Sometimes referred to as the ‘Timber town’, Blackbutt is a small rural town a 2-hour drive from Brisbane. Named after the common name for the Eucalyptus Piluralis tree, native to the area, the town has a strong agricultural history and is surrounded by natural beauty.
Nature-lovers will be spoiled by the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, which can be accessed from the Blackbutt Rail Trail entrance as well as the the Bicentennial National Trail, a trail open to walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders which links up over 5,000 kilometres of old stock routes along the Great Dividing Range from Victoria to Tropical North Queensland, also accessible from Blackbutt.
But there’s also man-made delights to be discovered! The quaint town is a wonderful place for a stroll, with plenty of cosy corners to discover, and is home to legendary Blackbutt Bakery, renowned for it’s hefty, comforting, freshly-baked pies. With flavours ranging from the traditional to the inventive — think chicken parm and goat satay — this tried and tested spot is more than worth the trip, and that’s not even mentioning their indulgent pastries!
History and art lovers will find something to love as well in the community-based Blackbutt Art Gallery and colourful Janet Skinner Gallery, though be aware the latter is open by appointment. You can also spend some time browsing memorabilia and photographs at the Roy Emerson Museum, which celebrates the achievements of this locally-raised, international tennis champ. Roy won 12 Grand Slam finals, 16 men’s doubles titles and eight Davis Cup titles. And you can even take a selfie with Roy, posing next to the statue honouring the tennis great!
Perhaps best of all though, is that Blackbutt’s agriculture ties go way beyond the typical farms you would expect to find in a rural town. The community is proud of their history and crops, and what better way to show that than with the annual Bloomin’ Beautiful Blackbutt Avocado Festival?
That’s right, a whole festival dedicated to that versatile green gem and every Millennial’s weakness: avocado. Every September, you can experience this charming family-friendly event for free, enjoying fun avocado-themed games — such as AvoToss, Avo Golf and classic fair games like wheelbarrow races — live entertainment from local musicians, and even meet avocado mascots Alvin and Avo-Joe!
Of course, this quirky festival would be incomplete with delicious — you guessed it — avocado-based treats, ranging from the must-haves like guac or nachos, to the unexpected and adventurous, like avocado cheesecake.
This year’s festival is yet to be announced, so keep your eyes peeled for that, although there’s plenty of charming events going on around town year-round!