AN abundance of fresh, local, seasonal produce grown practically on my doorstep, 365 days of the year?
Yes please Pemberton.
Known for its huge variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and gourmet delicacies, the picturesque town in the southern forests region of WA not only looks good, it tastes good too.
And that’s precisely the reason why its residents are throwing open their farmgates and inviting visitors to come and sample its delights.
For the fourth year in a row, visitors are invited to delve deep into Pemberton’s food bowl and discover WA’s hidden gem during the Unearthed Pemberton festival.
This year the festival will run from Thursday, April 26 to Sunday, May 6, boasting a program bursting with events aiming to showcase the region’s premiere food and wine producers, culinary professionals, artists, cultural heritage, adventure and agri-tourism appeal.
With so much on offer, Unearthed Pemberton co-ordinator Liz Tilly said the Pemberton locals enjoy welcoming locals and tourists alike to their town, so others can experience their abundance of natural gifts.
“There are so many incredible things going on down here, the variety is astounding,” Ms Tilly said.
“You could easily eat a healthy diet of sustainable and seasonal produce, all grown within the local Southern Forests area, every day of the year if you wanted to.
“Once people start looking into it, they are astounded at the incredible array of food produced in and around Pemberton.
“We really wanted to share that, but also wanted to highlight that there’s so much more going on in this region than just beautiful food and wine.
“This year we’ve got a huge program encompassing food, wine, art, agri-tourism, cultural events and tours, and it’s got a really lovely feel to it.”
Ms Tilly said Pemberton had always held an autumn festival of some sort, but it wasn’t until four years ago when the Southern Forests Food Council acquired Royalties for Regions funding to launch the first Unearthed Pemberton festival.
The first two years were run by an employed co-ordinator, then last year funds ran out and the position became vacant, so with Ms Tilly experienced in event c-oordination, and as a local business operator and keen advocate for the region, she volunteered for the job.
When she took on the role, she said the community aimed to expand the Unearthed Festival to include more than just food and wine from the Pemberton region, and celebrate the unique elements that make the town such a joy to visit and live.
“The idea is to celebrate what’s here, with both the locals and the tourists,” Ms Tilly said.
“We want people to plan a whole holiday here and enjoy everything the festival has to offer, not just a quick weekend away.
“I think it’s a lovely way to bring people together, and also bring the local community together.”
This year’s calendar of events are so diverse and teasingly tempting, visitors will need to work their way through the extensive program of events and plan their festival experience.
Ms Tilly said the first five days of Unearthed were in the school holidays, so many of the family-orientated events were scheduled then, followed by more adult-centric events later in the week.
High on most visitors’ lists will be the Taste 31 Long Table dinner at Silkwood Estate winery, essentially an ode to seasonality and regional produce, as all the ingredients are sourced within a 31 kilometre radius of the winery.
There is also a very popular sunset river cruise along the Donnelly River, meandering through the D’Entrecasteaux National Park as the sun sinks below the picturesque landscape of the southern forests, while enjoying a picnic for two.
A Chef’s Long Table Lunch on the Lake at the beautiful RAC Karri Valley resort, farmers markets, a Pemberton finger lime tour, an all-encompassing Taste Pemberton tour, a cheese making workshop, a truffles and wine event and a wine masterclass are just a few events on offer for foodie fans.
For the adventurous, the Northcliffe Karri Cup Mountain Bike Challenge will be held on Saturday, April 28, billed as one of WA’s largest and longest-running mountain bike events with courses for all ages and abilities.
There’s intriguing events such as the Magic Carpet Ride with ‘Mario The Almost Magnificent’, which includes a three course meal, a ‘Meet the Truffle Dogs’ event, a Sausage Making Fiesta, a Pastured Egg Farm Tour at Charcoal Springs and a ‘Get Rooted’ plant propagation and cutting demonstration.
Culture and art also play a huge part in Unearthed, with many of the talented local artists and photographers holding exhibitions throughout the festival.
Hearing Ms Tilly speak so passionately about all the various events, talent and produce in abundance throughout the Pemberton region, it’s easy to see why this is one of the most exciting up and coming festivals WA has on offer.
“I think one of the best things of this whole experience for me has been chatting to these amazingly talented people in our area,” she said.
“I love hearing about all the wonderful things they are doing or want to achieve.
“Their enthusiasm for their locally grown, fresh, seasonal produce really shines through.
“So it’s exciting to welcome visitors to our town who also appreciate and enjoy the top quality food, wine and art we have on offer here.”