The first ever BUY FROM THE BUSH FESTIVAL will be held on Saturday September 18 at Summer Land Camel Farm in the Scenic Rim and will be a celebration of the flavours, food, faces, wines, tourism experiences, talents, crafts and products of the bush.
With the cancellation of EKKA another blow to country businesses, producers and farmers who used the 10-day event to share with their city cousins all that is great from regional and rural areas, the BUY FROM THE BUSH FESTIVAL will provide the perfect opportunity to showcase what makes the Australian bush – and the people who call it home – so special.
Queenslander Kerri Brennan started Buy From the Bush QLD in 2018 while her family-run cattle property on the Darling Downs was in the grips of a seven year drought. "Buy from The Bush QLD has always been about supporting the Queensland bush battler with strength in numbers," said Kerri, who is also the mother-of- five.
"From my own pain of not knowing how we were going to pay the bills or keep the kids at school and knowing so many other women and families in rural Queensland who had started side-hustles to make ends meet, I knew that if we put the call out, an army of supporters would assemble, and this is what we have experienced. People in the city have always been wonderfully supportive of Aussie entrepreneurs and Buy From The Bush QLD was conceived to make that connection especially strong with Aussie businesses from country areas."
In addition to the Buy From the Bush QLD online directory of nearly 200 businesses, and the strong social media program, Kerri now operates a retail shop in New Farm that is a cooperative of 50 rural and regional businesses.
"The BUY FROM THE BUSH FESTIVAL at Summer Land Camels in the Scenic Rim is the next exciting development and will provide an amazing opportunity to connect people from the city, with regional and rural communities," she said. "We're making it easy and affordable for bush businesses to sell their products and services. We have invited makers, growers, producers, artists and businesses from as far away as Longreach and of course from across the Scenic Rim region – and it's perfect to ensure that this year, it will be a Queensland Christmas come December 25!!"
"Summer Land Camel Farm is perfect for an event of this scale, being just 45 minutes from Brisbane and just over an hour from the Gold Coast, with plenty of parking, loads of fabulous space and of course, camels!"
Summer Land Camels CEO Paul Martin said it was a privilege to host the inaugural BUY FROM THE BUSH FESTIVAL. "Being a proud bush business, we can't wait for September 18, and to welcome what will be a wonderful representation of bush businesses, from flavour makers, growers, wine makers, handmade wares, tourism providers, entertainers and more. We also have live music, camel rides, farm tours, kids' games, face painting, guest speakers and other activities – it'll be the best of the bush, right on the doorstep of the city!".
Mayor Greg Christensen said Scenic Rim Regional Council was proud to support this great initiative that encourages people from across Australia to buy from the bush. "Here in the Scenic Rim, our communities have faced challenges of ongoing drought, bushfires and now the impacts from COVID-19. We have a fabulous range of local artisans and producers and I know they will be looking forward to showcasing their products at this event and growing their customer base while at the same time promoting the region as a wonderful destination to visit."
BUY FROM THE BUSH FESTIVAL at Summer Land Camels in the Scenic Rim
Saturday September 18
From 9am to 3pm
8 Charles Chauvel Drive, Harrisville, QLD 4307 Australia
About Buy From The Bush Queensland
The Buy From The Bush Queensland initiative started in mid-2018 as a Facebook page for women doing it tough on the land, and has since blossomed into an online community of bush businesses, creatives and a broad array of family-run side hustles across the rural regions of Queensland. Kerri Brennan, a Darling Downs cattle producer based an hour south of Toowoomba, saw the need to support the family farm.
About Summer Land Camels
Summer Land Camels is Australia's largest commercial Camel Dairy, situated in the fertile 'food bowl' of Queensland's Scenic Rim. We embrace sustainable and regenerative agriculture to produce the most pure and healthy Camel Milk products. Summer Land Camels is passionate about building a better understanding of camels and camel farming in Australia. By capturing wild camels from the Australian outback and training them, we contribute to solving a nationwide problem. Building a sustainable industry that harnesses the incredible potential of these beautiful animals is what drives us every day. Only 45 minutes from Brisbane, we provide a unique farm experience, including meals and drinks in our Homestead Café, camel rides, farm tours and a farm shop.
