A Month in the Country

This month, red wines and rustic fare make a splash in the Adelaide Hills, the hunt is on for truffles in the Canberra region and a celebration of wool comes to Bendigo.

NSW

Bathurst Winter Festival, July 6th–21st Get rugged up and head outside to the Winter Playground for school holiday fun, fairground rides and ice skating. On Saturday 6th and 13th, sample locally brewed whisky, dine at food trucks and enjoy entertainment from local musicians and performers at Brew & Bite. When the sun sets, take a stroll through town to see historic buildings illuminated in a brilliant light show. Various locations. (02) 6333 6111; bathurstwinterfestival.com.au

2019 Fleece to Fashion Awards, July 4th–6th This annual event promotes the use of merino wool in fashion and encourages designers to enter categories ranging from evening and bridal wear to active and outdoor wear. There are also awards for emerging designers and secondary school students. See the designs come to life on the runway on Saturday July 6th at the event gala, which includes fashion parades and awards. 6pm. Tickets $89–$120. PLC Armidale, Crest Road, Duval. fleecetofashion.com.au

Olive Cotton Award 2019, July 12th– September 22nd This biannual award is open to both professional and emerging artists, and recognises excellence in photographic portraiture with a $20,000 prize. Free. Wednesday to Sunday 10am–5pm. Tweed Regional Gallery, 2 Mistral Road, Murwillumbah South. (02) 6670 2790; artgallery. tweed.nsw.gov.au

The Truffle Festival, until August 11th Join truffle dogs on a hunt for prized fungi, take a cooking class with a local chef or enjoy delicious truffle–infused dishes at restaurants, bars and wineries in the Canberra region. Various venues and prices. trufflefestival.com.au

NT

Alice Springs Show, July 5th–6th More than 18,000 people flock to this agricultural show, making it the largest

community event in Alice. It includes an agricultural exhibition, rides and a Grand Parade on Friday at 2.30pm. Open from 9am. Blatherskite Park, Len Kittle Drive, Alice Springs. (08) 8952 1651; alice-springs.com.au

Katherine Rodeo, July 19th–20th Part of the annual Katherine Show, the rodeo and campdraft are two of the most popular attractions. The show includes equestrian events, carnival rides, a lawnmower race and fireworks display. Gates open at 6.30am. (08) 8972 1746; katherineshow.org.au/ show-info/campdraft-rodeo

QUEENSLAND

Birdsville Big Red Bash, July 16th– 18th Midnight Oil, The Living End, Kasey Chambers, Wendy Matthews, Richard Clapton, Neil Murray and Busby Marou are some of the acts performing at this music festival beside Big Red, a sand dune 35km west of Birdsville that marks the edge of the Simpson Desert. Expect a stunning wildflower display in the surrounding Channel Country. Tickets from $92; children aged 11 and under are free. bigredbash.com.au

Regional Favours, July 20th–21st Experience the Sunshine State on a plate when producers from 17 regions head to Brisbane to take part in a producer marketplace. There are also cooking demonstrations, food innovation talks and children’s activities. Free entry. South Bank Parklands, South Brisbane. regionalflavours.com.au

Rockhampton River Festival, July 12th–14th Held on the bank of the Fitzroy River, this three–day festival

encompasses music, food and cultural events, with activities for all ages. Free. Riverside Precinct, Rockhampton. rockhamptonriverfestival.com.au

Tom Quilty Gold Cup, July 11th–14th Now in its 54th year, this iconic endurance ride begins at midnight, when more than 350 horseriders will set off into the state forest. They have 24 hours to complete the challenging 160km course. Riders travel from around Australia and overseas to compete. $520 to enter, free for spectators. Stirling’s Crossing Equestrian Complex, Derrier Road, Imbil. 0418 151 839; tomquilty2019.com.au

SA

High Tea at The Blok, July 6th–7th and 13th–14th Sip tea from the Trotter family’s vintage china and enjoy homemade delicacies in the gallery, set among The Blok Estate’s Coonawarra vineyards, just outside Penola. July is also Cellar Dweller month, dedicated to celebrating the superior ageing quality of Coonawarra wines, with food and wine events throughout the region. $35 per person, which includes a glass of wine, tea and homemade baked goods. Noon–4pm. 15535 Riddoch Highway, Coonawarra. (08) 8737 2734; blok.com.au

500 Miles of Music, July 6th–11th The outback will be rocking from Wombat Flat to William Creek as this inaugural roadshow takes some of Australia’s top country–music artists to perform in four locations across rural SA over the space of a week. Among the headline acts are Adam Harvey, Aleyce Simmonds and Brad Butcher. Various venues and ticket prices. 500milesofmusic.com >

Winter Reds Festival, July 26th–28th Head to the Adelaide Hills to experience red wines, rustic fare and open fires, as the region’s wineries and iconic venues play host to 50 winter–themed events. There are long–table lunches, fireside feasts and family–friendly events. winterreds.com.au

TASMANIA

Devonport Jazz Festival, July 25th–28th The legendary James Morrison is the headline act at this annual music festival, which takes place in venues throughout the city. Try your hand at Swing Mania dance classes, hear a jazz tribute to INXS and or enjoy a child–friendly show by Django’s Tiger. (03) 6424 0511; devonportjazz.com.au

Willie Smith’s Huon Valley Mid–winter Fest, July 12th–14th A celebration of the history of apple growing, which includes the burning of a two–storey wicker man, an old English wassailing ceremony to scare off evil spirits and awaken the apple trees, and a roaring bonfire. Enjoy a feast at the new Mid–winter Banquet, which showcases the fresh produce of the Huon Valley. Weekend pass $85, Mid–winter Banquet $99.50 per person. Ranelagh Recreation Grounds, 49 Marguerite Street, Ranelagh. (03) 6264 4102; huonvalleymidwinterfest.com.au

VICTORIA

Australian Sheep and Wool Show and Women of Wool Luncheon, July 19th–21st An event celebrating Australia’s most extensive wool and fibre market, with vendors selling woollen clothing and high–quality designs and yarns. The Women of Wool Luncheon includes inspiring speakers and entertainment, plus entry to fashion parades and the Festival of Lamb. The luncheon is on Friday 19th at noon and tickets cost $110. Show entry is $22 for adults, $17 concession and $44 for families. Children under 14 free. Prince of Wales Showground, Bendigo. Luncheon bookings: 0407 422 052; womenofwool.com.au; sheepshow.com The Design Exchange and Bakers Lane Market, July 6th–7th Jewellery and clothing designers, ceramicists, artists and makers of homewares present their wares in one of Ballarat’s heritage buildings. Warm up with a glass of mulled wine, whisky or craft beer, and enjoy artisanal foods in a warm and cosy environment. Saturday 4pm–9pm, Sunday 10am–3pm. Ballarat Mining Exchange, 8 Lydiard Street, North, Ballarat. thedesignexchange.com.au

WA

Cabin Fever Festival July 19th–28th Now in its third year, this 10–day event encourages visitors and locals of the south–west to celebrate the region’s outstanding food, wine and music with 35 events throughout the beautiful Margaret River region. Admission varies. cabinfeverfest.com.au

Cows at Bannister Downs Dairy near Northcliffe in WA head to the aptly named The Creamery for milking. To read about the Daubney family who run the dairy, turn to page 108.

The Cottage is perched high on Conondale Station to offer visitors sweeping valley views. OPPOSITE, FROM TOP Every dish at The Summertown Aristologist is seasonal and simply cooked to perfection; the Olive Cotton Award exhibition at Tweed Regional Gallery features photography of the calibre of 2017 finalist Brett Canet–gibson’s mesmerising work Trevor Jamieson 2016.

Part of July’s Cabin Fever Festival, Farm, Fire, Food is a seven–course desgustation at Yallingup, WA.