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Uncover the gourmet Barrington Coast

Isola Riva, ForsterCredit: Destination NSW

Bartender creating a cocktail at Isola Riva, Forster.

#feelnsw

Uncover the gourmet Barrington Coast

Isola Riva, Forster Credit: Destination NSW

Bartender creating a cocktail at Isola Riva, Forster.

#feelnsw

Hashtags #feelnsw

From beach swims that will invigorate you to walks through rainforest where you can feel stress melt away, the blissful Barrington Coast has all the ingredients for a re-energising escape, just three hours’ drive north of Sydney. But here you can pair soul-stirring scenery with gourmet indulgence, with community-minded producers, promising wineries and local delicacies offering a whole new taste of the region. Take a bite and discover why this corner of New South Wales is the gourmet getaway your taste buds never knew they craved.

Connect with locals on a food trail adventure

At the heart of the Barrington Coast’s gourmet scene is a network of producers whose passion for sustainable farming matches their community spirit. Deepen your culinary experience by meeting some of these local characters, who open their farms, vineyards and businesses to the public twice annually as part of the Great Lakes Food Trail. Learn sustainable farming secrets during a chat with farmer Steve Attkins of Great Lakes Paddocks in Wootton, which produces Angus beef and boutique wine, and gain a new appreciation for organic sourdough after snacking on Lara and Kieren Weber’s heavenly version at Palms Artisan Bakery in Charlotte Bay.

Make meaningful connections with local producers throughout the year by creating your own food trail. Find out what makes Andrew and Emma Yeo’s lamb so tasty by immersing yourself in farm life on a private agricultural educational tour at the couple’s Yeo Farm in Bulahdelah.

And if the mere mention of cheese makes you salivate, don’t miss a visit to Burraduc Buffalo farm in Bungwahl, near Myall Lake. Here Andrei and Elena Swegen transform fresh milk from their herd into artisan yoghurts and cheeses so delicious you may cry happy tears, particularly the award-winning buffalo mozzarella, which Elena studied how to produce in Campania, Italy. The farm also produces buffalo sausages and other melt-in-your-mouth meats.

Isola Riva, Forster Credit: Destination NSW

Friends enjoying food and drink at waterside restaurant and bar Isola Riva, Forster.

#feelnsw

Isola Riva, Forster Credit: Destination NSW

Friends enjoying food and drink at waterside restaurant and bar Isola Riva, Forster.

#feelnsw

Forster Beach, Forster Credit: Destination NSW

Couple enjoying a sunny day at Forster Beach, Forster.

#feelnsw

Forster Beach, Forster Credit: Destination NSW

Couple enjoying a sunny day at Forster Beach, Forster.

#feelnsw

Discover an emerging artisan drinks scene

You’ll taste the love that goes into every local drop and you’ll feel like you’re blazing a trail around a wine region your friends haven’t discovered yet.

With sunny days and mild winters, this stretch of coast has an ideal climate for growing verdelho, chambourcin and dolcetto grapes, all of which you can savour at Old Inn Road Vineyard. Visit the boutique winery during Great Lakes Food Trail events, or soak up the community atmosphere while tasting its wine at local markets including the Nabiac Farmers Market, The Thursday Produce Market in Taree, Forster Farmers Market and Gloucester Markets, where Old Inn Road’s family owners host stalls.

Indulge in a wine and cheese flight at Great Lakes Paddocks’ cellar door and you’ll come away with an appreciation of how artisan produce elevates the flavours of local wines on your palate. Relax into the magical hinterland setting as you chat with locals.

If the way to your heart is through craft beer, then make your way to the region’s only microbrewery, The Coastal Brewing Co, in the picturesque town of Forster. Each beer’s name pays tribute to the local region: the refreshing fizz of the Cellito IPA will transport you to the local beach of the same name in Pacific Palms, while the Barrell Aged Pelican Porter will remind you of the majestic birds often seen congregating at local boat ramps, hoping for a snack.

Linger over a meal by the water

Savour fantastic food along with one of the region’s most breathtaking settings by scheduling a meal by the idyllic river system linking the holiday hubs of Forster and Tuncurry.

Feel soothed by the azure blues of Wallis Creek as you long-lunch with a cocktail in hand at Mediterranean-inspired Isola Riva, set in a historic boatshed overlooking the water in Forster. Delight in the satisfying crunch of whiting fritti to start, and feel yourself smile as you take your first bite of the housemade tiramisu.

Across the river in Tuncurry, surrender to the romantic vibe at Thirty Three Degrees, a more recent addition to the region’s culinary scene that specialises in premium Sydney rock oysters. Experience the buzz of intercepting the freshest local seafood at Wallis Lake Fisherman’s Co-op, just up the road, before the day’s catch is trucked down to Sydney, or indulge a favourite childhood memory by ordering it cooked to go at the co-op’s recently opened Fish Shack, and having a picnic meal by the water.

Known for its flavour-packed Asian fusion dishes that will make your mouth sing, Forster’s Spice Monkey also has a prime riverside location. Grab a table on the terrace and let the calming colours of the sunset wash over you as the dusk sky explodes into ribbons of pink, mirrored by the river below. From here it’s just a short stroll to the boutique Dorsal Hotel, where you can wake up with the sun in its ocean-facing rooms, refreshed and ready for another day of indulgence on the Barrington Coast.

Isola Riva, Forster Credit: Destination NSW

Cocktails available on the menu at waterside restaurant and bar Isola Riva, Forster.

#feelnsw

Isola Riva, Forster Credit: Destination NSW

Cocktails available on the menu at waterside restaurant and bar Isola Riva, Forster.

#feelnsw

Spice Monkey, Forster Credit: Destination NSW

Couple ordering drinks at the bar at Spice Monkey, Forster.

#feelnsw

Spice Monkey, Forster Credit: Destination NSW

Couple ordering drinks at the bar at Spice Monkey, Forster.

#feelnsw

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