PIE EATERS unite – June’s around the corner and that means it’s time again for Australia’s biggest celebration of everything pies in NSW’s Southern Highlands… that becomes the Southern Pie-lands for all of June.
Based on the towns of Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale and the many picturesque little mountain villages around them, the Southern Highlands have more pie bakeries and pie outlets per capita than any other region in Australia, and is arguably the unofficial Pie Capital of the country.
Last year’s inaugural Southern Highlands’ Pie Time drew thousands of pie-lovers to the Highlands through the month of June who, with enthusiastic locals, chomped their way through just over 100,000 pies – and which helped win Pie Time a major award in the 2017 Qantas Tourism Awards for best Destination Marketing Campaigns.
And last year’s Southern Highlands Best Pie Competition has been expanded this year to become the NSW and ACT Best Pie Competition, with five categories of pies both savoury and sweet and with the winning pies being available for visitors to search out and chomp into.
Plus Pie Time’s month long celebrations will culminate in a two-day “Pie Fest” on the weekend of June 23 and 24 that showcases all things pies and their best accompanying wines, beers, ciders and spirits made in the Southern Highlands, and further afield, will this year be held at the vast Bong Bong Picnic Racecourse just outside Bowral to accommodate a greater number of stallholders and activities – and with plenty of visitor parking as last year over 4000 attended the weekend.
Organisers suggest pie-lovers interested in visiting this year’s Pie Time book any accommodation needs early, and can do this and get any further information, by phoning Destination Southern Highlands on 1300 657 559 or visiting www.visitsouthernhighlands.com.au
And ask also about Pie Time’s Pinot and Pie Tours, Pie Trike Tours and the Pie-cycle for cycling enthusiasts to enjoy their sport and a pie or three along the way.
