HEARTWARMING: 370 shoppers bring love to lunch extravaganza

‘It was hard to keep my cool or contain my excitement!’: How a picnic turned into so much more for Southern Downs business.

CHEERS: Seven bus loads of Merry Muster shoppers made their way to the Granite Belt for the lunch.

THE magic of Merry Muster shoppers is still rippling around the region with one Ballandean business calling the visitors an “injection” of love for local stores.

Last weekend, over 370 shoppers showed up to Ballandean Estate for the Granite Belt’s biggest picnic of 2020.

Fourth-generation vigneron Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi said locavore picnic experience took days to prepare and a whopping 3850 pieces of sesame lavosh, 70kg of hand roasted capsicums, 40kg of grilled zucchini and more.

Merry muster shoppers at Ballandean Estate.

“When Christine Bonner, founder of the Merry Muster, called last week to speak to Barrelroom chefs Matt and Bobbi Wells about last minute menu requests, and mentioned 370 people, I was flabbergasted. It was hard to keep my cool — or contain my excitement!,” Ms Puglisi-Gangemi said.

“These bus loads of beautiful ladies shared their love and supported the Southern Downs through an heart-rending injection of emotional support and much-need funds into our regional economy.

“At Ballandean Estate, we are experiencing incredible support as Buy Local, Drink Local and Buy from the Bush is resonating with people in the wake of COVID-19.”

It comes as the shoppers travelled across the region, supporting small business with their empty eskies and donating to our region’s charities.

For those that couldn’t make the Merry Muster, a Buy from the Bush’s pop-up shop is still open in New Farm, Brisbane until December 23.

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