Farm Trails

The Gympie Region’s got something delicious growing or being produced all year round. Strawberries in Cooloola Coast, avocados in the Mary Valley, beef in The West and Macadamias in Gympie City – in every direction and in every month there’s something tempting to try here and a certain times of the year parts of the region come together to offer weekend farm trails.

Mary Valley

In the Mary Valley, we’re passionate about growing quality, nutritious food in harmony with nature. So, for a great foraging experience, we suggest you start here.

You will find farm gates and stores that are packed with fresh local produce that you can buy direct from the farmer who actually grew it and can tell you the back story if you want to know more.

And, every Saturday from 3.00 pm you can meet our Mary Valley Country Harvest Co-Operative people who run the Dagun Growers Market. A perfect opportunity, for a chat a taste and, to restock the pantry.

Cooloola Coast

Plump, juicy strawberries and the sweetest blueberries, you can pick your own on the region’s coast. Let the kids do the hard yards, while you sit back and enjoy a fabulous coffee. There’s plenty of home grown food and produce available here and we strongly recommend the homemade strawberry ice-cream!

And when you’re travelling between Gympie City and our Cooloola Coast you’ll find the best double chocolate macadamia brownie around. And if chocolate’s not your thing, there’s plenty of other mouth-watering treats to tempt you. The macadamia farm tour is also well worth checking out.

The West

Grass fed beef and chicken, small crops and macadamias are a feature of our West. But, have you heard of a rosella? Not the bird ‘rosella’. The fruit ‘rosella’!

Rosellas come directly from the flower of the hibiscus plant and here in the western part of the Gympie Region has made it their own. Tasting quite tart (somewhere between a berry and rhubarb) they use this exotic fruit and combine it with other small crops like gooseberries, chillies, beans, cauliflower, zucchinis and eggplant to make all sorts of jams, pickles and other condiments, just like your grandmother used to do. And look out for a giant Rosella on the Farm Shop roof. That’s when you know you’ve come to the right place!

Gympie City and Surrounds

Urban foraging’s a thing here in Gympie City and surrounds. If foraging’s your thing, then head straight to Southside for breakfast or lunch. You’ll find a marketplace with freshly grown fruit, vegetables and flowers and a rustic, gourmet café that’s usually fully booked. And there are no less than 5 old fashioned green grocers in Gympie City that all stock local produce.

And for produce and cakes and sweets just like Grandma made, check out our Sunday markets which alternate between Lake Alford Duck Pond and Gympie Showgrounds.

Cooloola Farm Trail

The Cooloola Farm Trail takes place on the first weekend of May and September each year and is a wonderful family experience. Visit farms from Kin Kin to Wolvi and Goomboorian just to the east of Gympie, take a behind the scenes look at how your food is grown.

Wild West Farm Trail

Looking for something a little different? Why not take a journey along the Wild West Farm Trail in August and enjoy the wider open spaces around the townships of Widgee, Kilkivan and Goomeri.

Mary Valley Farm Trail

The Mary Valley Farm Trail is in May and October each year, where organic avocados, free range pork and eggs, fruit orchards and small crop farms are open for the weekend.

Check the Facebook pages for the Farm Trails for dates and more information.