Australian Country Feasts

It’s been an exquisite form of torture to have produced this title in lockdown. To spend every day writing about the wonderful places to eat, drink and stay across the country and then not to be able to travel more than five kilometres from my home has been an interesting exercise, to say the least. But it’s been a great opportunity to take stock of the incredibly diverse offerings we have and the wonderful produce that awaits us all when we can travel freely again. Suffice to say, my bucket list of places I must visit, or revisit, is now way longer than my arm. Importantly, Australian Country Feasts focuses on the regions. While we all know about the wonderful hospitality venues in our capital cities, this title takes you…

They called it the dump of the decade in Victoria’s high country. Mount Hotham was a white out. Australian Country was there as the blizzard swirled around, diamond-patterned chains on our wheels, squinting for the red and yellow tips of the buried poles that said here is the road. When we reached Dinner Plain and the sun began to emerge, we could see the stark, icy outlines of huts and lodges bathed in silence. We’ve got the place to ourselves, we thought. And then we realised that all the other cars were buried under vast snow drifts. That afternoon, we had an appointment with a musher. That’s the Husky handler who was to drive the dogs pulling our sled on a spin through the snow gums. And, even more bizarre…

To start with some obvious suggestions: surfing the famous breaks, caving, whale watching, sipping a crisp 97-point Frankland Estate Riesling while the sun sinks over the horizon, rock climbing, feasting on produce of the sprawling farmlands and dramatic coast — freshly shucked oysters at Albany, crayfish, venison chorizo at Margaret River, Mount Barker chicken, organic fruits and vegetables, intoxicating cheeses. All this in an atmosphere you can almost savour itself. Then there’s horse riding, travelling through ancient forests, shouldering the camera in national parks containing some of the world’s rarest flora and fauna, stretching out on perfect beaches at Bremer Bay, Albany, Denmark and elsewhere, wind surfing over ancient sea-carved cliffs. Whether you’re a local or from “over east” as everywhere else tends to be called here, it’s hard to…

Even before the first passenger trains rolled into town in the 1880s, this spangled strip of the windjammer coast has been a lot of a show-off. The Kiama region, Minnamurra, Bombo, Jamberoo, Kiama, Gerringong and Gerroa, call it what you will — destination? Magnet? — where fresh mountain air meets the salt-smacked Tasman Sea, has always flashed its abundance of natural riches. Fresh could be its second name: the freshness of its land and seascapes brought the plein-air artists on those first trains; its fresh ocean, dairy and agricultural produce, plus the fresh discoveries of its enticing hinterland, attracted adventurers; and refugees from smoky Sydney keenly inhaled its fresh mood and relaxed atmosphere to become the first European tourists. The highway speeds today’s visitors to Kiama but perhaps a better…

Just a picturesque 90-minute drive from Sydney, nestled into the prettiest nook along the South Coast, find famous blowholes, unspoilt beaches, lush rolling hills, world class waves, ancient rainforests, and contemporary towns and villages with a warm welcome. Along with the world’s largest blowhole, and nationally significant attractions such as Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures and Jamberoo Action Park, one of the most popular attractions is the Kiama Coast Walk. This unbroken ribbon of exploration spans approximately 20kms from Minnamurra to Gerringong, offering easy entry and exit points, hidden rock pools, geological wonder, grassy tracks, beautiful sandy beaches and some of the best opportunities for whale watching between May and November. The Kiama area offers the opportunity to fill an entire week long itinerary with stunning waterfalls, rainforest walks, golden sand…

It’s summer in Hobart. The Derwent shimmers, the yachts as they finish their race from Sydney are being moored in the docks. Just steps away are the colourful stalls of Tasmanian restaurants and producers selling seafood, berries, cheese, marbled meats, craft beer, wine and spirits, cider. Grab a table along the docks, or a bean bag near the bands and street performers, graze your way through the flavours of the state’s rich soils, pure air, clean waters. Now is the week, between Christmas and New Year, when the city that shines with its proximity to the sea is at its exuberant best. This is the Taste of Tasmania festival. Alongside is Salamanca Place where it is festival time all the time, especially on Saturdays when the famed Salamanca Market boasts…