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Taste, create and celebrate with the Town and BHP Hedland Food Festival on Dreamer's Corner Oval in South Hedland, Friday 2 and Saturday 3 September 2022.
The Hedland community will be treated to a celebration of food, culture and entertainment,
The festival will include a two-day culinary event where people can enjoy a variety of fare from different producers, as well as live music and activities. Celebrity chefs and food personalities, Mark Olive and Julie Goodwin, will feature at the event, conducting food demonstrations.
Mark, known as The Black Olive, has been a chef for over 30 years and is regularly seen on many television shows including A Chef's Line, On Country Kitchen and The Outback Café. Julie became a household name when she won the hit television show MasterChef Australia in 2009 and recently returned as a contest on the 2022 series of MasterChef Australia.
To express your interest in holding a retail, food, beverage or display stall at the festival, complete a Stallholder Expression of Interest Online Form.
Further activities and opportunities for partnerships across the Hedland community will be added to the festival’s run of events over the coming weeks.
You can read the full media release here.
Contact the Town of Port Hedland's events team via: events@porthedland.wa.gov.au or 9158 9300
Visit the Town's Facebook page or check back here for updates.
Event Program
workshops with celebrity chefs
Create With....Mark Olive 'aka' The Black Olive | Sunday 4 September
Enjoy a small group workshop with Mark, where he'll take you through a recipe step by step. Then, you'll cook and create the recipe for yourself! Get tips and tricks from the celeb chef, sit down in comfort and enjoy the delicacy you've just created. Take your recipe home and share your new skills with friends and family.
Cost: $75 plus booking fees
Limited spaces, get in quick!
SOLD OUT!
A Morning with Julie at the Hedland Well Women's Centre | Friday 2 September
Julie will be visiting the Well Women’s Centre to take you through recipes for Thai green chicken curry and accompaniments, sharing stories about her life and career along the way. At the end of the demonstration, Julie’s creations will be served up for you to enjoy!
FREE to attend, but RSVPs are essential.
Limited spaces, get in quick!
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SOLD OUT!
Create with Julie Goodwin | Sunday 4 September
Taste.Create.Celebrate as you enjoy a small group workshop with Julie Goodwin making chicken shish tawouk and accompaniments!
Cost: $75 plus booking fees
Limited spaces, get in quick!
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celebrity chefs
Mark Olive
Mark Olive, aka ‘The Black Olive’, has been a Chef for over 30 years and has become a well-known Australian icon with his charismatic style and creative approach to food. Mark’s passion for fusing native food and culture with contemporary lifestyle cooking has led to an international profile specialising in gourmet Australian Indigenous Cuisine. He created and starred in his own television series ‘The Outback Cafe’, which can still be seen internationally, as a host on SBS “A Chef’s Line”, “On Country Kitchen”, “Good Cooks” and on various other cooking, lifestyle and travel shows nationally and globally.
As a Bundjalung Man, Mark’s family originated from the Northern Rivers region in NSW. Born in Wollongong, on Australia's south coast, he became interested in cooking as a child, watching his mother and aunts prepare meals. It fascinated him. He trained under a European chef and has worked in a number of kitchens around the globe.
Well known for his unexpected way, Mark's unique style and passion for cooking with a variety of ingredients, some found in our own back yard, and combining both protein and plant foods is a desired brand. This paired with his charismatic nature and no fuss narration has held him in high demand.
Cooking/Demonstrating regularly for clients such as Tourism Australia, large corporates, along with public and cultural events around the country and the world. As part of Oprah’s Ultimate Audience, her lucky guests were treated to a cultural experience of indigenous food, art and storytelling during Mark’s infamous cooking demonstration. Since then, Mark has entertained a host of dignitaries and varied audiences around the world bringing his signature combinations of contemporary outback flavours to every occasion.
Mark studied at Victorian School of Arts which led to Directing his own short film titled "Passing Through", exploring issues of identity, culture and family.
A storyteller by nature, with a love of Music, Food and People suggests ‘The Back Olive’ as your perfect host.
A wonderful teacher and leader to many not just within his cultural background.
He is respected amongst the Indigenous community and has received invitations to Australia's most remote regions. Passionate about the land and all that grows from it, he is an expert in Native Fauna and the food and medicinal purpose produced from them.
In 2019 Mark collaborated with Peters for their Connoisseur Gourmet range of Ice creams, proving exceptional sales and rave reviews.
Along with a limited POP UP Restaurant on the NSW South Coast and due to popular demand Mark recently opened a Café, Dapbeto’s Midden (translated to Dapto Kitchen).
Julie Goodwin
A household name after taking home the first 'MasterChef' title.
Julie Goodwin is Australia’s favourite home-cook after taking home the title of ‘MasterChef’ in 2009. Since then, she has released cookbooks, appeared on television and at food events and written recipe columns, all whilst raising a family.
In 2009, over four million Australians tuned in to watch the finale of the first season of ‘MasterChef’, which Julie won. Audiences relished her honest and humorous personality as well as her humble cooking style, and the judges enjoyed her food as much as Julie enjoyed cooking it.
When Goodwin published her first cookbook ‘Our Family Table’, it reached number one on the book charts and remained there for over ten weeks.
Joining ‘MasterChef All Stars’ in 2012, Julie put on her MasterChef apron in the hope to raise money for charity. She ended up taking $15,000 to Oxfam as a result.
Five years on from her win, Julie opened a cooking school on the Central Coast of New South Wales named ‘Julie’s Place’. In the same year she also released her fourth cookbook titled ‘20/20 Meals’, which demonstrates how with just $20 and 20 minutes a family of four can be fed.
From a mum to MasterChef, Julie has become a household name and continues to release cookbooks and make frequent media appearances.
Getting to the Festival
Getting around the Festival
frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Do I need to purchase a ticket to the event?
No, tickets are not required, this is a free event.
I am under 18 years of age, can I still attend the event?
The Hedland Food Festival is an all ages event. There will be a licensed area at the event where attendees under 18 years must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian when entering and at all times whilst in the licensed area.
How can I get to the event?
If you are driving to the event, free parking is available at Dreamer’s Corner (Corner of Hamilton Rd and North Circular Rd). Overflow parking locations are at Matt Dann Theatre and Cinema and Wanangkura Stadium.
A temporary cross walk will be in place along Hamilton Rd to allow you to safely access the event via Wanangkura Stadium overflow parking.
Accessible parking is available at Dreamer’s Corner as per the transportation event map above.
Will there be a specific passenger drop offs/pickups, taxis and H Ride zone?
All cars, taxis and H Ride vehicles dropping off or picking up event attendees should head to the drop off/pick up areas as displayed in the map above. Do not try and pick up or drop off anywhere else as it disrupts the flow of traffic and you will be moved on.
Is the event accessible?
The Hedland Food Festival is accessible for attendees in wheelchairs or those utilising prams. Please note the event will be on firm grass with no concrete pathways. The venue has an accessible toilet with a baby change table and parking facilities. An accessible viewing area has been designated in the BHP Demo Tent, please ask Event Staff for assistance.
Assisted listening devices are available for the demonstrations in the BHP Demo Tent. Devices can be requested from the Information Desk as per the event map.
If you have any specific questions in regards to accessibility please contact the Town of Port Hedland Events Team on 9158 9300 or events@porthedland.wa.gov.au
Can I bring my own food/drinks to the event?
There will be a range of food options available at the event as part of the Hedland Food Festival experience. You can bring your own food however, no glass bottles or containers please.
No alcohol is permitted into the event – bags may be searched on entry by our security personnel. Alcohol can be purchased and consumed only in the designated licensed area.
Please note there will be free drinking water available at the Drinks at Dreamer’s Bar.
What beverages will be available at the bar?
Check out the Drinks at Dreamer’s Bar for more information.
Will there be cooking demonstrations?
Yes, check out the BHP Demo Tent for more information.
Will there be free food samples at the event?
Yes, check out the Taste Tent for more information.
What type of entertainment will be at the event?
Check out the event program for more information.
Will there be children’s activities at the event?
Yes, check out the Kid’s Creation Station for more information.
Allergen Options
If you have a known food allergy, we encourage you to bring appropriate medication in the case it is required.
ATM
Stallholders are encouraged to provide cash and card payment methods. There are no ATM facilities available at the event. In the case, attendees require cash, the closest ATM is located at the Caltex Service Station on Hamilton Rd.
Will there be seating available at the event?
Yes, temporary seating will be available however, attendees are encouraged to bring their own picnic rugs/chairs (camp chairs allowed) to the event.
Can I smoke at the event?
A smoking zone will be available for attendees at the event as per the Event Map. Please be respectful of other patrons and only smoke in the designated area and dispose of your butts in the bin provided.
Please do not smoke in the event carpark as this is a fire risk.
COVID-19
Keep Hedland COVID safe by:
- Staying home from the event if you’re unwell.
- Keeping hands washed and sanitised using the onsite facilities.
- Covering coughs and sneezes with your elbow then practice hand hygiene.
- Maintaining physical distancing and avoid unnecessary physical contact with others.
I am at the event and have a question, lost/ found something where do I go?
If you have any questions, have lost something or someone or need medical attention approach one of our friendly event staff (wearing green shirts) or visit the Information Desk located near the event entry. If you need medical attention please visit our event staff or head to the First Aid location, located near the event entry.
In the case of an emergency, follow the directions of the event staff.
My question was not answered, who can I contact for more event information?
Please contact the Events Team on 9158 9300 or email events@porthedland.wa.gov.au
