Traditionally kept as a secret garden, Gippsland is surprising the rest of Australia with its diversity, fertility and quality of culinary products. Clean natural rich plains stretching from the sea to the great dividing ranges have for thousands of years, provided an abundance of food to the native Australians and today are producing some of the best victuals of Australia, making Gippsland one large plateau of succulent food and delicate wines.

Food  

Wine   

The Arts   

Directions From Maffra travel towards Stratford. From Sale travel towards Stratford and then turn left onto Maffra-Stratford Rd. From Stratford travel towards Sale and then turn right onto the Maffra-Stratford Rd.

Traditionally kept as a secret garden, Gippsland is currently surprising the rest of Australia with its diversity, fertility and quality of culinary products. The Gippsland Harvest Festival is an important vehicle to deliver Gippsland's produce to the rest of Australia.

Clean natural rich plains stretching from the sea to the great dividing ranges have, for thousands of years, provided an abundance of food to the native Australians. Today they are producing some of the best victuals of Australia, making Gippsland a large plateau of succulent food and delicate wines.

Strong evidence has shown that the settlers, realising the incredible potential of Gippsland, protected the secret of the region in fear of seeing more and more colonisation.

This of course has changed, and every year the Gippsland Harvest Festival endeavours to share with the rest of Australia the delicate, unique and fresh flavors of the Gippsland region.

On March the 12th 2000, more than 5,000 people are expected to visit the historic Powerscourt Country House for the eighth Gippsland Harvest Festival.

A celebration of Gippsland's best food and wines, the Festival has evolved each year to encapsulate the current progression of the region. The 2000 "Secret Garden of Gippsland…greater than you can imagine" theme intends to incorporate not only the new Gippsland Heritage and food trails and the much heralded rail-to-trail developments, but also to highlight the undiscovered harvest from the recent development of alternative farming. All facets of Gippsland's wide array of innovative arts are also 'secret treasures', which will flourish at the 2000 Harvest Festival.

Since its creation, the Gippsland Harvest Festival has been part of an important marketing strategy aimed at promoting Gippsland as a place of excellent living where food, wine and arts are of prime quality.

Furthermore, the 2000 Gippsland Harvest Festival will be linked with the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, which will allow our Festival to tap into the considerable media campaign enjoyed by its city counterpart.

The Gippsland Harvest Festival gives participants a firm base for networking, which may lead to your business taking part in external promotions.

The Gippsland Harvest Festival is the only festival in Gippsland that will give your products or services the best exposure and allow your business to become a part of the most comprehensive food, wine and tourism marketing strategies for Gippsland.

The 2000 Gippsland Harvest Festival on March 12th will be bigger than ever with a record number of stallholders, new and exciting entertainers, a fine array of innovative arts and the promise of good weather, it will be a day to relax and soak up the atmosphere of country festivity.

Promotion regarding the Gippsland Harvest Festival over the last seven years has generated vigorous and broad media interest. In 2000 we will continue to capitalise on these marketing efforts, with an intensive public relations campaign in the local and Melbourne metropolitan market. We strongly believe the Gippsland Harvest Festival will bring substantial benefits to your company, offering you exposure to an identified market on the day of the event and allowing you to participate in a comprehensive marketing strategy which has proven successful over the years. Once incorporated in our promotions, we will then work to promote your business and the secret garden of Gippsland.

• Inclusion of information about your products and services through professional marketing consultants in festival media releases and advertising
• Networking with suppliers, retailers, wholesalers and competitors
• Selling your products on the day of the festival
• Showcasing of your products and services with the leading providers of the region
• Being an active supporter of the Gippsland region as a producer of fine food and as an important tourist destination
• The ideal opportunity to test new products

A comprehensive advertising schedule will include local, regional, metropolitan and interstate newspaper, radio and television coverage. Over 3,000 promotional brochures, flyers and programs detailing the event and participating exhibitors will be distributed. It is possible that individual stallholders will be contacted by the media to support our umbrella advertising campaign. You reserve the right decline but we ask that you critically assess these offers and participate if you feel it worthy.

Public relations over the last seven years has generated vigorous and broad media attention. Our continuing marketing campaign will provide extensive public relations exposure in the Melbourne and Sydney metropolitan markets. The more interesting stories given to us the more we can promote your business.

Each participant is asked to contribute $200.00. This fee covers the cost of hiring a 3 x3 metre space, a table, two chairs as well as related costs such as public relations, the hire of power generators and toilet facilities.

The number of stalls, which can be set up in the grounds of Powerscourt, is limited, so early registration is recommended to ensure your company is represented at the region's largest and most successful Harvest Festival. Early registration will also ensure greater coverage through our Public Relations campaign.

Sales success on the day is about presenting your product in a unique and interesting way. Making an effort to dress your stall with promotion materials and décor is a great way to attract peoples attention as they pass by. Offering something for free or having a low priced item is also a good way to get them to your stall and from there you can on sell those more expensive items. Providing interesting factual information is another way to get the interest of guests on the day.

There is a set criteria that exhibitors must fulfil as provenders at the Gippsland Harvest Festival:

1. There be no imported food or beverage products from outside Australia to be presented at the festival, unless approved by the committee. Every effort should be made by the provender to promote local produce.

2. A sale of liquor permit should be obtained by exhibitors if liquor is to be sold at the festival. A registration form, site plan and council approval can be obtained from the committee on request.

3. All exhibitors should follow safe food handling procedures.

4. All stallholders should be a registered business.

5. No food or beverage permitted that would be regarded as fast food.

6. No multinational food or beverage company to be represented without committee approval.

7. Every effort should be made to offer food and beverage sampling to the general public.

8. Exhibitors are required to keep prices in a realistic and affordable range. Sampling should be at a minimal cost.

9. Exhibitors must pay attention to the aesthetics of their stand.

Click here to print Registration Form

Grounds of Powerscourt Country House Please Note: Power is available on Stall Sites, 47 to 54 9 to 21 The Harvest Festival committee reserves the right to make any alterations to the stall positions. Go to application Form