2024 Taste Bundaberg Festival | Local Taste Ambassadors

Meet the Local Taste Ambassadors

The food bowl of Queensland comes alive for ten tantalising days at
Taste Bundaberg Festival.

Here we share the stories of our Local Taste Ambassadors, and what makes them passionate about growing, producing and cooking in the Bundaberg Region.

Debbie and Michael

Bargara Berries

How long have you been growing in the Bundaberg Region?
We have been growing in the region for over 30 years. Debbie has been growing seedlings for our commercial vegetable seedlings since moving from a dairy farm in Canungra in September 1988. Michael has been farming in the Bundaberg region since July 1994. He moved in from the farming region of Nambour, primarily growing passionfruit.

What do you love about living in the Bundaberg food bowl?
We really love the diversity! Everything is available from Avos to Zucchinis. The region boasts numerous advantages, including abundant sunshine, fertile soil, and access to specialists which make the process easier. We prioritise providing our local customers with the finest quality produce available. Our customers make us feel like we are a part of their family. It all begins with family, and we have a big one.

What would you like to tell visitors about the region’s vibrant fresh produce?
Buy local to get the freshest produce possible. Straight from the farm gate. Talk to your farmers, they know what is going on.

Where is your business located and what is the best part about it?
Our farm is located just 10 minutes away from the Bundaberg Post Office, towards Moore Park Beach, in the locality of Meadowvale. It is a small operation managed by the two of us. Despite being in a relatively secluded area, we find it peaceful and serene. Nevertheless, we can get anything we need in just 10 minutes. Although Bundaberg is close to the bustling Sunshine Coast and the capital city of Brisbane, it's always great to be back home.

How are you involved in Taste Bundaberg Festival this year?
This year we are excited to be ambassadors for the festival. The farm will be open for picking your own strawberries and farm gate opportunities to buy our produce. We will also be showcasing our strawberries, jams and sauces, and other assorted fresh fruits and vegies at the Taste Bundaberg Market. And we are opening our farm to a dinner for those who are interested in knowing who we are and what we do.

What’s your favourite thing to cook using local fresh produce?
We love to enjoy a seafood marinara when we have an amount of tomatoes from our local growers, and The Red Shed Seafood shop have a really good marinara mix. It is YUM! Local tomatoes, local seafood, local herbs. A great combination.

Nat and Mark

Childers Fine Foods

How long have you been producing in the Bundaberg Region?
5 years ago, we moved to Childers from Sydney. Our production of Carolina Reaper fresh chillies and chilli powder commenced approximately 10 months later, and our sauces entered the market approximately 3 years ago.

What do you love about living in the Bundaberg food bowl?
The lifestyle, the weather, the accessibility to everything. We love growing our own produce and seeing our produce sold within the market place. We also love the freshness of the food available to local markets.

What would you like to tell visitors about the region’s vibrant fresh produce?
It’s second to none. Something for everyone here. So much opportunity.

Where is your business located and what is the best part about it?
Childers. The best part about our location is the rich volcanic soil, the water supply and the beautiful sunshine. The town itself is a happy place and the people and local businesses are extremely community minded.

How are you involved in Taste Bundaberg Festival this year?
Childers Fine Foods will have a stall of their own stall, selling their range of chilli sauces, kabanas, beer sticks, rocky road. These products are all derived from produce grown on our farm. Our company also has an event management team that operates under the branding Community Events Management. Community Events Management will be the market coordinator for market stalls for the Taste Bundaberg Market event.

What’s your favourite thing to cook using local fresh produce?
Besides our wonderful range of sauces, nothing beats our local lamb, for a good old fashion roast and vegies.

Joey

Garden Mill

How long have you been cooking in the Bundaberg Region?
Myself and my young family, Kirsty and I came to Bundaberg eight years ago when we first bought the Windmill. We visited here on holidays when we were living in the UK, and we drove past and we thought the uniqueness of a quirky windmill in a regional town on a beach and thought, wow, that's pretty amazing.
And then when we decided to come back to Australia, where I lived, I'd never lived in Bundaberg before, but I've had family here and saw that the windmill was for sale. And from us having a hospitality background, a chef background, I always knew that I would do something around food. There's lots of reasons why we've grown to where we are now. A little bit was organic. A little bit is about the growth of tourism within our region. But mostly it's about the passion of the people that we have working for us.

What do you love about living in the Bundaberg food bowl?
What I love about Bundaberg is the people. Regional Australians, and particularly our region, there is nothing better than somebody who has the soul and the happiness and the honesty and the humbleness of our Bundaberg people .

What would you like to tell visitors about the region’s vibrant fresh produce?
We have a significant part of Australia's fruit bowl, particularly Queensland's fruit bowl. We hover around 20%, our food bowl serving fruit and veg to Australia. I've seen new farms and big farms to small farms, and mostly it's all about the quality of our produce, that we use every day in our business, our homes and everything that we do.

How are you involved in Taste Bundaberg Festival this year?
This is probably the fourth or fifth year where I get to do a cooking demonstration on stage at the Farmers Markets, then also presenting some of the local produce in our offerings.This year we teamed up with Cha Cha Chocolate again, and we're doing a lovely children's event.
We're having a bit of an adult theme one this year where we have Bundaberg Whisky Club working at the Garden Mill, which is our new venue out on Hughes Road. And we are doing our own One Night in Bargara, which is showcasing, again, local produce, local talent. It's important that, part of where we are today is the people who work with us. It's an opportunity to do their amazing creative things by staying here in Bundaberg and not moving on.

What’s your favourite thing to cook using local fresh produce?
I think my all time great at the moment is something I used to get from the seafood smokery out in Burnett Heads and that's smoked mackerel. It's one of those things that I can either dress it down and put it in like a simple omelette or make it really fancy and flake it in the lasagne and finish off some truffle oil. These guys, they catch the fish just off our coast, they bring it in, they smoke it. They've been doing it for years and they've been so supportive. I'm really proud of the produce. And I'm also proud of our chefs who come up with creative ways to display it and serve it to visitors and our local Bundaberg community.

Rachael

Gooburrum Grove

How long have you been producing in the Bundaberg Region?
Gooburrum Grove was established in 2021. The property we purchased had 500 Tahitian Lime trees. We trimmed the trees, put in new water irrigation, and set about learning how to look after the trees in a way that suited our lifestyle, ethics, and the environment. Soon after we dusted off the bee suits, got back in to action and purchased a hive. We slowly increased the number of hives and started harvesting the delicious honey.
With an abundance of limes and honey, we started to sell farm to table boutique food products. The first products were dried citrus wheels used for food and drink garnish. The lime theme has continued with lime salt and pepper, lime curd, lime juice and a mulled wine kit for the red wine lovers. The honey range started with raw, unfiltered honey and has expanded to creamed honey, infused honeys, honeycomb, and granola – the most popular product to date. We now sell our products nationally, internationally and have wholesale and retail customers via our website and directly from the farm.

What do you love about living in the Bundaberg food bowl?
The fresh produce! There's nothing quite like having access to an abundance of fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and crops. Whether is delicious figs, sweet strawberries, or crisp lettuce, the quality and variety of product in the Bundaberg food bowl are unmatched.

What would you like to tell visitors about the region’s vibrant fresh produce?
The Bundaberg region boasts a remarkable diversity of fresh produce, thanks to its fertile soils and favourable climate. From fruits like strawberries and melons to classic favourites like tomatoes and capsicums, there's something for every palate to enjoy. Visitors have the opportunity to go beyond just tasting the produce – they can also experience the farm-to-fork journey firsthand. From farm tours and pick-your-own experiences to farm gate stalls, food trails and restaurants, there are plenty of ways to immerse yourself in the region's vibrant agricultural scene.

Where is your business located and what is the best part about it?
Gooburrum Grove is located 10 km from the city centre of Bundy. The best part about it is the rural setting and quiet location and local community.

How are you involved in Taste Bundaberg Festival this year?
We will have a stall Farmer’s Markets again this year at the Taste Bundaberg Festival, and we are part of the Taste Trail with our farm stall selling citrus, honey and small batch items.

What’s your favourite thing to cook using local fresh produce?
So many favourites! Stuffed sweet potatoes, cold and warm salads, preservations and strawberry custard tarts.

Anthony and Kate

One Little Farm

How long have you been growing in the Bundaberg Region?
My family have traditionally been farmers around the Hummock area. I have been farming for 32 years and in that time, I have seen some dramatic changes in farming practices and types of crops across our landscape. The reality is I have always been a farmer since I can remember. Firstly, all I wanted to do was drive a cane harvester, but this has never eventuated as my family diversified away from sugar.

What do you love about living in the Bundaberg food bowl?
What’s great about living in Bundaberg is the way different crops across our landscape matures and fruits throughout the year, from fresh berries to leafy greens, radiant winter floral blooms, macadamia nuts and then to top it off with fresh melons for Christmas, and that just a taste of what Bundaberg has. Bundaberg has the perfect weather for growing, a river and shoreline vibrant with fresh seafood and our inland of pork and beef. Life doesn’t get any better.

What would you like to tell visitors about the region’s vibrant fresh produce?
I am a fourth-generation farmer and currently I am working with my daughter as our fifth generation of Rehbeins but in a completely different style of farming. We don’t play in the dirt, and everything is undercover as I believe that Protective Cropping is the way of the future. Climate change or weather cycles has a huge impact on my life and as a farmer if we can reduce these risks then I hope it is easier to produce. We grow everything above ground using up to date irrigation and fertilizer technology to grow beautiful flowers.

Where is your business located and what is the best part about it?
2018 saw a new chapter in my life where we bought a little florist and produce shop in the Millaquin Markets on Bargara Road. This has now grown to become a café where we create and transform local produce and flowers into beautiful treats which are mostly Gluten Free. Our flowers are made into stunning bouquets and arrangements for all occasions. I love how our team at One Little Farm show cases the local produce.

How are you involved in Taste Bundaberg Festival this year?
My wife Kate and I have been supporters of local farmers markets particularly in the earlier times of the Taste Festival as we believe that it is our farmers who are our unsung heroes when it comes to supplying fresh produce to our supermarket shelves.

What’s your favourite thing to cook using local fresh produce?
In our café we make some wonderful food, but my favourite would have to be our savoury muffins. They are loaded with roasted vegetables and infused with our very own tomato chutney and local herbs. Warmed with a slither of butter and a lovely coffee, makes life just right. At home I love everything from baking, roasting, smoking or bottling. But I do love sitting out on our veranda overlooking Bargara with my pickled ginger, cheese, cured meats and lovely Chardonnay with Kate and my three lovely children, it is just the best.

Tash and Ant

384 North Brewing

How long have you been producing in the Bundaberg Region?
We have been in the Bundaberg hospitality industry since 2015 when we started our restaurant. The transition into just brewing became evident when we couldn't keep up with supply for our customer base. The decision to leave our restaurant and move our business from Bargara to Svensson Heights was exciting and challenging at the same time. Now that we are open to the public at our new location since November 2023, it has been fun creating new styles of beers and meeting new customers.

What do you love about living in the Bundaberg food bowl?
Bundaberg is unique as it has the best fresh fruit and vegetables by far. The beautiful landscapes that meet the ocean are breathtaking.

What would you like to tell visitors about the region’s vibrant fresh produce?
I tell visitors about loads of local fresh producers in the area and let them know which are selling direct to customer at their farm gate.

Where is your business located and what is the best part about it?
Our business is located at Svensson Heights on Brickworks Circuit. We are the only locally owned and full producing craft brewery in Bundaberg.

How are you involved in Taste Bundaberg Festival this year?
This year we have a few exciting events coming up. Our event at our brewery is the Artisan Local Craft Beer and HSG Yagoona BBQ. We are pairing some brews with The Bundaberg Whiskey Club at The Garden Mill and Farmers Markets.

What’s your favourite thing to cook using local fresh produce?
We love using fresh local fruit in some of our beer recipes. We love to support local.

Alex and Jen

Water Street Kitchen

How long have you been cooking in the Bundaberg Region?
Water St Kitchen is coming into its seventh year as a restaurant in Bundaberg.

What do you love about living in the Bundaberg food bowl?
The Bundaberg Region's bounty of fresh produce is unparalleled. From vibrant fruits to lush vegetables, we have access to an abundance of premium ingredients. What truly sets us apart is our close connection with local producers. We take pride in collaborating with these passionate families to create menu items that showcase their produce.

What would you like to tell visitors about the region’s vibrant fresh produce?
There is so much it’s almost overwhelming. From seafood to bread, nuts to fruit and veg, great butchers that really know their stuff and greatly experienced spirit makers. All of these products have a story of hard work and determination - it’s a special thing to be a part of and witness.

Where is your business located and what is the best part about it?
We are in the suburb of Walkervale and we are proud of our 'bare to the bone' approach to cooking which champions local producers with both simple and creative techniques.

How are you involved in Taste Bundaberg Festival this year?
We will be hosting a 'bunch and brunch' event with Anastasi blooms, a beautiful local flower producer and our ever popular Sunday long lunch.

What’s your favourite thing to cook using local fresh produce?
Marto’s zucchini flowers are a favourite for us and our guests. In recent seasons we have started to play with how we stuff these and use them on our menu. Last season we stuffed zucchini flowers with Red Shed’s snapper and dressed with a Japanese inspired miso dressing and we think it’s our favourite to date.