EVENTS HELD AROUND
THE OTWAYS HINTERLAND
The Otways hinterland is fast becoming events central! The annual February Gellibrand Blues and Blueberries is just one of the amazing music festivals of the hinterland. Complete with, you guessed it, all manner of blueberry treats – and delectably fresh local produce in the market stalls. World class bike races such as the Giant Odyssey and the Great Otway Gravel Grind in February bring many ardent mountain bikers to the region. The sixteen kilometres of trail runs along the Old Beechy Rail Trail are the perfect setting for family cycling and the organised fun runs in March each year.
And what about the amazing Soup Fest of Forrest, held on Queens Birthday every year. Yep – a festival all about soup. Local soup-ologists armed with ladles vie for your votes in the highly coveted “Best Soup Award” competition. Winter lusciousness at its best. The Birregurra annual festival is full of music, markets, laughter and one of the most prestigious art shows of the district. Filling the main street across the entire weekend, it’s a well-entrenched part of the local festivals calendar each October.
What about the events of Oktoberfest at Otway Estate, for beer filled frolics and even a bit of slap dancing! Enter the competition for best yodeller. Plenty of hills to practice on around here. Spring and summer bring farmers markets back to the Otways, all showcasing the local produce of the region – food, wine, beer, wool, cheese, chocolate, music, arts and everything in between. There are exhibitions and flower shows, with Colac Orchid Club offering all kinds of advice for coaxing their delicate charges to flower at their annual show.
Enlighten Birre, bringing arts and eclectic music events to Birregurra. Even a pedal powered outdoor cinema. And don’t miss the Otway Harvest Trails Festa in summer, bringing the abundance of Otways events to you, direct from the producers and chefs of the region in fabulous creations of hinterland deliciousness.
