NSW Southern "Pie-lands" celebrate the great Aussie pie in June

Tracy Nickl with a load of freshly baked pies at the Gumnut Patisserie in Mittagong

One of my favourite local destinations is the New South Wales Southern Highlands, an area renowned for its lush landscapes, picturesque villages, fascinating history, and burgeoning food and wine scene.

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The district also happens to be home to Australia’s BEST pies. Yep, Peter and I can vouch for this, having eaten our way through a variety of sweet and savoury pies from various bakeries, cafes and patisseries across the Highlands.

Give this, it's with great pleasure that I share with you the news that, throughout the month of June, the Southern Highlands will celebrate the great Australian pie with the inaugural Pie Time, a series of mouth-watering pie themed events and festivals.

Will Bleeker with a cracker of a pie from the famous Robertson Pie Shop

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“We all know Australians just love a local pie. And the Southern Highlands has a large saturation of quality pie producers, with everything from top-notch gourmet pies, to family winter warmers and deliciously sweet dessert pies,” explains Steve Rosa, Manager of Tourism and Events, Destination Southern Highlands.

“What better way to demonstrate some pie parochialism than with a pie festival, pie trail, pie competition and related pie events featuring over 30 local pie sites; including bakeries, cafes, restaurants, hotels and associated businesses in the Southern Highlands. “In essence, we will become the Southern Pie-lands throughout June."

Rebekah Law shows off her pies at Heatherbrae's Pies Sutton Forest (Kramer Photography)

Pie Time will have four main components:

• The Pie Time Festival, featuring pie tasting, beer and pie matching, cooking demonstrations, pie eating, competitions, music and more to be held on the 24th and 25th June in Bowral’s Corbett Gardens; 
• Southern Highlands’ Best Pie Competition, for professional and apprentice bakers, plus a local community entry category with people’s choice awards. This event will be held on 22 and 23 June, also in Bowral’s Corbett Gardens;
• The Pie Trail, where visitors can tour and sample locally made pies from over 30 local pie outlets; 
• Dine with a Pie, when visitors can sample the region’s signature pies at hotels, cafes and restaurants (available only for the month of June). 

Megan Stone with a pie plate at Stones Patisserie in Berrima (Kramer Photography)

Karen Randall with a platter of pies at the Exeter General Store (Kramer Photography)

“Pies can be enjoyed at all of the Southern Highlands’ key attractions and spectacular locations, including the Illawarra Fly, Bradman Museum’s Stumps Café, Fitzroy Falls, as well as galleries, pubs and restaurants.  It will be THE destination to experience, enjoy and worship the great Aussie pastime of eating the great Australian pie,” said Steve.
 
"Pie Time will be an accessible, fun and a quirky way to look at the Southern Highlands. Visitors can come for the pies, then stay on with a ‘Pie, Bed & Breakfast’ package and experience all that the Highlands has to offer along the way,” he added.

Celebrating the great Aussie pie

For more information on Pie Time click here. To book your stay in the New South Wales Southern Highlands so that you, too, can indulge in Pie Time 2017, visit  the web site or telephone 1300 657 559. Use the hashtags #pietime #visitsouthernhighlands when sharing your Pie Time photos.

Source: Media Release. Images supplied and appear courtesy of Destination Southern Highlands.

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Do you love pie, dear readers? Do you have a favourite bakery or cafe in the NSW Southern Highlands or your own neck of the woods?