CENTURY FOR BIG BANANA
WE’RE going organic this week to a 100-year institution.
Not just because I’ve been eating sea-salt chocolate each day to get me through night shifts and need a health kick; I needed an excuse to head out there again.
What more do you need than organic fruit and veggies, fresh air, live music and a scenic drive?
Not much, am I right? This one is something to pencil in for the weekend, sure to please the entire family.
Established in 1915 by Arthur Freeman, the Currumbin Valley farm became the largest banana plantation in Australia in the 1920s, but is now a family-owned organic farm growing fruit, veggies and herbs.
The family attribute their high-quality produce to the “fertile basalt soils and the warm north-easterly aspect” of the area. But while the farm offers everything from corn and carrots to beetroot and, of course, bananas, there’s a little more to it.
The Platform Cafe on site has coffees galore and yummy snacks for those a little bit peckish, and local performers and buskers can often be found strumming away on a guitar close by.
If you’re keen for a photo, there’s ample opportunities with a stunning view of the valley once you’ve finished shopping.
Of course, if you just want to take time to chill out, the relaxed atmosphere will certainly help with that.
The scenic drive on winding roads along rainforests also makes that 45-minute drive from the Gold Coast seem much shorter.
Freeman’s Organic Farm at 618 Tomewin Mountain Road, Currumbin, is open Friday to Sunday, 7.30am-2.30pm.