Could there be a happier sight than a sunflower opening her beautiful face to the sky? How about a whole field full of sunflowers? This year on March 27, you can experience a farm full of sunflowers showing off in all their glory. Promising perfectly instagrammable moments from sunset to sundown, you can experience a day like no other, just outside of Brisbane, in the Scenic Rim’s picturesque town of Kalbar.
Kalbar is a rural community which has found itself in drought, so farmers have needed to change and pivot if they are to survive. Russell and Jenny Jenner who farm lucerne were struggling with the ongoing drought. So instead of planting hay this season, they looked to another crop, one that doesn’t require as much water- sunflowers.They immediately registered as flower growers, redesigned their paddocks and planted 200 000 sunflowers. Now the sunflowers are not only productive, they are the most perfect canvas for the inaugural Sunshine and Sunflower Day.
Fancy sunrise yoga in the sunflowers at 6am? Why not stroll through these towering titans, book a helicopter joy flight or enjoy lunch among the blooms. A very special event will be a Sunset Dinner in the Sunflowers created by super chef Richard Ousby (Stokehouse, The Overflow Estate 1895) using all Scenic Rim ingredients to create a 3-course meal. The dinner includes a standing canapé entrée during a special sunset performance, whilst enjoying live music.The main course and dessert will be seated with a very special outlook.
Kids are not forgotten with a fun art workshop, where they will use recycled products and sunflowers to create pieces of art. Mum and Dad can enjoy the cooking classes which run beside the art classes. There’ll be a coffee cart, delicious food vans and free entertainment for the kids. BYO hat and picnic rug to enjoy a chilled day amongst the flowers or order a delicious hamper from the famed Lovett Café at Kalbar. I have tasted their wares and they are so good.
Sunflowers originally come from the ‘ Americas’ and are source of food, oil and beauty. I love munching on a handful of sunflowers seeds, just like the birds do. They have even been planted to help soak up nuclear radiation.They are really good at absorbing toxins. When my Dad was sick in hospital with cancer I always brought him sunflowers. They never failed to make him smile and brightened his day. Do you know sunflowers are not really one flower but many, many teeny flowers? As many as 2000 can make up a classic sunflower bloom.
Tickets for the first ever Sunshine and Sunflower Day are on sale now. It will be a celebration of sunshine, sunflowers and happiness for all. Sunflowers really are Mother Nature’s symbol for happiness and although this rural family can’t make hay while the sun shines, they can harness the sun’s rays to create a spectacular sunflower show for us all to enjoy. I’m sure it will be the most glorious and photographed day for this amazing little town since I visited for the famous Kalbar Carrot Couture Show of 2019.
Michelle Beesley is a Brisbane born and bred former primary school teacher. A wife, proud grandma and mother of three grown sons, Michelle is thrilled to have recently published her debut contemporary romance novel, It Happened in Paris, with Serenade Publishing. Her novella – Escape to D’ Amour was published in 2019. Michelle’s work can be found in the anthologies – Destination Romance and Short & Sweet. When not reading or writing Michelle can be found at a coffee shop chatting with friends, front row at a fashion show, or beside a rugby union field cheering on her favourite teams.
Michelle is a reluctant traveller, Francophile, keen walker and avid yoga enthusiast plus a book, film and theatre lover who loves everything pink and sparkly (including champagne). You can find Michelle on instagram @michellebeesley_writer and her website: michellebeesley.com.
Leave a Reply