Off the back of a recent gold win at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, the team at Destination Southern Highlands is bringing together a bounty of new ingredients and baking an even tastier pie recipe for Pie Time 2019.
Tourism and economic development group manager for Destination Southern Highlands Steve Rosa said the many top bakers and chefs of the region would attest to the fact the promotion has reached prep stages.
"We are rallying our bakeries, cafes, restaurants and tour operators, taste testing some amazing pie fillings and heating up the tour operators and pie warmers to become the 'Southern Pie-lands' for the entire month of June," Steve said.
"Pie Time 2019 will offer visitors to the Highlands pies, pies and more pies.
"It really is 30 days and 100s of ways to enjoy pies."
Pie Time is when the Southern Highlands region of NSW celebrates the great Australian pie with a series of mouth-watering pie themed events, festivals, tours and activities throughout the month of June.
This year, Pie Time will include some delectable new ingredients including the Sweety Pie & Bubbles Trail, the perfect match of local sparkling wines and pies.
"Pie Time 2019 has seen our local tourism operators become even more creative when it comes to their pie themed offerings," Steve said.
"This year visitors can enjoy Pies in the Sky, star gazing, pinot, pies and fires at Cuttaway Hill Wines, and Paddock to Pie Bonfires, held every Saturday during June at Farm Club Australia, near Moss Vale."
Steve also revealed a first for Pie Time and the Southern Highlands - Past Times & Pies, a special ticketed tour of Fairground Follies in Bowral. Not usually open to the public, owner Craig Robson will open up his enormous warehouse of antique mechanical and musical attractions, including mechanical organs, instruments and fairground attractions such carousels, swing boats and wagons. The experience will include a delightful morning tea including, you guessed it, pies.
Pie Time 2019 will include the two flagship events - NSW and ACT Best Pie Competition, this year being held earlier on May 30-31 and the two-day pie festival, PieFest, to be held at the Bong Bong Picnic Racecourse on June 29-30. PieFest will celebrate all things pies, with pies supported by local wine, beer, cider and spirits from the Southern Highlands and further afield.
"And of course the Highlands' local pie makers, bakers, chefs and producers will once again take part in the other pie related events that were highly successful in past years, including Dine with a Pie, where visitors can sample the region's signature pies at hotels, cafes, cellar doors and restaurants available only for the month of June, and the Pie Trail where visitors can tour and sample locally made hero pies from over 30 local pie outlets," Steve said.
"We'll have pie-themed cooking classes, Pie and Pinot tours, Pie-cycle tours and way more. Visitors to the Southern Highlands are encouraged to enjoy a pie at many of the Southern Highlands' key attractions and spectacular locations, such as Bradman Centre Café, Fitzroy Falls, The Illawarra Fly, Historic Berrima Village and the region's many cafes, pubs and restaurants.
"Pie Time is taking our humble pie and creating a real pie-themed movement in the Highlands. It's the great pie takeover. So, come and dine in the Southern Pie-lands this June."
Pie Time runs from June 1-30 in the Southern Highlands of NSW. For more information on Pie Time visit www.pietime.com.au.
