Experience the rich produce of Queensland’s Mary Valley on a plate this GourMay
Queensland’s Mary Valley is considered one of the most fertile food bowls in Australia, with producers able to grow everything from macadamia nuts to Cape gooseberries, and from yuzu to Tempranillo grapes.
This remarkable diversity of produce will be celebrated during GourMay Mary Valley 2026, beginning on 1 May, with events staged throughout the month.
Farms will open their gates, chefs will step out of their kitchens, and the Valley's producers will invite visitors to taste, learn, and connect. It is not a single event but a curated program of experiences, each one rooted in the idea that the best food comes from knowing where it was grown and who grew it.
Some of the major events this year include:
• Festival Day (Sunday, 3 May) in Imbil brings everything together in the one place. Peter Wolfe creates dishes from ingredients that were here before the first settlers. Matt Golinksi shares his skills and knowledge with adults and kids in a series of demonstrations and Masterclasses. Attendees can learn about fermentation and its benefits, there will be a demonstration of blacksmithing, and for lunch, indulge in a GourMay hamper (or BYO) during the GourMay Mary Valley BIG Picnic.
• One Hundred Percent Mary (Sunday lunch, 24 May) reflects the Festival’s tagline perfectly: Our Stories. Our People. Our Food. Truly Local. Acclaimed chef, Matt Golinski, has been tasked with creating a menu that has been solely sourced from Mary Valley. The event is being held at the new function venue Stockyard Valley, which has sweeping views across the valley.
• Slow Food Noosa Film with Food (Friday 8 May): This is where food and film come together in Kandanga Hall with the screening ofthe Oscar winning film Babette’s Feast, while savouring a fabulous meal sourced from local farms and prepared by passionate people whose philosophy of Good, Clean and Fair resonates strongly in the region.
• Masterclasses with chefs Matt Golinski, Penny Maguire and Peter Wolfe will be held each Tuesday during the month at Kandanga Food Store.
• Mary Valley Farm and Food Trail (Saturday 16 May): Self-drive or guided tours with Matt Golinski or Martin Duncan. The farm trail can be followed at the visitor’s own pace via: Farm Trail - GourMay Mary Valley
• Seafood Soiree (Saturday 16 May): Prawns, fish, crabs, bugs and oysters at Kandanga Country Club.
• Sunrise Breakfast at the Avocado Farm – (Saturday 23 May): Paddock-to-plate long table breakfast at dawn.
• Wild Vine Harvest and Jazz Feast (Saturday 23 May): Live jazz, tastings, and a la carte dinner at The Wild Vine, Imbil.
• GourMay Gala Celebration (Saturday 30th May): Paddock-to-plate feast, dancing, and flowing drinks at Stockyard Valley
The Mary Valley sits just above the Sunshine Coast, following the Mary River from Conondale to Gympie through small townships like Imbil, Kandanga, Amamoor, and Kenilworth. Just 45 minutes from Noosa, there is plentiful accommodation – and fuel! – for visitors coming to the region for this truly authentic celebration of food and landscape.
Full program and further information: https://www.gourmaymaryvalley.com.au/
