Discover The Plot at Pialligo this Sunday and support bushfire recovery

Love discovering new markets? Love food, wine and regional produce? Want to support local businesses, especially those impacted by the bushfire crisis? Then you’ve got a few good reasons to pop out to Pialligo Estate this weekend with a brand new regional marketplace opening up on Sunday.

The ‘Love Local’ Market kicks off from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm this Sunday (23 February) at The Plot at Pialligo, the latest development from the Pialligo Estate team (who faced their own close call with the grassfire that broke out nearby in January).

This newest offering joins their popular Market Grill restaurant and stunning Pialligo Fields venue, both of which opened late last year.

Farm Shop Café manager Leonie Sassall said The Plot was created to bring together like-minded businesses to showcase all the good things happening in the region.

“The Plot is an exciting new space down the road from Pialligo Estate, and it’s essentially a community of various shops and cafes in a market-style setting. We’re aiming to create a community that celebrates food, wine, design, education, hampers, sustainable produce and products,” she said.

“We’re making it as accessible as possible by bringing it all to a central location, with lots of parking, as well as easy access for prams and wheelchairs.

“Visitors can drop into my Farm Shop Café where they’ll find fabulous coffee and a brand new menu that’s just launching this week, full of seasonal fresh produce that’s produced in a sustainable way and crafted into a great variety of meals and snacks.

“It’s also an opportunity for Pialligo Estate to showcase our market garden produce and our fabulous award-winning Smokehouse products as well. We’re the only shop in Canberra to stock the full Smokehouse range in the fridge, from salmon and kingfish to bacon, ham, coppa, prosciuttos and more.

“The Plot will also feature The Possum Patch, which is our children’s education centre and party venue, and a wonderful sensory playground for the kids to explore.

“For the grown-ups, you’ll find beautiful homewares and furnishings, as well as top-quality advice on home styling and decorating from Wren and Rabbit, as well as Pink Flamingo Interiors.

“Pink Flamingo can be described as a one-stop-shop for home, personal accessories, fashion and giftwares. You’ll find everything from bright and colourful soft furnishings, lighting, tableware, ceramics and artwork to hats and bags, jewellery, home fragrances and decorative items, even professional styling consultations.

“Wren & Rabbit is the place to find high-end, unique homewares from across the globe. Every item in store has been hand-selected with a focus on supporting artisans and boutique creators, resulting in a carefully curated selection of modern and antique pieces sourced from around the world, including Indonesia, India, Mexico and Morocco.

“We’re also very excited to have Bison Ceramics here. They’ve just moved in. Their incredible ceramics, glassware and lifestyle collections are well-known and recognised throughout the region and beyond, so we know their shop is going to be amazing,” said Leonie.

Supporting bushfire-affected business from across the region

The list of stallholders is extensive and growing every day – visit the Plot at Pialligo to check it out – but these first markets for 2020 will feature a special focus on regional businesses that are working hard to recover from the recent devastating bushfires.

Some of the delicious offerings include Bredbo Black Garlic and Mr Pye’s Amazing Sauces from Bredbo, fresh berries and ice cream from the Clyde River Berry Farm at Mogood, and mbKelp for Life nutritional products sourced from the sea at Mystery Bay.

On the drinks front, you can get to know Sully’s Cider and Wine from Braidwood, discover gin and schnapps created by the Wildbrumby Distillery down at Jindabyne, try craft beers from Tumut River Brewing Co in the Snowy Mountains, and wine from the sustainability-focused Tractorless Vineyard in the Southern Highlands.

There are plenty of options if you’re looking for a special gift or keepsake, with Esther Jane Jewellery all the way from Bermagui, Luna Rose Jewellery from Pambula, and Ochiltree Designs from Merimbula, all there on the day.

Also be on the lookout for Delicious Vibrant Beauty skincare products from Mollymook, GT Creations homewares from Central Tilba, and a wide range of hand-crafted product from the Maple Ridge Farm and goat dairy at Jervis Bay.

“We are very fortunate to have a fantastic team of like-minded people at Pialligo, and our new general manager, Scott Taylor, is very driven to ensure we’re moving forward with a strong focus on ethical, sustainable produce that exceeds expectation,” says manager Leonie Sassall.

“We have so many opportunities due to the size of our site and the fabulous set up of the olive grove, market garden, vineyard, orchard and specially designed event spaces,” she said.

The best advice is to arrive early, bring empty tummies as well as empty shopping bags and eskies, and be prepared to spend a few hours wandering around, chatting with the makers and sampling some incredible produce.

The Love Local Markets are on at The Plot at Pialligo, 12 Beltana Road, this Sunday, 23 February from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
To find out more, visit the website or follow the event on Facebook for the latest updates.