Margaret River, Western Australia © Koomal Dreaming/Russell Ord
From farm to fork: unique Australian culinary experiences
Go straight to the source of Australia’s delicious produce on these refreshingly different foodie experiences.
By Lindy Alexander
There are few pursuits as rewarding as making or harvesting your own food. Australia’s food producers and artisans are not only world-class, but many of them welcome visitors to experience their craft – from hand-picking grapes to produce your own wine to mastering the traditional art of butchery. Here are the top picks for hands-on farm-to-fork experiences in Australia.
Nose-to-tail butchery and cookery
The Agrarian Kitchen Cooking School & Farm, Lachlan, Tasmania © Tourism Tasmania and Andrew Wilson
Where: a 45-minute drive north-west of Hobart
Rodney Dunn, the owner of The Agrarian Kitchen Cooking School & Farm in Tasmania’s lush Derwent Valley, has teamed with renowned butcher Marcus Vermey for The Whole Hog masterclasses. Over two days you’ll learn the intricacies of utilising a rare-breed Wessex saddleback or Berkshire pig sourced from the property or a local small producer. The cuts will be used to cook 16 delicious dishes, drawing on Rodney’s expertise as a chef and food editor.
Djiljit Coastal Fishing Experience
Koomal Dreaming, Margaret River, Western Australia © Koomal Dreaming/Russell Ord
Did you know?
Instead of four seasons, the Wadandi people of the Meelup region lived and hunted according to six seasons.
Where: Meelup Regional Park, about a three-hour drive south of Perth in Western Australia’s Margaret River region
Meelup Regional Park is a place of deep cultural significance for the local Wadandi Aboriginal people. Meelup means “the place of the moon rising” in the Noongar language, and under the phases of the moon, Wadandi people fished for herring, salmon and bream in the region’s clear waters. On a family-friendly Koomal Dreaming cultural tour, you’ll cast a line with the help of a Traditional Custodian to catch your lunch, while also foraging for your salad and discovering how the seasons influence the area’s flora and fauna.
Dive for lobster
Freshly-caught southern rock lobster © Josh Geelen
Where: the Mornington Peninsula, a 1.5-hour drive south of Melbourne
Mid-November to the end of May is lobster season in Victoria, and the pristine waters of the Mornington Peninsula are one of the best spots to find the delicious crustaceans. Book a spot on one of Redboats’ lobster diving trips and learn the secret to sustainably finding and catching the shy creatures. You’ll need to be Open Water Diver certified and obtain a Victorian fishing licence (a three-day licence costs AUD $10) to dive, so be sure to plan ahead.
Learn how to pickle produce
Cornersmith, Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales © Cornersmith/Buffet Digital
Where: Cornersmith in Sydney
Iconic Sydney “picklery” Cornersmith teaches people how to preserve local, seasonal produce at its school in the city’s inner-west. During a 2.5-hour workshop you’ll learn different pickling techniques and how to match your produce to the right vinegar. You’ll make four types of pickles to take with you – all local and seasonal Australian produce to enjoy long after you leave the class.
Make your own wine
Silver Spoon Estate, Heathcote, Victoria © Silver Spoon Estate
Fun fact
In 2019, the greater region of Bendigo (in which Heathcote is part) was voted a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
Where: Silver Spoon Estate in Heathcote, a 1.5-hour drive north of Melbourne
If you’ve ever dreamt about becoming a winemaker, here’s your chance. Silver Spoon Estate offers My First Crush: a vine to bottle experience where you’ll work alongside winemakers to crush, press, rack, blend, label and bottle your very own case (12 bottles) of shiraz. Better yet, the estate is an off-grid winery and cellar, powered entirely by sun-charged solar panels and lithium-ion batteries.
Take an oyster tour via helicopter
Clover Hill Winery, Lebrina, Tasmania © Clover Hill
Where: Clover Hill Wines, a 40-minute drive north of Launceston
See Tasmania from a new perspective on a luxurious helicopter tour. Starting at Clover Hill Wines, take flight and soak up superb views over the rural landscape and the Bay of Fires en route to one of the state’s most iconic oyster farms: Lease 65. You’ll tour the farm and learn the art of growing the perfect oyster before enjoying a freshly shucked dozen. On the return route, you’ll stop in at one of Tasmania’s best country pubs before returning to Clover Hill for a cheese platter and a sparkling wine tasting class.
Take a gourmet gin class
Ambleside Distillers Gin Blending Masterclass, Hahndorf, SA © Josh Geelen
Where: Ambleside Distillers, a 30-minute drive from Adelaide
Craft gin has become increasingly popular in Australia and there are now a number of places you can make your own with unique native botanicals. At Ambleside Distillers in the charming town of Hahndorf, a gin expert will guide you through the process of blending your own gin using over 20 botanicals. At the end, you'll have a personalised bottle to take home with you.
Read next
16 of the best distilleries in Australia
Learn how to grow your own food
Fat Pig Farm, Glaziers Bay, Tasmania © Chris Phelps/Tourism Tasmania
Where: Fat Pig Farm in the Huon Valley, just under a one-hour drive south of Hobart
In Tasmania’s Huon Valley, Fat Pig Farm is a working farm and market garden whose owners regularly run permaculture workshops designed to educate and inspire you about soil health, compost, propagation and growing edible plants. The sessions here will feed your heart, mind and belly – think wholesome soups with fresh vegetables from the garden, bread from the woodfired oven and warm cakes and scones. Stay on for a lunchtime feast at the Fat Pig’s open-kitchen restaurant before heading home with the skills to produce the ingredients for yourself.
