Sweet new tourism experience for Atherton Tablelands farm
Thinking outside the square is paying dividends for a boutique family-owned Atherton business, which just got the go ahead from Tablelands Regional Council for its latest venture.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
FAMILY-owned Shaylee Strawberries will expand into winemaking with Tablelands Regional Council recently approving its plans.
Joe and Alice Barletta plan to start bottling 1500 litres with a goal of 7000 litres annually.
The plans include a winery comprising a cellar and tasting area, freezer room, cold room and laboratory.
The family-owned business runs the Two Strawberries Cafe at the farm near Yungaburra, offering strawberry gelato and Devonshire tea with freshly-made strawberry jam among other delicacies.
Mr Barletta said there was demand for strawberry wine in the UK and Japan, but he hoped Australians would embrace a new taste sensation.
The strawberry farm is small compared with much bigger farms in the southeast corner, and as it could not achieve economies of scale to compete with bigger operations, the Barlettas decided to steer away from the wholesale market and create a destination experience for locals and tourists.
“The winery is to further enhance an already tourism-cottage industry type business,” the development application stated.
“In 2021 we decided to expand and relocate the kiosk into the cafe we have today.
“As a result of this we have gone from staff of two to 10 full time equivalent staff and close to 20 when we are harvesting,” it stated.
“After speaking with tour operators mainly from the Cairns region about the idea of making wine, they were supportive and excited and would incorporate Shaylee Strawberries into their itinerary when coming to the Tablelands.
“The idea for the winner came from two ideas – one, to add value to the strawberries we produce, and secondly, to further enhance the strawberry farm as a destination in its own right,” the document stated.
“I know in the UK and Japan, places like that, they love strawberry wine – not so much in Australia. But we hope to change that,” Mr Barletta said.
“It is about using our product in a way we can get a better return on it, although we love selling locally, we’re very excited about this – we want to create something fun,” he said.
Two Strawberries cafe is open seven days from 9am to 4pm.
More Coverage
Originally published as Sweet new tourism experience for Atherton Tablelands farm
Livestock shot and killed on Qld cattle station
Police are investigating the suspicious killing of bulls at a Far North Queensland cattle station.
Latest update on controversial ferry
A ‘lifeline’ travel route connecting Cape York to the rest of Far North Queensland will not reopen on time, after further maintenance issues were identified, locking out visitors.