The new Southern Queensland Country (SQC) Food and Wine Development Plan has been launched, and Minister for Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries and Member for Toowoomba South John McVeigh is excited by the possibilities.
“I’m proud to stand here as a Darling Downs born and bred boy to unveil this plan. We know the great delicacies, wines and experiences that the Southern Queensland Country region has to offer and now it’s time to let the rest of the country know,” he said.
“The Newman Government wants to reinvigorate tourism as one of the four pillars of Queensland’s economy. Tourism based on regional food, wine, agricultural experiences and the rural Australian way of life can play a big role in this because it offers a range of opportunities for regional communities.
“I applaud the collaboration which was needed to produce the roadmap for the region because, simply put, it’s hard to achieve a goal unless you have a plan and know where you’re headed.
“This Food and Wine Development Plan does just this for Southern Queensland.”
Plan facilitator Rose Wright from Knowledge Transfer Services believes that the plan will help establish Southern Queensland Country as one of Australia’s iconic and celebrated food regions.
“The Southern Queensland Country region is making strategic investment in the future of their economy by facilitating links between agriculture, food production and distribution, and tourism,” Ms Wright said.
“The leaders in business and government have collaborated to create a joint vision for their future and a clear plan on how they will achieve it together.
“By establishing an accredited Regional Food System, the SQC region will ensure that their producers and local enterprises benefit from increased yield and added value opportunities that come from linking food, wine and tourism.”
The plan is an outcome from the SEQC Tourism Opportunity Plan and is available at www.toowoombaholidays.com.au/TOP.
