Kalbar Sunflower Festival attracts 12,000 (plus 17,000 on wait list)

A sunflower festival southwest of Brisbane has had to turn away 17,000 guests, with only room for 12,000 under council limits.

Scenic Rim locals Indie Range, 3, and Mahala Jackwitz, 5, are excited for the Kalbar Sunflower Festival. Picture: Nigel Hallett

What began as a way to diversify crops during drought has turned into a roaring success for the Jenner family, as they prepare to host their third annual Kalbar Sunflower Festival.

The sold-out festival in the Scenic Rim Region will feature more than a million sunflowers in full bloom, with a walking track and maze running through the fields, allowing visitors to get the perfect photo opportunity.

The family began growing sunflowers in 2021 as drought worsened in the region, replacing the hectares of lucerne they used to grow.

“We thought they (sunflowers) were would be better drought-hardy crop to grow,” farm owner Jenny Jenner said.

Now, their sunflower fields attract thousands of people every year.

“We’re only allowed to have 12,000 people at the festival this year due to council restrictions, but we’ve got 17,000 people on the waitlist as of Wednesday night that wanted to come,” Ms Jenner said.

She said the family had wanted to create a safe environment and a family-friendly event.

“So we have photography shoots, painting classes, market stalls, food stalls, and then we have special long lunches in the sunflower field, which are catered for by a chef,” she said.

Festival goers are urged to bring gumboots and an umbrella to the festival, following a forecast of rain for the weekend.

“We just ask people to bring gumboots and an umbrella or wet weather gear and they’ll still be able to enjoy the sunflowers,” Ms Jenner said.