Riverfeast: The Future Of Alfresco Dining

Riverfeast at night

Break down the walls, build a ladder, find a different path but don't give up. These days starting a small business is wrapped with red tape making your dreams seem out of reach. Business owners jump through hoops as if they are auditioning for the circus and obstacles seem to be around every corner. Greg and Karen, owners and operators of Riverfeast Bundaberg, have faced all these obstacles, conquering them as if they were running the tough mudder course. As now successful small business owners they reflect on their experience, offering words of advice for those who dare to dream...

 
The captivating owner and operator of Riverfeast, Karen Wittkopp (Credit: Paul Beutel)

Take giving a speech to 10,000 strangers, now times it by 100 and that's how nervous Karen was on opening night. Picture 3000 hungry visitors scouring the property for the best seat to take in the view of the Burnett River and Karen, tears of pride streaming down her face as she tried to find any available seat for her mother. Never in a million years did the couple imagine owning a craft beer and food alfresco dining venue, but here they were, hours upon hours of hard work, a pile of conquered red tape and the future of alfresco dining in Bundaberg.

Watching the sun go down over the river with a Baffle Beer (Credit: Petrina_mc)

Riverfeast's success can be attributed to Greg and Karen's confidence in the project. They broke down the walls, jumped through the hoops and tore down the red tape, but they did not do it alone. One of the most important lessons learnt on this journey was to not be afraid to ask for help. Networking and good communication skills are so beneficial to turning your dream into a reality. Conquering the fear of the unknown and having faith in yourself. Believing in your dream. Anything is possible if you ask the right questions and introduce yourself to the right people.

Head to Riverfeast this Winterfeast for a night of Chilli and Lime, and experience Greg and Karen's dream in action!

With its rich, volcanic red soil and perfect ratio of sunshine and rain, the Bundaberg North Burnett region has been farmed for generations, with established farming families joined by more recent additions – with more than a few characters mixed in!

Let's take a moment to chat with a few of the locals who work hard every day to keep food on tables across the country:

TinaBerries: Brilliant berries and a banker with berry good advice!

Tina and Bruce McPherson are first generation farmers of the most delectable strawberries and passionfruit you will find. They have a massive following in both Melbourne and Sydney – but we are lucky to have them stocked locally and at their farm gate at 15 Zunks Rd, Elliot Heads (in-season).
According to Tina, their strawberries are big, juicy and delicious, with the fruit destined for top tables across the country.
"I love that you know where it comes from, you can see it growing. There is nothing like (eating them) straight from the paddock."
"And if that applies to strawberries, then it applies to the capsicums, bananas, ginger and all of the produce in the area. Really there is nothing much you can't get around here," she said.
On explaining how they came to own Tinaberries, Tina explained that "there is no family history".
"About 13 years ago, Bruce and I decided that we needed to grow something on a cane farm that we bought here in Bundaberg. We were deliberating about what to grow and I happened upon strawberries. Whether economic times are good or bad, people will buy strawberries", said Tina.
"People buy strawberries for their children because they are fruit, whereas children think they are a treat. Lovers buy strawberries for other lovers - people are addicted to them. I love eating them, they look great, people get passionate about them, I love that people get excited and really want to eat them".
Tina's favourite way to eat a Tinaberry is to first dip it in sour cream. and then in brown sugar.
"Many years ago, our banker suggested it. Generally you don't take culinary advice from your banker, but it is to die for. I think it's the very best way to have them – though Bruce reckons they are best eaten "nude!".

Rosengal: Where dance music and a dash of love deliver delicious beans!

The Galati family's foray into farming and bean production all started with Christmas lunch in Melbourne.
Struggling to source fresh, local beans, Rosengal farm owner Dave Galati's dad took it upon himself to find and sell beans to friends who were planning family feasts at home. Making more money in that two weeks than he had made in previous six months in their family-run café in Bairnsdale, Melbourne, he knew he was onto a winner.

"He got the beans, made some money, the rest is history. He got the bug", said Dave Galati.

The Rosengal bean brand has been a permanent fixture at Melbourne wholesale markets for a few years now, with Dave and his wife Meg Galati running the Bundaberg arm to ensure year-round supply of green, yellow, flat and borlotti beans, and peas.
The farming game, as Dave describes it, is a bit like 'chasing that big win' as his Dad found in the early days. But, Dave notes, it's also first and foremost about taste, and being in tune with what you are growing and the local environment - and being proactive.

Dave's top tips for growing good beans is to first and foremost play them dance music (he lists David Guetta as a favourite), and to truly be in love with your product. From that unusual (but apparently very effective!) advice, Dave then rounds out his approach by ensuring attention is paid to environmental changes and keeping soil healthy.
"It's like raising a child, you are so in tune with what is happening that you feel every step of the way – you have to think like the crop you are growing," he said.

With an Italian family history that runs deep and is at the forefront of the Rosengal family bean-business, the Galati family have been a long-standing tradition at the Melbourne wholesale markets.
Dave says ultimately all of his farming efforts come down to taste – a commitment that is evident when you try a farm fresh Rosengal bean!

Rosa Cattle/Tender Sprouted Meats: A farm that is mooving on up

Visiting Rob and Sarah Cooks' farm in South Kolan, just outside of Bundaberg, you view paddocks of glossy, healthy, happy cattle who are raised feasting on fresh Bundaberg grass and finished on improved pasture with barley sprouted grain. It is finishing them exclusively on sprouts that differentiates Tender Sprouted meat from any other feed lot in the region.
The farm's ethos encompasses a true paddock to plate experience, with the animals raised on the land, butchered not too far down the road and then sold in their shop – Tender Sprouted Meats in Bundaberg.
The property, which specialises in a 21-day dry-aged t-bone that is fast gathering a name for itself in Australian culinary circles, is not your average cattle farm. A gyrocopter crash while working on their previous property in the Northern Territory in 2008 left Rob partially paralyzed. Not one to give up, the family now start every day with a rigorous physio regime to get stretched and dressed ready for the days' farm work before getting their two boys, Lawson and Braxton, off to the school bus.
A bold vision and immense drive, coupled with a modified wheelchair, allows Rob to continue in an active role on the property, including mustering cattle.
What just three years ago was an organic aloe vera farm is now home to nearly 800 head of black Brangus cattle. According to Rob, they're not finished yet – so watch this space!

Grapes From My Grandparents

"I made my first wine with my grandfather when I was 9 years old," recalls Terry, or 'Terranzo the Winemaker', as he is more affectionately known. He crushed the grapes by hand, the purple-red juices on his hands, up his arms and onto his clothes, "it was pretty rough, but it was ours."

Terry from Hill Of Promise Winery at 'Tastings on the Terrace', 2016 (Credit: Paul Beutel)

The story behind Mary and Terry's Hill of Promise Winery is much more than just the dream to make wine, but a reminder of a grandfather's legacy to his grandson. The name itself is testament to Terry's grandparents, who journeyed to Australia as a young, married couple, only 16 and 17, with half a dozen words of English, ten shillings and dreams to create a home here. In reflecting upon the journey his family undertook to arrive at Childers, their land of promise and opportunity, it seemed only fitting that their little mountain of opportunity be called 'Hill of Promise'.

'Tastings on the Terrace', 2016 (Credit: Paul Beutel)

 After Mary and Terry travelled overseas in 1991, a seed was planted to start a bed and breakfast and in 1997 Mango Hill Cottages Bed and Breakfast was opened. It wasn't till three years later in 2000, when 25 acres right next door became available, that the opportunity for Terry to grow his own grapes and create traditional wine, just like his Sicilian grandparents, presented itself. Since starting, Hill of Promise has produced award-winning wines, beautiful bed and breakfast experiences, and created a unique atmosphere where Mary and Terry have opened their arms to guests, treating them like family.

So, what's next? Terry is currently in the process of building a roman oven, hand-carving each brick himself. He hopes to re-create the traditional Sunday lunch atmosphere he experienced at his grandfather's as a child; sharing the aromas of slow-cooked roast lamb and chicken, Italian sausages, local roasted sweet potatoes, eggplant, capsicum and pizza with his guests, the hum of conversation and laughter in the air, families in the winery sipping on wine, enjoying the sunshine and each other's company.

Terry enjoying the fruits of his labour (Credit: Paul Beutel)

What has been created, grown, nurtured and loved at 'Hill of Promise Winery' proves that one moment of love and passion between a grandfather and his grandson can lead to something much bigger than ever imagined.

Discover their story first-hand at 'Tastings on the Terrace' this Winterfeast, book your tickets now!

Bundaberg North Burnett is one of the largest fresh produce rich regions in Queensland. It's for that reason that the area is sometimes referred to as 'the Bundaberg Bowl', growing and producing fresh food that is served on tables right across the county and internationally.

From pecans and tomatoes to strawberries and sweet potatoes, the region's rich red volcanic soil and near-perfect growing conditions produce an amazing array of fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and other freshly picked goodness to keep Aussie tummies full every day.
And when it comes to eating fresh, Bundaberg North Burnett farmers are the first to tell you that seasonal produce is the way to go!
Some fruits, nuts and veggies, like the macadamia nut, ginger and figs, are readily available right through the year. Others, like passionfruit, zucchini and mandarin, prefer the cooler months, while water dew melons, watermelons and lychees, are at their peak in the warmest periods of the year. For a list of seasonal availability, download our fruit, veggie and nut calendar.

Modern technology and transport systems mean we can access produce all through the year, with items shipped in from overseas. But we recommend you do yourself – and our local growers – a favour by eating fresh, seasonal produce for maximum taste, nutrition and variety.

The same is true for some seafood, with seasonal availability influenced by environmental factors such as rainfall and temperature for prawns, scallops, bluefin, crabs and coral trout. The majority of seafood is available throughout the year – check our seafood availability calendar for more information.
If you're visiting our beautiful region, you can sample the fine fare at any of our restaurants and cafes to taste the difference that can only be found in the freshest produce. Many of our farmers and producers supply directly to the kitchen door of local venues, so it's quite possible that the ingredients on your dinner plate may have been picked that morning!