Food and Vine
Learn more about the culinary experiences on offer in Australia - the fun section of foodie heaven
Our chefs and winemakers have learnt from the best, then bent the rules for a food and wine style all of their own. They’ve turned Australia’s sun-kissed produce into a melting pot of cuisine and award-winning wines. Whether you want a fresh seafood platter, a racy Riesling, a modern Asian-fused meal or a crocodile sausage, Australia is the place to be. As warm and welcoming hosts who really know our stuff, we guarantee you won’t forget your mouthfuls with us.
Get a taste of the Top End
Welcome to Darwin's Mindil Beach Sunset Market where you can sample the flavours of the Asia-Pacific in a balmy, tropical setting. The coconut palms are swaying in the sunset, and the smell of sizzling satay and spicy noodles is in the air. Held every Thursday night between May and October, these popular markets offer over 60 food stalls to sate your appetite while the sun goes down.
Explore grapes galore in the Yarra Valley
Just behind Melbourne’s fringes is the Yarra Valley - a place of pristine beauty, crisp clean water and friendly ambience. Clustered behind its rolling hills are 55 wineries, ranging from small family-owned vineyards to the famous Chateau Yering and Domain Chandon. Dine in gourmet restaurants and taste pinot noir, chardonnay and sparkling in a world reminiscent of French and Italian wine growing regions.
Cellar hop in the Barossa
Sip wines from more than 60 cellar doors, including Yalumba, Wolf Blass and Peter Lehmann in Australia’s wine capital. In the Barossa you’ll get to meet the people behind the labels and talk to them about their craft. You can also match your favourite wine with locally made cheese on a food and wine trail, tour historic wineries, take a tutored tasting or learn cellar secrets in a wine masterclass. Of course, nothing beats a long lunch under the gum trees with a bottle of one of the region’s flagship wines, Barossa Shiraz or Eden Valley Riesling.
Discover cool-climate wines in the Coal River
Enjoy pinot noirs, cabernets and medal-winning chardonnays in the scenic Coal River Valley, just a 10 minute drive from Hobart. Sample superb cool-climate wines at the cellar doors and taste fresh Tasmanian produce in vineyard restaurants. Soak up the water views and stop off at the historic village of Richmond before completing your idyllic day trip.
Wine and dine with water views in Bondi
Savour spectacular ocean views with your food in Bondi’s many beachside eateries. Enjoy a gelato at the 1920s Bondi Pavilion or watch the sun go down with a cocktail at one of the acclaimed restaurants. At the cafes on Campbell Parade, Hall Street and clustered around Bondi’s back streets, you’ll find everything from tapas to the world’s best brunch to classic fish and chips.
Wine down in the Swan Valley
Indulge in divine local produce and award-winning wines in Western Australia’s oldest wine region, just a boat ride from Perth. Take in the vines, waterfalls and lush bushland on a cruise up the Swan River. Then hop off for cellar door tastings, a visit to one of the microbreweries and a vineyard or picnic lunch. The Swan Valley is also great for horse riding, cycling, golf, wildlife watching and heritage walks. Check out the antique shops, pubs and galleries in the historic village of Guildford before you head home.
Taste the tropics in and around Cairns
Feast on locally-grown bananas, paw-paws, mangos, pineapples and lychees in the ‘exotic fruit bowl of the world’ near Cairns. But more than fruit flourishes in the region’s rich volcanic soils, green rainforest belt and clean tropical waters. Try seafood, game meats, freshly-made pasta and organic bush foods. Visit an organic permaculture orchard in the rainforest, dine on freshly-caught barramundi in Cairns or sample macadamias and coffee on plantations in the tablelands.
Taste Canberra’s rural riches on the Poachers Trail
Visit cool climate wineries, country cafes, art galleries and craft studios on this self-drive through the Canberra countryside. This is a region where you can enjoy the fruits of country labour – a table laden with delicious food and a bottle of last year’s vintage. Stay in a bed and breakfast where you sleep in crisp linen sheets and wake to bird song on the verandah. Buy handmade glassware and pottery from the galleries and taste wood smoked meats and homemade wine on a farm.
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