickpea farinata flatbread bursting with basil besto, avocado and green peas.
The brainchild of Brenda Fawdon and her business partner Sonja Drexler, Picnic is flexible in the sense that pretty much everything on the menu can be made gluten-free and vegan. Ticking all the right boxes for functionality, aesthetics and sustainability, the duo favours local produce that come direct from growers like Jaimi and the Tommerups.
Apart from serving boutique coffees, organic teas and a selection of natural Australian wines, Picnic is stocked daily with freshly made salads, house-baked pastries and a range of healthy wholefood options. Best of all, the refreshing sparkling water enjoyed by diners is sourced directly from a spring within North Stores grounds.
True Australian creation
Inspired by this same natural water source is Thomas Drewett who is on a personal crusade to prove that Australia is able to produce amaro that is just as good or even better than the herbal elixir invented long ago by Medieval monks and subsequently set on the path of global recognition after wholehearted acceptance by twentieth century Milan’s avant-garde communities.
Aptly naming his act Loborn Tasting Bar to place emphasis on the locally born nature of his creations, Thomas, or simply Tom as he is affectionately known among Scenic Rim residents, aspires to debunk myth that the best amaro must come from Italy.
Tom hard at work creating a unique range of cocktails.
Reinventing the famous bitter aperitif using locally sourced botanicals, the engineer by profession spends leisure hours at his so called laboratory located within North Stores either perfecting mixture ratios for drinks with distinct Australian twists or decanting volatile oil extracts from bumper local citrus harvests as well as seasonal herbs foraged along the gentle slopes of Tamborine Mountain to create a series of improved Loborn amaro versions.
Tom’s determination to come up with a distinctly modern amaro that pays homage to the storied Italian legacy and craftsmanship but yet overflows distinct local flavours has paid off in many ways. Apart from becoming a local star attraction, Loborn has managed to attract discerning liquor connoisseurs from near and far to its utilitarian distillery cum tasting room to sign up for masterclasses or just sit back and familiarise themselves with the many lip-smacking aperitif blends and happy hour staples.
Just like his fellow Scenic Rim residents, Tom admits that there is no precise art or science behind the region’s recurring culinary successes. Through an enduring desire for excellence and genuine sincerity to provide nothing else but the best, this stunning region has proven that its fresh wholesome produce is just as alluring as its lush rainforests, rolling paddocks and vibrant country towns.
