More than 1400 people enjoyed the food and wine delights of Gippsland last Sunday as the annual Feast on East at Metung Festival wowed locals and visitors alike.

The warm winter sunshine and beautiful blue skies saw people streaming through the gate from 11am, with dynamic mix of Gippslanders from near and far as well as visitors from Melbourne and tourists from New South Wales and Queensland.

The large, happy crowd filled the village green and Bancroft Bay waterfront, enjoying the opportunity to sample a wide range of Gippsland wines, accompanied by a delicious selection of culinary delights that all featured local produce as their hero ingredients.

From exquisite handmade chocolate, local honey, and Gippsland cheeses to freshly baked sourdough, Forge Creek Lamb cutlets, and pizzas topped with Gippsland Pearl mushrooms, the focus on the quality of Gippsland produce was a winner with the crowds.

Food & Fibre Gippsland interim chief executive officer, Dr Nicola Watts, was delighted with the number of people attending and the positive impact that this has on the local economy.

“Events like this are a result of a lot of collaborative hard work and planning, but we have such engaged exhibitors who are so passionate about their products, so it is fantastic to be able to bring them all together in such an iconic location,” Dr Watts said.

“When the result is a day like Sunday with so many happy people enjoying the best of everything that Gippsland’s food and wine sector has to offer, it certainly makes it all worth the effort.

“It looks set to continue to be a highlight of the June long weekend for many years to come.”

PICTURED: Bairnsdale’s Julie Dennison, Kange Suda and Marcia Rijs ensured their stomachs were satisfied at Feast on East on the Metung Village Green on Sunday. The annual Queen’s Birthday event attracted more than 1200 patrons from far and wide to taste some of Gippsland’s best produce.