7 Australian food and wine adventures to book now
Here’s how to savour Western Australia’s impressive local produce and spectacular nature
with the travel experts at Trailfinders.
With its world-class wine region and inventive food scene which harnesses delicious regional delicacies, Western Australia offers a scintillating gourmet experience. Find outstanding restaurants pairing seasonal dishes with knockout ocean views. Or delve deep into the land’s ancestral heritage, learning to forage with Aboriginal guides. Savour the region's delicious bounty of produce; untouched landscapes; and watch the sun dip lazily into the Indian Ocean. Getting to Western Australia is easy with Qatar Airways who will fly you from London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Birmingham to Perth / Boorloo in the utmost comfort. To plan your dream culinary trip, turn to Trailfinders, the experts in tailormade itineraries. Here are 7 of the best food and wine adventures you might experience:
The streets of Western Australia’s vibrant state capital are chock-full with cool and dare-to-be-different restaurants. But the coastal food joints which fringe some of the city’s 19 silky sand beaches simply can’t be missed. Cult-worthy beachside and open-air restaurants provide windows onto epic Indian Ocean surf breaks. And slick venues like Odyssea, on City Beach, are the hot ticket for seasonal dining, inventive cocktails and stirring sunset views. A brilliant spot for watching the surfers is Bib & Tucker, a stylish but laid-back Leighton Beach venue where fish tacos and seafood platters provide the post-swim lunch of dreams.
A little up the coast from here, find Little Sup, a surfer’s hangout which whips out breakfast bowls and artistically poured lattes. Its adjacent Ocean Merchants is your go-to for surfing equipment and apparel.
If you fancy sampling Perth’s sustainably caught Western Rock Lobster, book the Luxe Island Seafood Cruise with Rottnest Cruises. Led by an experienced crew, this four-hour excursion sets sail from the nature-filled Rottnest Island, known as Wadjemup, and allows you to haul in your own cray pot of lobster while cruising waters so clear, you’ll spot the marine life glistening within them. You’ll dine on the delicacy from the deck of a 69ft charter boat and drop anchor at three scenic points around the sublimely beautiful, and storied, island.
2. The Margaret River Region
It’s no surprise that travellers are often lured 300km south of Perth to Margaret River. This biodiversity hotspot combines pristine native bushland, towering forest and a rugged limestone coast that’s steeped in the 60,000-year history of the Wadandi (Saltwater) Peoples. Its wine region, born on the Vasse Felix estate, has also put the namesake region on the map. It may just be 50 years in, but when you visit the founding wine estate with Trailfinders’ Ultimate Winery Experience – Epicurean Vasse Felix, you’ll discover that its elegant grape varieties have gained international acclaim.
Beside food and wine pairing with the estate’s winemaker and chef, take a bushwalk, foraging for seasonal native foods and medicines, with Wadandi custodian Josh ‘Koomal’ Whiteland. During a visit to the stalagmite- and stalactite-filled Ngilgi Cave, he'll share stories passed down from his elders, accompanied by a unique didgeridoo performance.
At Jesters Flat, combine wine tasting with scenic horse rides among the region’s soaring karri forests, home to the tallest hardwoods on Earth. At the family-owned Passel Estate, discover not just fantastic wine, but a sanctuary for some of the region’s Western Ringtail Possums. Each November, the region comes alive with Pair’d, an exciting food and wine event of sommeliers, world-renowned chefs, winemakers and musicians.
3. Truffle hunting in
Pemberton
The clue to Western Australia’s prolific truffle growing region comes from the slick restaurants of Perth, whose chefs use this earthy ingredient to mastermind innovative seasonal dishes. To find the source of this sought-after delicacy, head 300km south to the Southern Forests where in the 90s, farmers planted truffle orchids and farms after they discovered a unique microclimate, akin to the truffle-producing Perigord region in France.
While exploring Western Australia’s so-called ‘food bowl’ – a region of sky-reaching karri and jarrah trees and undulating valleys – head to Truffle Hill or Australian Truffle Traders and join a truffle-hunt with specially trained dogs in tow, sniffing out the underground delights (June to August). Discover the excitement of digging up these precious fungi yourself and sample myriad truffle-infused pâtés, rillettes and terrines at Hound and Hunter Deli and Test Kitchen in Manjimup. Over the last weekend of June, the town hosts the much-loved Truffle Kerfuffle festival, and if you fancy something different, see what your tastebuds think of the seasonal truffle ales and cider at The Cidery and Blackwood Valley Brewing Co in nearby Bridgetown.
When more exploration calls, head 50km west for a 4WD adventure at the spellbinding Yeagarup Dunes. Spanning 10km in length, they’re the southern hemisphere’s largest landlocked dunes and rise majestically between the namesake beach, the karri forest and mouth of the Warren River.
4. Pearls and craft
breweries in Broome
The Tropical northwestern port of Broome / Rubibi has been synonymous with its pearling industry since the late 19th century when more than 80,000 tons of highly coveted pearl shells were exported worldwide. What many don’t know, is that the meat of the pearl oyster – specifically, the adductor muscle – is now a sought-after delicacy. And its delicate flavour and texture are best appreciated raw, cured or lightly seared. If you’re curious about this superior shellfish, visit Willie Creek Pearl Farm on Broome’s outskirts: during their masterclass, you might get to taste it while learning about the intricate processes involved in its farming.
A visit to Broome’s micro-breweries is a must for all. The tap beer selection at laid-back Matso’s is particularly exciting: their ginger, mango and lemon crush beers provide the perfect tonic on a hot day. Don’t miss Spinifex Brewing Co either, who have outposts on North Beach and Cable Beach. The first part Aboriginal and veteran-owned craft brewery to open in Australia, they’ll surprise you with the native and Aboriginal-produced ingredients they use in their brewing: from lemon myrtle and wattle seed to pepper berries, they’re sure to excite your tastebuds. They even draw on the Dampier Peninsula’s rare Kakadu plum or Gubinge fruit, historically used for a variety of nutritional and medicinal purposes by the region’s Bardi People.
5. Fishing and foraging
in Shark Bay
Australia’s Shark Bay World Heritage Area / Gathaagudu is distinguished by its ‘w-shaped’ coastline, formed by two long narrow peninsulas. At the end of the outer strip of land, you’ll find Dirk Hartog Island – now known as Cape Inscription – widely considered one of the country’s most important conservation areas. Thanks to an ambitious rewilding project, native species such as the banded and rufous hare-wallabies, the dibbler, and Shark Bay bandicoot have been successfully reintroduced, returning the island to the natural state it enjoyed when Europeans arrived here in 1616. Explore the unique wildlife of this seemingly off-grid wilderness, taking in its secluded beaches, giant blow holes and crystal-clear waters. In the surrounding marine sanctuary, you might be lucky enough to glimpse turtles, dolphins, rays, dugongs and migrating whales beneath the surface.
Watching its famed ‘last sunset,’ sink into the horizon from its 180ft cliffs, with a refreshing local gin in hand, is a soul-stirring experience. And from here, why not journey to Shark Bay’s staggering Francois Peron National Park, found on the narrow Peron Peninsula with its terracotta red cliffs. With Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Cultural Adventures, you can fish and forage for rock oysters before cooking them on an open fire on the sugar-soft sands. You’ll also learn about the land’s heritage: the ancestral home of the Nhanda and Malgana Aboriginal People.
6. Discover native ingredients on the Dampier Peninsula
The Bardi People are the Traditional Owners of Australia’s Dampier Peninsula. And learning foraging and hunting techniques from these original custodians will connect you to the region’s true heritage. Against the staggering backdrop of cerulean waters and red pindan cliffs, the Bardi People will teach you traditional spear fishing techniques that have been used for millennia. They’ll also introduce you to mud-crab hunting in the region’s tangle of otherworldly mangroves, which you can cook on an open fire, against the soundtrack of the waves.
One thing you’ll notice in the region’s thickets of acacia trees is the sunshine-yellow bloom of fluffy wattle flowers which tell the land’s custodians what’s for lunch. “When the wattle trees are in flower, it means the mullet are spawning,” says Bundy, an elder from the local Bardi nation. “And it means the golden trevally, mangrove jack, sweetlips and salmon are rich in oil. It’s the best time to catch and cook them.”
Another, almost sacred, type of flora here is Gubinge, or the Kakadu plum – rich in vitamin C and antioxidants and hailed as Australia’s native superfood. While visiting the Dampier Peninsula, look out for innovative culinary ways in which this fruit is used: from a gelato-like Gubinge crush, to a Gubinge wafer or fruit strap. It’s also used in powder form for delicious smoothies, juices and salads.
7. Whet your appetite with Qatar Airways
Fly to Western Australia with Qatar Airways
Travel to Western Australia with Qatar Airways and you can start your culinary journey from the moment you board your flight. As you travel seamlessly from London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Birmingham to Perth / Boorloo, with a stopover in Doha, you’ll be served an exclusive selection of premium beverages, expertly selected for your journey and guaranteed to set the scene for an exciting, gourmet discovery. You’ll experience the height of luxury from their spacious cabins, which bring a supreme level of comfort to long-haul travel. And when it comes to dining in the sky, Qatar Airways offers world-class hospitality that’s guaranteed to elevate your experience.
You can expect freshly prepared dishes crafted by world-class chefs and inspired by one-of-a-kind journeys. When travelling in First or Business Class, you can enjoy the convenience of an on-demand à la carte menu at any point during your flight. The spacious dining areas offered at each seat also means you can savour your meal in the most relaxed way. With deluxe details like a caviar service offered on its menu, you’ll soon understand why Qatar Airways is the only airline in the world to have won the Skytrax World’s Best Business Class 11 times. Journeying to Western Australia is exciting enough, but if you fly with Qatar Airways, you can expect an unparalleled travel experience before your Antipodean discovery begins.
See the sights of Doha before flying to Western Australia
Feeling peckish?
Plan your immersive gastronomic journey to Western Australia with the experts at Trailfinders today.
Call 020 7368 1354 or visit trailfinders.com
