Capricorn Coast food tourism prospects strengthen
Posted on November 17th, 2020
When creative and like-minds come together, they can turn ordinary into extraordinary…
And that’s exactly what happened last week at Yeppoon Town Hall, when 35 passionate and local agriculturists, restauranteurs and retailers gathered to network and discuss food tourism prospects.
The event, scheduled as a direct result of the Capricorn Coast Food Trail project (an Australian Government bushfire recovery initiative), enabled attendees to engage, be inspired and understand challenges when sourcing and distributing local produce.
Dietitian, Chris Hughes from CQ Nutrition spoke to the nutritional benefits of consuming local produce, introducing the concepts of food mileage together with the impacts on the nutritional adequacy of our food. Chris also touched on the relationship between these nutrient losses and the chronic diseases most prevalent within our community.
High Valley Dawn’s Shae O’Reilly also addressed the attendees, sharing the warming story of the successful paddock to plate loop between the permaculture farm and Beaches Restaurant at Rosslyn Bay. Shae centred his presentation around the three permaculture principles of earth care, fair share and people care, enlightening guests to their positive practices, where sustainable farming is prioritised.
Following the presentations, attendees were given an opportunity to network and share their own business activities and discover ways that they could connect and work together into the future.
With food appealing first the eyes, restauranteurs and retailers had the opportunity to observe the agriculturists’ aesthetically displayed produce, before having the opportunity to tantalise their tastebuds with culinary delights from award winning restaurant, The Waterline, which featured an array of local produce including pineapples, macadamias, mangoes and lemons.
Capricorn Enterprise CEO, Mary Carroll was pleased to see so many in the room keen to support the development of community awareness of, and pride in local culinary cultures.
“This event progressed the development of a much larger project scope in the Capricorn Coast Food Trail, which will aim to showcase the wonderful selection of fresh produce across our destination,” Mary said.
“We are fortunate to have such immense local passion and knowledge in one community and as the increasing appetite for home-grown further develops, we hope to see the Capricorn Coast on the map as a culinary destination of choice.”
The joint event hosted by Capricorn Enterprise and Livingstone Shire Council was pleased to welcome Mayor Andy Ireland, who said Council is extremely proud to be part of facilitating this fantastic initiative that endeavours to highlight the large portion of fresh local produce within the Capricorn Coast.
“Livingstone Shire is abundant in high-quality produce across a wide variety of growers and this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase local product to not only visitors and tourists from outside the region, but to also bring together our region’s farmers, retailers and the hospitality industry,” Mayor Ireland said.
“We hope the Capricorn Coast Food Trail will build upon the regions current food tourism industry in developing community awareness of, and pride in, local culinary cultures.
“Council would like to thank the Commonwealth Government for their funding contribution towards this project, in response to the 2019 Cobraball bushfires.”
For more information or to formally be a part of the Capricorn Food Trail visit – https://getinvolved.livingstone.qld.gov.au/
Capricorn Enterprise and Livingstone Shire Council would like to acknowledge the following businesses that participated in the inaugural meeting:
| Bluegum Springs | Grows custard apples on Adelaide Park Road. Has a processing facility for freezing custard apples, avocadoes and mangoes |
| Byfield General Store | Open 7 days per week. General store and post office and also do burgers and other meals. Use fresh produce when available. Looking for further local suppliers. |
| Cap Coast Vegetables | Operate Cap Coast Veggies. Open to the public and supply to IGA Yeppoon. |
| Drakes IGA Emu Park | Stocks some local fresh produce. |
| Dynamic Eggs | Free range eggs, custard apples and avocadoes. Sells eggs to Woolworths, Dingles, IGA Yeppoon, Beaches. Makes egg pasta with Moringa for Beaches restaurant. |
| High Valley Dawn | Guest Speaker at the event and spoke about the close paddock to plate loop and sustainable farming through permaculture. |
| Mandleman Manor | Permaculture Farm of 25 acres – start up |
| CQ Nutrition guest speaker | Guest Speaker at the event. Spoke about the nutritional benefits of consuming local produce. |
| Sheep and Goat Producer | Small scale. |
| Small herd cattle Limestone Creek Road | Cattle and has a vision to grow vegetables on his property on O’Neil’s Road with a pick-your-own visit the farm operation |
| Sunbirds Farm | Farm Microgreens. They sell at the Yeppoon community market, farnborough general store, and to a few resturants. |
| Tropical Fruit Producer | Fruit farm- limes, lychees, mangoes. Supply the Sailing Club |
| Vue Restaurant and Bar | Source locally where possibly, were open to incorporating more local produce within their menu |
| Waterline Resturant | |
| Wilsons Farms | Hydroponic lettuce and herb producer. Major supplier to Coles and Woolworths. Attends farmers markets. |
| Yeppoon IGA | Stocks some local produce. Cap Coast Vegies supply continental cues, herbs, bok choy. Local pineapples from Laceys. Has local produce noted on price tickets usually. They stock Vass’s macadamia nut oil and D&J Honey |
