Southern Highlands festival Wildfest combines food events and outdoor adventures

Fancy your food events with a side of adventure? A new, unique festival in the Southern Highlands later this year could be right up your alley.

Wildfest is a three day festival from October 27-29, combining gourmet food events and outdoor activities, based in Joadja Old Town, a private property near Berrima that was formerly a mining town.

Organiser Amanda Fry said she created the event to combine her loves of food, travel and the great outdoors.

"I think we've come up with something that's really unique and very different and celebrates Australia," she said.

"I actually live in the Southern Highlands so I'm very keen to show people a lot of things they have no idea are on their doorstep."

The festival's main event is Wild Native Feast on October 28, a degustation dinner under the stars celebrating the local produce and cool-climate wines. The seven course 'field to table' dinner is curated by chef Damien Monley, who now runs Grand Bistro in Bowral, and previously owned Madame Char Char and Flat White Cafe in Sydney.

"The whole concept behind our food is really very simple. The Southern Highlands is going through a massive agri-tourism boom like a lot of places in Australia where that paddock to plate is incredibly important and everything down here is sourced straight from the producers," said Fry.

"We also have a pretty good foraging community. So what we're doing with our food is introducing that wild element, things like lemon sorrel, bush spinach, mushrooms and rosemary, and bringing in some of those very Australian local flavours."

During the weekend, you can also glide down the Kangaroo River on a purpose-built double canoe rig, connected with a table complete with submerged ice buckets. The leisurely paddle is accompanied by native canapes and local wines along the way.

The truly adventurous can opt for the premium three day glamping package, which includes the above events plus luxury camping on-site in purpose-built tents with real beds, a concierge, all food and drinks, plus an itinerary of hiking, abseiling, canoeing and mountain biking specially tailored to each person. And even all of the adventurous activities involve a foodie element.

"So, for example, when you climb up a hill or a mountain, your deck chair and a glass of wine and something to eat will all be waiting for you at the top," said Fry.

Fry said the plan is for Wildfest to be an annual event, with the potential for some smaller offshoot events during the year in different locations.

WILDfest is on October 27-29 in the Southern Highlands. Tickets are available for individual events or the three-day package. Early bird tickets are on sale until June 30 at wildfest.com.au.