Last Christmas while holidaying in Melbourne, my husband and I got a very pleasant surprise. We were asked by the lady at the tourist information centre, if we had seen the gingerbread village yet?
“No,” I replied.
“Oh you must, it’s just around the corner” she said.
So off we went in search of the gingerbread village, not having any idea what to expect, but we had no real plans so we were happy to take a risk.
Wow! The Gingerbread Village by EPICURE, is an amazing fundraiser for Royal Melbourne’s Children’s Hospital. It is a village made of gingerbread, marzipan and royal icing designed to replicate the famous landmarks Melbourne has to offer. It was spectacular. We spent the next 1 1/2 hours absorbing the creativity and the intricate detail of the displays.
The Gingerbread Village 2019 was the biggest one yet and used 600 kilos of gingerbread, 460 kilos of royal icing and 200 kilos of marzipan.
Some of the landmarks in last years display were:
- Grand Prix at Albert Park
- Flemington Racecourse
- Melbourne Zoo
- Luna park
- MCG – Melbourne Cricket Ground which we had toured that morning
- Royal Children’s Hospital – completed with a meerkat enclosure and a giant aquarium both of which I am told in in the hospital for sick children to enjoy.
- Osaka Castle – this one had special significance to us as we had visited it the evening Alex and Mizuki got married in Japan. Apparently Osaka and Melbourne as sister cities.
Here’s hoping that there is a Gingerbread Village 2020. If there is and you get the opportunity I agree with the lady at the tourist information centre.
“You must go!”
