Sometimes I think we forget what we have in our backyard and, if I’m honest,  I know  I can be guilty of it myself sometimes.  I love our holidays overseas and am already planning the next one. In the meantime, it’s winter, which means I’m out of my usual summertime hibernation and I’m ready to enjoy what is on offer  just down the road and around the corner….no vaccinations or visa’s required!

With new horizons on our minds, Saturday 4th July saw us on the road at 9.am, heading to Aratula, with friends Wendy, Sophie and Manon, to keep us company. Approximately one hour out of Brisbane, Aratula is on the Cunningham Highway, heading in the direction of Warwick. We’d heard about the Winter Harvest Festival, so decided we wanted to see what that was all about. The festival was held at the Aratula Community Sports Centre and is part of the Scenic Rim’s ‘Eat Local Week’. It offered plenty of opportunities to taste fresh, local food, meet the producers,  watch cooking demonstrations and cheer along the teams participating in the Tractor Pulling Competition.  Yes, you heard me correctly…

The weather could not have been more perfect for a day out in the countryside and we had a brilliant time. Not quite everything was fantastic though, we had some ‘issues’ trying to get a cup of coffee. Possibly having under estimated the number who might attend on the day, the coffee provider we chose didn’t measure up at all, not even close.  Their service was woeful. We had thought that the crowd around their van indicated that this was where we could find  THE best coffee in town, but no, it really didn’t. By the time we realized what the problem was, we’d handed over our money. And waited. And then waited some more. Over an hour later, we finally got our coffee, amidst almost universal anarchy. And it wasn’t even a great coffee,  although I think by then anything that had had a coffee bean just waved over it, would’ve been welcome.

Still, you live and learn and it didn’t spoil a great day out. There’s always a positive, so Wendy and I put the waiting time to good use, catching up on our own news. Isn’t there something about women speaking 20,000 words a day?? I think we exceeded that target…….

Anyway, put it in on your calendars for next year, it’s definitely worth a visit. A very professional, well run show, with a huge amount to recommend it.

Country community spirit…you can’t beat it.