THERE’S a peculiar crowd moving onto Tamborine Mountain, and while they’re unlikely to say much, their dress sense should give everyone something to talk about.
Sporting straw-filled sleeves, questionable hairdos and whatever the locals can rustle up, hundreds of scarecrows will take up residence for the 19th annual Tamborine Mountain Scarecrow Trail and Festival, running from October 30 to November 1.
For one wonderfully odd spring weekend, families, schools, community groups and businesses will turn the mountain into an outdoor gallery of field guardians, famous faces and creations that suggest someone has spent a little too long alone with the craft supplies.
The free Spot the Scarecrow Discovery Trail invites visitors to hunt down these characters across the mountain, with plenty of opportunities to stop for a coffee, browse local shops and debate whether an old shirt stuffed with straw bears an uncanny resemblance to someone they know.
There is also pride at stake beneath those battered hats. Entrants will compete in categories including Creative, Traditional, Business, Family, Child, Celebrity and First Time in Field, with the coveted Best in Show title awaiting the pick of the crop.
The straw-studded celebration reaches its peak at Cauldron Distillery on Saturday, October 31, when the Tamborine Mountain Scarecrow Festival brings together live music, country fun and a few creatures considerably more animated than the weekend’s headline attractions.
Gates open at 12.30pm, with entertainment from 1pm –pack a picnic chair or blanket, claim a patch of grass and let the afternoon unfold.
Food trucks and market stalls will keep visitors busy between performances.
Hosted by the Tamborine Mountain Chamber of Commerce for 19 years, the free Scarecrow Trail runs from 9am to 4pm daily, October 30 to November 1. Tickets to the October 31 festival are $12 for adults, $7 for children and $35 for families.
