How to forage a feast in Australia
Roll up your sleeves and discover Australia’s natural pantry with these back-to-nature foraging experiences.
In several regions across Australia, a gourmet delicacy grows beneath the earth. Referred to as ‘black gold’, truffles bring an enticing richness to almost any dish. While you’ll find truffles on the menu at Australia’s top restaurants, nothing beats the drama of a winter truffle forage. At The Truffle Farm in Canberra, follow dogs through the forest as they sniff out this prized ingredient, then learn the secrets of cooking truffles during an interactive seven-course degustation.
Enveloped by 34,000km (21,127mi) of coastline, Australia’s pristine waters are abundant with fresh seafood, and you can try the best of our bounty on a sustainable seafood tour. Haul lobster from the ocean, then savour it over a long lunch while sailing the turquoise bays of Rottnest Island on a luxe cruise. Or on the Eyre Peninsula – Australia’s seafood frontier – feel the thrill of snorkelling for abalone and pulling Australian salmon from the waves on a day out with Australian Coastal Safaris.
Mud crabs are found along most Australian coastlines, but it's in the Daintree Rainforest where you can learn to spear one with the help of an Indigenous guide. The local Aboriginal Kuku Yalanji people have been living in harmony with the rainforest and its coastal habitat for tens of thousands of years. Join Walkabout Cultural Adventures to learn ancient foraging and spearfishing techniques while exploring the Daintree and Mossman Gorge. You may just land your own catch of the day.
If you thought oysters were limited to fine-dining restaurants, think again. The true experience lies in shucking them for yourself, straight from the waters of a sustainable oyster farm. Get ready to slip into waders and take a seat at the best table in the house: floating in water, covered with freshly shucked oysters. The best bit? You can experience it near Australia’s major cities. Shuck and slurp fresh oysters on the Hawkesbury River at Sydney Oyster Farm or Broken Bay Pearl Farm, just 45 minutes from Sydney.
Australia's Indigenous people are the country's first foragers and chefs; their knowledge of Australia’s natural bounty is profound. Join Koomal Dreaming in Margaret River to discover how the Noongar people forage sustainably using a calendar of six seasons. You'll also learn to gather bush foods and hear the dramatic acoustics of the didgeridoo bouncing off the culturally significant Ngili Cave. Afterwards, your harvest will be cooked over the campfire for a gourmet-style barbeque, paired with Margaret River wines.
Australia’s florals make our honey some of the world’s most unique. While foraging for honey may not typically spring to mind, Australian apiaries invite you to get stuck in. Head to The House of Honey in the Swan Valley just outside of Perth to taste 100 per cent sustainably sourced Jarrah honey. Then, suit up and visit the hives during a beekeeping experience, finishing with a glass of sparkling honey mead. In Tasmania, taste the earthy flavours of the world-renowned leatherwood honey at Blue Hills.
Across Australia, you’ll find bountiful fresh fruits, from Queensland’s tropical varieties to the east coast’s juicy berries. Gather your own on a hands-on fruit-picking adventure at one of the country’s scenic orchards. In the Yarra Valley, visit Cherry Hill to fill up on juicy red cherries picked straight from the tree. Further north in Bundaberg, Macadamias Australia welcomes you to try freshly roasted macadamia nuts, a native Australian delicacy, after exploring the orchard with a guide.
