If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of heading out to the Watercress Creek Olive Festival do yourself a favour and check it out this year when the festival returns on April 11.
The festival is held on Bernie and Lorraine Mahon’s olive and lime farm about 20 minutes north of Ipswich.
It started out as this small country market and has grown into an amazing day out with people lining up to get into the 7.5ha farm.
Entry costs $5 per person, or $10 per car to come into the festival, see live demonstrations and taste the produce.
Taste testing olive products
During the Olive Festival you can line up to taste test some of the products made on site, including fresh and baked olives, olive oil, tapenades, jams, lime cordial and much more!
And you can buy the products straight from the farm as well as watch some live product demonstrations on who to use olives in cooking and the how to marinate olives.
Produce from surrounding farms
There’s everything from local wines to local honey and cheese available at the festival. Stock up on relishes and jams and meet some of the producers.
Farm tours
Follow farmer Bernie into the fields to find out about how this fourth generation farmer turned the once dairy and small crops farm into an olive and lime orchard.
Market stalls
While there’s olives and local produce available there’s other market stalls that sell handmade items like cheese boards, art, handmade clothing, plants, natural goat soap and much more!
And there’s baked goods for sale including cakes and biscuits and a stall selling burgers.
There’s also a live band for you to listen to as you wander and enjoy.
Picnic in the olive grove
Bernie and Lorraine have 1100 olive trees and 600 Tahitian limes on the property all planted satisfyingly in rows, and you can have a picnic amongst their slice of paradise.
Purchase a picnic pack with olives, tapenade, dukkha and olive oil, bread and cheese and sit under a shady tree to take in the beautiful surroundings.