Mindy Woods at Ballarat Begonia Festival

Mindy Woods is a proud Bundjalung woman of the Widjabul Wia bul clan, from Northern Rivers, NSW. Former physiotherapist, Masterchef Au Contestant and Restaurant Group CEO of Lotus Dining, Mindy followed her dreams and returned to country in 2020 to open her own venue ‘Karkalla’ in Byron Bay.

This move was fuelled by Mindy’s desire to connect indigenous and non-indigenous people with Aboriginal culture, art and stories through food and to increase awareness and encourage use of the oldest foods on Earth.

For Mindy, food, art, culture and country are inseparable. Her former restaurant, Karkalla, featured locally sourced, seasonal produce and native indigenous ingredients.

Mindy shares her love for food, country and culture and is passionate about showcasing these incredible world class ingredients on the international platform they deserve to be seen.

Catch Mindy on the Begonia Stage at 12.45pm and 3pm on Monday 10th March.