Colour, flavour and country fun at Big Rosella Field Days
Woolooga’s Big Rosella Field Days are back on 2-3 May, promising a weekend-long explosion of colour, flavour and on-farm fun.
Hosted at Petersen’s Farm, the Big Rosella Field Days celebrate the annual harvest of tangy, crimson-coloured rosellas (also known as wild hibiscus), with the Petersen family among Australia’s largest commercial producers of the unique crop.
Now in its second decade, the event delights locals and interstate visitors alike, blending food, farming, creativity and community in a relaxed country setting.
This year’s program builds on much-loved favourites while adding fresh energy, with lively cook-offs between local personalities and chefs, painting in the paddock, rosella races, a silent disco, live music and expanded farmers markets.
Celebrity chef demonstrations, farm tours and creative experiences will once again showcase just how versatile rosellas can be beyond the jam jar.
Close-up of a rosella bush.
Families are firmly at the heart of the Big Rosella Field Days, with kids’ activities including an ice-cream eating contest, young farmer competition and plenty of space to explore, play and picnic on the farm.
The atmosphere is deliberately low-fuss and welcoming, evoking an old-fashioned country fair with a distinctly modern paddock-to-plate twist.
Host Cecilia ‘CC’ Diaz-Petersen says the longevity of the event comes down to staying grounded in community and farming values.
“People tell us they love the simplicity,” CC said.
“Fresh air, good food, meeting farmers and makers, and spending proper time together. That sense of community is what’s carried us through floods, droughts, and even a virtual festival during COVID.”
Crepes with rosellas makes a delicious dessert.
Usually referred to (and enjoyed) as a fruit, rosella is a flower believed to have arrived in Australia thousands of years ago.
It’s incredibly rich in vitamin C and has a beautiful tart, rhubarb-like flavour, and has historically been popular with First Nations Peoples and later European settlers for its abundance and nutrition.
Today, it’s growing a legion of fans using it in syrups, with champagne, in meat marinades and more.
CC has an extensive range of products and uses them as part of her popular Woolooga Farm Kitchen brand.
“We actually grow about 20-30 types of exotic fruit and vegetables each year, from gooseberries to okra to winged beans and lots of chillies, but rosellas are what really draw people in,” she said.
“Older generations remember making rosella jam with their own grandparents because it was plentiful in their backyards, while younger people are interested in it as a gourmet superfood.”
Big Rosella Field Days
- Where: Petersen’s Farm, 2 Reilly Rd, Woolooga (about 40 minutes’ drive north-west of Gympie)
- When: 2-3 May 2026
- Cost: Adults $10 | Kids under 12 free
- More info: petersensfarm.com.au
More articles
Related topics
Things to note
The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained in the document is general advice, not intended as legal advice or professional advice and does not take into account any person’s particular circumstances. Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you, having regard to your objectives and needs.
Insurance Products (excluding Travel Insurance) are issued by RACQ Insurance Limited ABN 50 009 704 152 (RACQI) and arranged by its agent, RACQ Distribution Services Pty Ltd (RDS) ABN 35 116 361 650, AFSL 567130 and RDS' authorised representatives (including RACQ Operations Pty Ltd ABN 80 009 663 414, AR No. 234978 (RACQO). Conditions, limits and exclusions apply. RDS and RACQO are in the RACQ group of companies. One of the companies in the RACQ group of companies has a minority shareholding in RACQI.
RDS and RACQO have not taken your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account when preparing advice regarding insurance products and you will need to consider whether the advice is appropriate for you. Read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and any applicable Supplementary PDS before making a purchase decision on this product. You can also access our Target Market Determinations on this website. RDS receives a commission from RACQI for the policies it arranges. RACQO receives fees paid for services it provides to RDS. Further details about remuneration are available on request prior to purchasing.
Banking and loan products issued by Members Banking Group Limited ABN 83 087 651 054 AFSL/Australian credit licence 241195 trading as RACQ Bank. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending policies apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the disclosure documents for your selected product or service, including the Financial Services Guide and the Terms and Conditions, and consider if appropriate for you before deciding.
Except for RACQ Bank, any RACQ entity referred to on this page is not an authorised deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). That entity’s obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of RACQ Bank. RACQ Bank does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of that entity, unless noted otherwise.
RACQ Bank subscribes to the Customer Owned Banking Code of Practice which establishes higher standards than the law requires. The Code reflects modern consumer expectations and developments in approaches to issues such as consumer vulnerability, guarantors, and supporting customers through financial hardship. Please read our Customer Owned Banking Code of Practice page for more information.
RACQ Operations Pty Ltd (ABN 80 009 663 414 AR 000234978) and Members Travel Group Pty Ltd (ABN 45 144 538 803 AR 000432492) are acting as an Authorised Representative of the issuer of the insurance, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (ABN 80 000 438 291 AFSL 246 548). Any advice set out above is general in nature only, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before purchasing any travel products, please consider the RACQ Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and the Target Market Determinations (TMDs) that apply to these products. Whilst the PDS outlines the Terms and Conditions of these products, the TMDs outline the intended class of customers that comprise the target market for these travel products. This will allow you to consider which products best suit your objectives, financial situation and needs and consider the products appropriateness to your personal circumstances. TMDs also outline matters involving the distribution and the review of these products. The PDS, Supplementary PDS and TMDs for each travel product can be found here.