Queensland’s Lockyer Valley was the place to be on 6-7 June, with the 2021 Lockyer Valley Growers Expo taking place. The event was hosted by the Lockyer Valley Growers Inc. and attracted approximately 1,000 visitors who saw the latest in fruit and vegetable seed trials. VegNET Regional Development Officer – Southern Queensland Zara Hall reports.

Visitors to the Lockyer Valley Growers Expo in June were treated to perfect south-east Queensland winter weather. Blue skies, sunny days and a crisp starry night made for ideal conditions for a celebration of the horticulture industry at the 2021 exhibition and gala dinner.

Across two days, 11 international seed companies displayed the best and newest in vegetable and fruit varieties with displays from Australis Seed Company, BASF/Nunhems Seed, Bayer/Seminis Seed, Bejo, Enza Zaden, Fairbanks Seed, HM Clause, Lefroy Valley, Rijk Zwaan, South Pacific Seed and Terranova Seeds.

Lefroy Valley’s team – led by Chris Newmarch and Warren Ford – took out the prize for best vegetable display for a second expo in a row, with a fun and creative display including a scarecrow and eye-catching signage as well as a flawless vegetable and fruit display.

Around 1,000 visitors attended the event, and they were able to network with a diverse range of companies and organisations from across the whole supply chain including Withcott Seedlings, Achmea Farm Insurance, AUSVEG, Biological Services, Boomaroo Nurseries, Candy Soil, Elders, Growcom, I Comply, Kenso, Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Nufarm, Opal Packaging, Syngenta, TriCal and Vanderfield.

Gala dinner under the stars

Growers and industry members who attended the Sunday night gala dinner were treated to a uniquely horticultural dining experience. On sunset, guests were guided from the exhibition entrance through the vegetable variety trials with twinkle lights overhead and a mosaic of red-carpet squares underfoot, to a seated dinner with entertainment and fine dining for the 450 guests. Magicians, musicians and comedians entertained the guests while they enjoyed a three-course meal showcasing local vegetable produce overlooking the expo variety trials.

The gala dinner was held on Sunday 6 June.

Border restrictions due to COVID-19 meant that Victorian growers and industry members, as well as overseas visitors (New Zealand excepted), were unable to attend this year’s expo. Our thoughts are with our southern counterparts who were unable to attend the expo or Hort Connections. We look forward to catching up with you when travel restrictions change. Dates for the next expo remain undecided but likely will occur three years from now if water security can be assured. See you all in three years!

Acknowledgements

The Lockyer Valley Growers Inc. Committee would like to thank all growers and industry members who attended the exhibition and gala dinner.

We would like to express our gratitude to our team of volunteers who assisted in the lead-up, clean-up and on the days.

Thank you to farm staff at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland for growing the trials. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Sharron Windolf from Windolf Farms and Tammy Litzow from Black Crow Organics for their vision and energy in producing a spectacular event in celebration of our great industry.

Event organisers (from left to right) Sharron Windolf, Michael Sippel and Tammy Litzow. The trio was instrumental to the expo’s success.

To our sponsors of the expo, thank you for your ongoing support of the Lockyer Valley Growers Inc. – it is because of your generosity that this event was able to take place.

We gratefully acknowledge expo sponsors: Withcott Seedlings, Ag Requirements, Elders, Boomaroo, Nurien Ag Solutions, Nolan’s Transport, I Comply, Perfection, Pacific Fertiliser, Enza Zaden, Boomaroo, Vanderfield, TriCal, Tafe, Opal Packaging, Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Achmea Farm Insurance, E.E. Muir & Sons, and Leppington Speedy Seedlings.

Find out more

Please contact VegNET – Southern Queensland Regional Development Officer Zara Hall on 0456 956 340 or email ido@lockyervalleygrowers.com.au.

VegNET – Southern Queensland is a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government.

Project Number: VG19010

Cover image: Around a thousand visitors who attended the Lockyer Valley Growers Expo were able to network with a
diverse range of companies and organisations from across the whole supply chain. Images courtesy of Luke Willey, Voice Photography.