Big Rosella Field Day celebrates 10 years
What started as a humble gathering with one tent and a struggling cooktop has become a foodie highlight, drawing visitors from across the country, and it is back again.
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Woolooga’s Big Rosella Field Day is back, celebrating a decade of food, farming, and community on May 3-4.
What started as a humble gathering with one tent and a struggling cooktop has now become a regional foodie highlight, drawing visitors from across the country.
Since 2016, hosts Petersen’s Farm have used the festival to celebrate the annual harvest of tangy, crimson-coloured rosellas, which they’re one of Australia’s largest commercial producers.
Best known for its use in jam, at the Big Rosella Field Days it becomes so much more as the star of farm tours, celebrity chef demonstrations, VIP paint-and-sip sessions, markets and more - all part of Cecilia ‘CC’ Diaz-Petersen’s plan to show the world how versatile the quirky fruit can be.
“People were always asking ‘what is a rosella? How do I use it?’,”’ CC said.
“And we were sitting around the dinner table trying to decide where to next after prices from the big markets had dropped, and we needed a plan.
“So we thought, why not bring our community onto the farm? Show them how rosellas are grown, how to cook with them, our sustainability efforts… really get them to understand the value of what we’re doing out here.”
The first Big Rosella Festival (as it was known then) centred on a 9x6m marquee, which the hire company erected in the wrong spot.
Fans of the Petersens’ produce, chefs Matt Golinski and Glen Barratt (who will return for the 10th anniversary) gave cooking demonstrations on a cooktop that regularly cut power to the site.
CC barely saw any of the event, because she was furiously catering to the guests herself, with a cheer erupting each time she left the kitchen with a plate of her famous spring rolls.
The down-to-earth festival was a hit, and has grown from strength to strength - expanding the program to a full weekend, and bringing thousands of people to the region for tours, expanded markets, and even a very pink pageant. It’s weathered floods and drought, and even went ahead in 2020’s lockdowns as an online festival with talks and cooking demos.
This year premium experiences have been added, including VIP farm tours with Greg Petersen complete with a glass of bubbles, and two ‘paint and sip’ sessions with local artist Jordi Kate, after being launched to rave reviews in 2024.
Local scone time personality Martin Duncan will launch his Sconeversation series, with a Lets Talk Ag panel featuring local producers.
Festival favourites are also making a return, including the high-energy rosella peeling races, a fast, fun, and colourful competition that has been a crowd highlight in previous years. As well as the return of Matt Golinksi and Glen Barratt, cooking demonstrations will feature popular chefs Valerie Ferdinands, Dominique Rizzo, Neil Yates and Pauly Sing, all showcasing delicious and innovative ways to use rosellas and other local produce.
2025 will also see the festival’s biggest farmers market so far, with stalls opening up to more local producers and artisans after years of being invitation-only.
Visitors can buy produce, plants and more from Woolooga Farm Kitchen, Petersen’s Farm (produce stall and nursery), Hum Honey, Southern Cross Smallgoods, Coffee Cart of Maryborough, Purity Essential Oils, Kelly Fredline Florist, Mudgeeraba Spices, Devils View Angus and more.
CC attributes the Big Rosella Field Days’ success to a strong community, and staying true to their farming roots.
“We’re a true paddock-to-plate event. We’ve added a few elevated experiences over the years, but the most popular part is the farm tours with Greg and Joe,” she said.
“At its core, this is a day out on a working farm, where you can get out into fresh air to meet, support and learn from not just us but other fantastic local farmers - and eat good food while you’re here! Locals and city foodies both love it.”
Tickets are $10 per person (more for some VIP experiences). Available at petersensfarm.com.au or on the gate.
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Originally published as Big Rosella Field Day celebrates 10 years
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