Published Tuesday, 18 December, 2007 at 11:27 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Get your taste-buds jumping this Christmas with goodies produced on the Downs
The Darling Downs abounds with top quality, locally-produced food and wine – perfect for Christmas lunch, gifts for family and friends or a visit to see how it’s made.
Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle is urging Queenslanders to support our local producers and choose Queensland-made food and wine this Christmas.
“Queenslanders need look no further than their own backyard to find everything they need to indulge their family and friends – and themselves – this Christmas,” Ms Boyle said.
“Queensland-produced food and wine is among the best in the world.
“Although Queensland has traditionally been known for its meat products and sugar, our value-added foods are rapidly gaining a worldwide reputation for quality.
“Food and wine tourism too is a real growth area for both domestic and international visitors, offering tremendous opportunities to boost the regions.”
The Queensland Government helps local businesses to promote their products and grow their businesses through workshops, grants and by helping them to showcase their products at exhibitions.
The following businesses have received some form of Queensland Government assistance:
o Bunnyconnellen ‘convivial pleasures’ at Crows Nest has an olive grove and vineyard boasting a cellar door, recipes to help you match your food and wine, onsite accommodation and the works of a local artist. Its new ‘Petanque’ smoked tapenade recently won a bronze medal at the 2007 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show and was put to the test at Brisbane’s Good Food and Wine Show last month.
o Based in Toowoomba, Quality Desserts has a wide range of Christmas goodies, including Aussie Lamingtons that are preservative-free, low in fat and a great healthy alternative for children this holiday season.
o Boozy Fruits makes fruit dessert sauces, including wobbly boots butterscotch or potty passionfruit
o Bramble Patch produces a vast range of gourmet jams, dessert sauces, meat sauces, relishes, and fortified berry wines to suit any meal and they’re all available for tasting onsite.
Ms Boyle, who is also responsible for Wine Industry development, said she encouraged people to try a local wine over the festive season.
“The Granite Belt is Queensland’s premier wine region because it produces the State’s most awarded wines, has the greatest area under vine in the state (530 hectares) and has more than 50 cellar doors open to the public - the largest number of cellar doors in the State.
“The area has recently launched what is believed to be Australia’s first alternative wine trail.
“For those wine lovers wanting to experience something beyond the traditional tastes of chardonnay, shiraz or merlot, the initiative offers up 16 alternative grape varieties.
“Initiatives such as this, and our Queensland Wine Ambassadors program, are helping to promote the positives of Queensland wine and put our wines on the tourist map.”
Ms Boyle said 21 wineries were part of the alternative trail. These include Kominos Wines, Mason Wines and Robert Channon Wines – all of which have recently won gold medals at both the state and national level and were a part of a contingent of eight Queensland wineries represented on a trade mission to Japan and South Korea in October.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2007
18 December 2007
Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle is urging Queenslanders to support our local producers and choose Queensland-made food and wine this Christmas.
“Queenslanders need look no further than their own backyard to find everything they need to indulge their family and friends – and themselves – this Christmas,” Ms Boyle said.
“Queensland-produced food and wine is among the best in the world.
“Although Queensland has traditionally been known for its meat products and sugar, our value-added foods are rapidly gaining a worldwide reputation for quality.
“Food and wine tourism too is a real growth area for both domestic and international visitors, offering tremendous opportunities to boost the regions.”
The Queensland Government helps local businesses to promote their products and grow their businesses through workshops, grants and by helping them to showcase their products at exhibitions.
The following businesses have received some form of Queensland Government assistance:
o Bunnyconnellen ‘convivial pleasures’ at Crows Nest has an olive grove and vineyard boasting a cellar door, recipes to help you match your food and wine, onsite accommodation and the works of a local artist. Its new ‘Petanque’ smoked tapenade recently won a bronze medal at the 2007 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show and was put to the test at Brisbane’s Good Food and Wine Show last month.
o Based in Toowoomba, Quality Desserts has a wide range of Christmas goodies, including Aussie Lamingtons that are preservative-free, low in fat and a great healthy alternative for children this holiday season.
o Boozy Fruits makes fruit dessert sauces, including wobbly boots butterscotch or potty passionfruit
o Bramble Patch produces a vast range of gourmet jams, dessert sauces, meat sauces, relishes, and fortified berry wines to suit any meal and they’re all available for tasting onsite.
Ms Boyle, who is also responsible for Wine Industry development, said she encouraged people to try a local wine over the festive season.
“The Granite Belt is Queensland’s premier wine region because it produces the State’s most awarded wines, has the greatest area under vine in the state (530 hectares) and has more than 50 cellar doors open to the public - the largest number of cellar doors in the State.
“The area has recently launched what is believed to be Australia’s first alternative wine trail.
“For those wine lovers wanting to experience something beyond the traditional tastes of chardonnay, shiraz or merlot, the initiative offers up 16 alternative grape varieties.
“Initiatives such as this, and our Queensland Wine Ambassadors program, are helping to promote the positives of Queensland wine and put our wines on the tourist map.”
Ms Boyle said 21 wineries were part of the alternative trail. These include Kominos Wines, Mason Wines and Robert Channon Wines – all of which have recently won gold medals at both the state and national level and were a part of a contingent of eight Queensland wineries represented on a trade mission to Japan and South Korea in October.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2007
18 December 2007