In 2020 I was fortunate to be working with Southern Downs and Granite Belt and to have the chance to develop the food trails for the region. Previously a project with Helen Lewis of Picot’s Farm, it became a re-branding exercise with promotion for the producers already on the map. The first objective of the food map and trail was to keep the content up-to-date while adding new farmers and producers who met the criteria. The second objective was promotion of the map and its’ producers in a time when farm gates were being closed due to Covid-19, so we needed to get customers purchasing the produce through other means.
After addressing the accuracy of the extensive databases (businesses change details constantly) we engaged a graphic design agency to re-brand the food map and trails. This was the first step in the Southern Downs Food Map relaunch, followed by creating print and web collateral. I took care of the copywriting for the website pages and the printed maps which were distributed in our Visitor Information Centres and through the suppliers premises.
We actually decided to create two maps. One was for visitors to the region who wanted to try local produce and maybe take some home with them. These were weekenders and holiday-makers who would likely visit a cafe or restaurant on the map, and we had strict criteria around which suppliers made it on the map – the essential element being that their menu had to support local producers. We called this map our “Buy and Eat Local” map and it also included retail and the few farms which the public could still visit.
The second map we called our “Farm and Produce” map and this was for foodie lovers, chefs and promoters of the produce, who might be sourcing menu items for a cafe or the serious weekend warrior with an empty esky keen to sample the region. Much of the produce on this map could be found at the weekly farmers markets in Stanthorpe and around the region.
The website was a simple 5 page addition which sat in the existing Southern Downs and Granite Belt website. The print brief was for an A3 fold out traditional map for the “Buy and Eat Local” version, and an online downloadable PDF version for the “Farm and Produce” map.
You might think that working on a food trail in this part of South-East Queensland would be an easy job – the Southern Downs is after all, one of the largest food providers in the country. This region has long been known for its’ fresh and abundant produce. They are blessed with rich fertile soil and perfect climactic conditions (with four distinct seasons) to enable growing and producing a wide range of high quality food, ranging from apple and berry orchards, stone fruit and being home to the leading wine producing region in Queensland (The Granite Belt). The north end of the Southern Downs has a strong agricultural industry better known for cattle, lamb, pigs, poultry and crops such as sunflowers, wheat and barley. However, there were challenges.
The first challenge was a massive one – climate. Taking this project on in mid 2020, we were coming off the back of the terrible Stanthorpe bushfires of 2019, as well as still enduring one of the worst droughts in living memory (as well as Stanthorpe actually running out of water). Not a great time for farmers, many of whom had abandoned trying to sell their crops and produce at markets and retail. On top of that, the Covid-19 Pandemic hit in March 2020 and people stopped coming to the farm gates and farmers markets, so buying direct from the producer ground to a halt.
There were many opportunities though and we had to encourage operators to think differently about how they sold their produce. Many who didn’t have e-commerce set up on their websites become online sellers. Special events were another source of custom, where events like the “The Merry Muster” organised by “Buy from the Bush” were a huge hit. At this event 200+ customers from the city hopped onto 4 buses on the Gold Coast with their empty esky’s and shopping baskets, and embarked on a Christmas shopping trip to the Southern Downs. This was just one example of industry collaborating to help our local businesses survive.
The next step for the maps (I am told) is through a digital extension and incorporation into the Southern Downs and Granite Belt App. I’ll put my hand up for a road trip to test out the 2022 food trail anytime!