Avocado, bush festival get financial leg-up for 2021

THE State Government has announced $30,000 funding to support two local events to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

Miles back to the Bush Festival.

TOURISM Minister Kate Jones has today announced $30,000 funding to support two local events to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms Jones said the Miles Back to the Bush Festival and the Blackbutt Avocado Festival 2021 had received funding through the government’s Queensland Destination Events Program to support events to grow.

The Miles Back to the Bush Festival will run from September 9-12, 2021.

Since the 1950s, Miles and the smaller towns that surround it come together biannually in September to celebrate everything we love about living in the bush.

The festival spans four days with an eclectic mix of authentic and interactive bush experiences.

The Blackbutt Avocado Festival will be held on September 11, 2021, and is a celebration of all things avocado.

It’s a place where you can fulfil all your avocado dreams; of eating avocado ice-cream, playing games with avocados, putting your best guac forward in a guacamole-making competition, and learning to cook with avos from a celebrity chef,

“Our tourism and events industry will be vital to rebuilding the economy in this region,” Ms Jones said.

“This funding will help ensure that these events get back up and running and continue to pump thousands of dollars into our economy and support local jobs.

“We all want to see these great local events continue – it would be absolutely devastating to see them fail. This will help to ensure their future in Southern Queensland Country.”

Ms Jones said the Palaszczuk Government was committed to safeguarding thousands of tourism jobs throughout the state.

“We have a clear strategy to rebuild Queensland’s economy and create jobs post-COVID-19. Events are crucial to that plan,” Ms Jones said.

“Our tourism industry has struggled throughout this pandemic.

“But because Queenslanders have done such a great job fighting coronavirus, we can now focus more intently on our economic recovery.

“Recently we saw the COVID Safe Events framework released – having been developed by the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, Griffith University, Tourism and Events Queensland and the government.

“With that important work now done, our industry can take confidence that we are on the right track.”