If you’ve ever wondered what’s really behind that wedge of cheese, that jar of honey or the frosty beer in your hand, here’s your chance to find out — properly.
The Scenic Rim Farm Gate Trail is back on Sunday March 29 (and again on Sunday July 26!), and it’s your golden ticket to step behind the gates of one of Queensland’s most celebrated food bowls. For one deliciously wholesome day, farmers, cheesemakers, brewers, winemakers, distillers and growers across the region fling open their properties and say, “Come on in.” Farmers, winemakers, brewers, distillers and growers invite you onto their land to see how it all comes together; from soil to sip, paddock to plate.
It’s the kind of day that slows you down and gives you a bit of calm and connection back into your life. You chat to the people who planted the vines. You taste cheese a few metres from where the sheep were milked. You meet the goats responsible for your gelati. You leave with dirt on your shoes and a boot full of produce.
There are 24 farm gates open from 9am to 3pm in March, including two newcomers adding fresh energy to the trail.
Northview Highlands in Aratula is welcoming visitors for the first time, introducing its shaggy Highland cattle, striking Valais Blacknose sheep and charming (occasionally mischievous) pygmy goats. It’s a family-run operation known for ethical breeding and genuine country hospitality — expect close encounters of the fur kind and the cutest photo moments with the “coos”!
This year Boonah Brewing Co is also joining the lineup with free brewery tours at The Commercial Hotel. Stay a little longer and turn your tasting into a weekend, thanks to a special two-night accommodation package designed just for Farm Gate Trail visitors.
From there, the day unfolds however you like.
You might start at Summer Land Camels in Harrisville, sampling award-winning camel milk products and meeting the herd. Or wander through Heritage Poultry’s 60-acre property, cuddling silkies and holding chicks while the sausage sizzle hums nearby.
Goat lovers will make a beeline for Naughty Little Kids, where cheese and gelato are crafted from their own herd’s milk (bring an esky, you’ll need it!). At Ellia’s Garden, there’s seasonal organic produce to pick, animals to feed and a brand-new hay bale maze framed by mountain views.
Wine, beer and spirits enthusiasts have plenty to plot into their route. Sip beside the vines at Witches Falls Winery, picnic by the creek at O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyard, settle in for sweeping views at The Overflow Estate 1895, or explore award-winning spirits at Cauldron Distillery and Tamborine Mountain Distillery. Add olives from The Shed Cafe, rosella jam from Vanbery Jam Co, raw honey from Bee All Natural Honey and chemical-free garlic from Christmas Creek Garlic, and your pantry is suddenly very well stocked.
There are flower fields at Elderflower Farm, sheep cheese and garden strolls at Towri Sheep Cheeses, alpaca walks at Mountview Alpaca Farm and leafy greens grown with five generations of know-how at Valley Pride Produce. Several stops are dog-friendly, so even four-legged family members can join the adventure.
All of it unfolds under wide country skies, along winding roads that feel a world away — yet sit just over an hour from Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Free registrations are required, and planning ahead pays off. Map your route, book tastings where needed and give yourself permission to linger. The conversations are half the experience.
The Scenic Rim Farm Gate Trail is a reminder that good food doesn’t start on a shelf. It starts with people, land and care — and on March 29 (and again in July!) , you’re invited right into the heart of it.
Plot your perfect paddock-to-plate adventure by checking out the official Farm Gate Trail map and suggested itineraries at Destination Scenic Rim — or build your own flavour-filled route at destinationscenicrim.com/farm-gate-trail/.
Make a weekend of it
Why rush home? The Commercial Hotel Boonah is offering a range of accommodation options, complete with a welcome pack when you book direct — just use the code FarmGateTrailMAR when securing your stay.
Alternative ransport options
Round up your crew and leave the car keys at home — Pineapple Tours and Cork N Fork are offering hop-on hop-off options so you can sip, sample and snack your way across the Scenic Rim stress-free.
WHAT: The Scenic Rim Farm Gate Trail
WHERE: Various locations in the Scenic Rim
WHEN: March 29 (and again in July!)
TICKETS: Registration is free but necessary. You can register your visit to the Scenic Rim Farm Gate Trail here.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
