It’s that time of year again. When the temperature drops, Australians could reach for the Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, switch on the heater and Netflix; instead we get out and eat. And drink. Aussies love a good food and wine festival and our mild winters make it the right time to savour flavour.
Across this wide brown land we celebrate local, seasonal and our multi culture in some pretty breathtaking landscapes.
Noosa Food and Wine primes the appetites in late May when the country’s finest celebrity chefs descend on Australia’s holiday capital to cook and catch some rays. Then as the days get shorter it seems food lovers get hungrier.
Here are just a few of the food and wine festivals and events that are happening over the next few months.
Taste Tweed – Tweed Coast – NSW – 5 – 14 July
Beginning today, Taste Tweed combines fabulous food, wine and more all on a magnificent stretch of dazzling coastline. Taste Tweed is ten days of free and ticketed events grow the beach to the hinterland. Think restaurant events, cooking masterclass, twilight cruise, brewery tour & World Chocolate Day.
Drink mulled wine and eat street food at the Kingscliff Night Market tonight or on Sunday July 7 take the Taphouse Twilight Cruise. Saltbar & Bistro is hosting a Brookies Gin and Stone & Wood Beer Dinner at Salt Village on Friday, July 12. There’s also the 6-course degustation Season Signature Dinner, with Margaret River’s Hay Shed Hill Wines.
Good Food Month – Brisbane – July 1- July 31
Good Food Month is one of Australia’s most popular food and wine festivals with annual gourmand goodness in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth. Think truffles, steak, Murray Gold cod, sake, long lunches, boozy brunches and much more.
Taking advantage of the northern capital’s warm days and mild nights Good Food Month is always a blockbuster with many of the special events already sold out this year. The sizzle is back at Southbank with the Night Noodle Markets from July 24. Perennial favourites and a few newcomers will keep the party going until August 4.
The Let’s Do Lunch series is back, serving up Brisbane’s best lunch experiences at a special price of $45pp which includes a glass of Church Road wine, beer or soft drink.
There are still some tickets left for the Byron to Brisbane Trail Three Blue Ducks special event at W Brisbane this Sunday at 5.00pm. Think Byron-style cocktails, outstanding sustainably sourced seafood, paddock-to-plate delights all with a very relaxed Byron attitude.
Marriott Brisbane Celebrity Chef Harvest Dinner – July 18
Two of the country’s favourite television chefs, Justine Schofield and Alastair McLeod will take diners on a degustation tour of the Sunshine State for one night only.
Guests will dine on five courses and both chefs will be on hand to talk the diners through the provenance of the Queensland ingredients. Tickets are available here.
The Curated Plate – The Sunshine Coast – August 8 -11
Regional dining is being taken to a whole other level with The Curated Plate. One of the few food and wine festivals curated by those who know best – locals. More than celebrity chef events, the experiences will provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences with foraging, sustainable practices and organic produce the stars.
On August 8 from 4pm take the DeguSTATION Train journey through the Mary Valley. A five-course degustation both stand-up at the heritage stations and onboard the Mary Rattler. Steaming from Amamoor to Gympie – this will be a culinary odyssey courtesy of Chefs Matt Golinski, Mark Johnson and James Barnden.
A little earlier on August 8, Good Food presents The Legends Lunch with Peter Gilmore and Analiese Gregory. Yandina Station will provide the spell-binding hinterland backdrop while the acclaimed chefs will dazzle with a four-course lunch served with premium wines.
There’s many more special events including The Food Fair where you can sip, sample and savour the very best of the Sunshine Coast over three days. Entry is free now if you register here and the event is cashless.
South Coast Food and Wine Festival – Berry NSW – September 14 & 15
Highlighting the fine food destination that South Coast NSW has become this is one to add to the calendar. Over the weekend the South Coast Food and Wine Festival will feature cooking classes, demonstrations and tastings from local chefs, restaurants and South Coast vineyards. Free live music and entertainment will be part of the fun at Berry and the Nowra Farmers Markets.
