Goondiwindi, a town on the border of Queensland and NSW, is renowned for its passionate residents who are quick to sell the benefits of living west of the Great Divide.
But, even they, it appears, have failed to see the forest for the trees or to appreciate just “how bloody good they are”.
The Discover Farming festival will change all that according to ‘Jerome the Drone guy’. Jerome Leray is a ‘new’ boy in the paddock attracted to Goondiwindi three years ago and has become a passionate advocate, not just for the region as a place to live, but for a place to work and do business. His passion is infectious.
His message simple - Goondiwindi is a mecca of innovation and farming ‘know-how’.
So much so, that Jerome believes ‘we are not just a state or Australian leaders, we’re world leaders’.
And from that kernel of understanding grew Discover Farming, a four-week festival of the region which will ‘promote farming, tourism and technology’.
But the festival isn’t just for the tractor set.
“This is about lifting everyone in the community by selling ourselves to Australia and worldwide,” Mr Leray said.
“The response has been amazing. I’m getting calls from farmers at 9pm at night who have just come up with an idea.”
The four-week festival will ‘shine a light light on the best our region has to offer’.
It all begins at the annual Goondiwindi Show on May 4-5.
Some of the region’s top producers including lamb, beef, pork, olive and dairy will join award-winning farmers and innovators in an informal setting where kids will be catered for.
The highlight will be supper under the stars on the banks of Coolmunda Dam near Inglewood.
There is a gardening expo at the Botanic Gardens as well as a number of education programs.
“The education is vital. Want to be an engineer? Then why not become an agri-engineer and come back to Goondiwindi,” Mr Leray said.
- Visit: www.discoverfarming.com.au
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