Overtop of the Blackbutt Range (just a daytrip from Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast) is the quaint country town of Blackbutt, known for Australia's best woodchopper, national tennis players, great burgers, pub meals, the best pies and sweet delights!
The small rural Queensland town of Blackbutt comes alive in September for the Blackbutt Avocado Festival.
The Festival celebrates all things Blackbutt, in particular, their bloomin’ beautiful Blackbutt avocados -the sweetest and finest avocados you will ever find. Festival goers will have the opportunity to visit "Avo Central" where they will learn how to cook, eat and grow avocados.
- Games, cooking, dress-ups right through to socks feature avocados. It amazes and entertains all.
- Join in the avocado juggling and other avocado tests of skill.
- Make sure you have a roll or two in the famous Blackbutt Avo Roll and be in the roll for a $1,000 first prize for closest to the pin.
- 2021 will again see the now infamous "Avo Drop" where parachutists jump from 5,000 feet and attempt to grab a marker as they land inside the drawing of a giant avocado on the ground inside the Blackbutt Showgrounds arena. Over $800 in prizes for the owners of the lucky markers grabbed by the parachutists. But the Festival is much more than that.
- Live music, street entertainment, free kids activities, historical guided tours and much, much more. Visit the website or Facebook page for more information....
YOUR DAY ITINERARY
|Park First|
Be sure to drive through town and park - everything is within walking distance! Set your GPS to the Blackbutt Hall or Blackbutt Showgrounds and you’ll find yourself a convenient car park; along the road, or. All gold coins to spare will be much appreciated by the town's not-for-profit groups.
|Markets|
Starting at 7am , more than 100 stalls line up for the 'Top of the Blackbutt Range Bazaar', a boutique marketplace of locally handmade products and fresh produce. It boasts wares that feature avocados (the town's main festival of the year) and a range of handmade items. It's the perfect place for a browse and to experience the local wares and people who make them.
|Woodchops at Blackbutt Showgrounds|
Just a short walk from the markets, go on to enjoy the Woodchop events you would normally only see on a Country Show Day.
|Avogames|
AVOCADO ROLL - A game of skill, accuracy and bloomin’ finesse
The signature event of the Blackbutt Avocado Festival involves rolling an avocado down a 35m long rough grass course. If the avocado stops within the course boundary the distance from the target is measured. The eight closest entrants from each heat return for the final at 4pm Saturday. There are three heats for adults and three for children.
Prizes : ADULTS 1st - $1000 2nd - $200 CHILDREN (U12) 1st - $200 2nd- $50
AVOCADO DROP TOMBOLA – 3 parachutists will jump from 4,000feet and land on an avocado target.
Buy a Cup (Write your name and phone number on it) and place it on the giant Avo Joe template on the arena of the Blackbutt Showgrounds. When the parachutist lands, he will select a Cup closest to his landing spot. Each Cup will be numbered. Your lucky Cup number can be written on the back of your hand as a reminder that you have entered the 2019 Avo Drop Tombola. Cups cost $5 each or 3 for $10
Prizes: 1st Cup $500, 2nd Cup $200, 3rd Cup $100
AVOCADO TOSS- A test of concentration, precision and even luck
Throw an avocado at the target board featuring characters from the Blackbutt Avocado Festival avocado family – Avo Jo, Avo Flo, Big Hass and Little Pip.
Land your avocado through the hole and into the net behind - win the corresponding prize for that target.
Prizes : AVO JO – $50 AVO FLO – $20 Big Hass – $10 Little Pip – $5
AVOCADO JUGGLING - Test your juggling skills in the Great Avocado Juggle.
Contestants choose three avocados to juggle during one of the four heats throughout the day – keep three avocados in the air for a minute or more and you may win through to the final held at 3.30pm
Prizes : Winning finalist will win the Grand Juggle Prize of $100 with an Avocado Merchandise pack to the runner-up
GUESS THE WEIGHT OF AN AVOCADO
Put an entry in to guess the exact weight of the demo Avocado and win the cash prize.
Avocado will be on display in the Hall on the Rail Trail from 8.30am – 4.00pm for entrants to enter their estimate.
| Meet the giant Avocado Character Alvin |
Catch up with Alvin the Avocado as he wanders the Festival Trail. Get your photo taken with Alvin.
|Country Food Delights and the Locals|
Check out the cooking demonstrations of local-celebrity, and food ambassador Jason Food who brings the best out in Avocado and inspires the festival year-after-year in new Avocado dishes.
Be sure to go on and grab a country food delight often manned by local volunteers from different community groups. There will be plenty of locals with stories of the town and why the moved away from the city to their own patch of Blackbutt paradise or a foodvan to fill that craving gap!
Don't forget to learn about your food either, visit the passionate's of our region bringing high-quality food to Australian plates or take a class on growing food or grafting avocados in your own backyard.
|Bands at the Butt|
Bands at the Butt, a live and local band movement in Blackbutt, commences at 9am, with chairs and shade to enjoy performances from the talented folk from around the South Burnett.
There is plenty of arts entertainment to experience throughout the day.
|Explore Blackbutt and South Burnett|
Take the opportunity to stroll the street of Blackbutt, filled with local food and history inspired dishes, personalities and delectable treats. Sneak away if you must, to one of the South Burnett wineries for lunch, take a stroll through the mountains or take a picnic at the dam - and drive home through the fabulous sunset over a country landscape.
This country drive is exquisite at the best of times, and what better excuse then to pack up into the car for some country fun in Blackbutt!
For more information (and to keep updated) visit the local Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BBBAvoFest
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TIPS AND TRICKS FOR OUR COUNTRY EVENT
- Grab cash in town or on the way for those stalls who don't have eftpos (and be sure to use hand sanitizer each transaction)
- Pack a cooler bag to take home some fresh produce. Ice available at local Spar shop.
- If you get stuck, or need to ask directions , just ask a friendly local in an avocado/bazaar shirt.
- Plug this address into the GPS: 23 Bowman Rd, Blackbutt North QLD 4306
- Want to stay the night? Bring your campervan and park at the Blackbutt Showgrounds or find other accommodation options here www.discoversouthburnett.qld.gov.au
