Courabyra Wines, TumbarumbaCredit: Destination NSW
Courabyra Wines in Tumbarumba is part of the largest wine-producing region in New South Wales.
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The food bowl of Australia, the Riverina region of southwest New South Wales is a dream destination for a gourmet getaway. A region of rolling countryside, farm gates and cheerful towns, it’s also the biggest producer of wine in New South Wales, with vineyards located in Wagga Wagga, Leeton and Griffith.
Start your trip in Griffith
The first vineyards in Griffith were established in 1912, and with the arrival of post-war migrants from Europe, the area’s distinct food and wine culture soon grew.
Griffith loves hosting food festivals: each year, the Real Juice Company Citrus Sculptures decorate the streets of town for a fortnight. More than 100,000 oranges get transformed into surprising artworks (like a grand piano, castle or robot) for Griffith Spring Fest in October. Unwined celebrates the region’s cellar doors with frequent events, while Taste Riverina events — from long lunches to farm-foraging sessions — take place throughout the year.
There’s plenty of choice when eating out in Griffith. At Limone Dining, local produce is championed by Luke Piccolo, who was named 2019 Young Restaurateur of the Year by the Appetite For Excellence awards. Zecca pays tribute to the area’s Italian heritage with artisanal pasta that’s shaped from Riverina wheat. Bertoldo’s Pasticceria is a fourth-generation bakery that sells cannoli, coffee, gelato and over 15 kinds of biscotti, created using a century-old Italian recipe handed down by family members.
Sample great food on the way to Wagga Wagga
In Leeton, make a booking to experience Tastes of Leeton. This daily presentation at the Leeton Visitor’s Information Centre introduces you to the region’s produce (citrus fruits, walnuts and rice) and includes a tasting. Rice is a big deal in Leeton, and the Leeton Sunrice Festival celebrates this fact every second Easter (so it skips 2021 and 2023) with a street parade, long lunch and more. Don’t forget to visit the cellar doors of Leeton’s acclaimed wineries, such as Toorak Winery (which has won medals for its shiraz and chardonnay) and Lillypilly Estate Wines (which has scored over 1,000 awards).
During spring and autumn, book a visit to the Glendale Citrus and Hazelnut Orchard in Sandigo for agricultural tours on the Glendale Orchard Express. Drop by Barbara's Special Treats Van afterwards for soft serve and other refreshments.
Find sweet treats at the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory in the town of Junee. Pop in to the Junee Rotary Sunday Market for locally produced wine, cheese, olives, honey, meat, pickles, fruit and vegetables. It takes place on the first Sunday of the month in the Junee Ex-Services Club Car Park — make sure to pick up some home-made cakes or visit the barbecue when you’re there.
Griffith Spring Fest 2019, Griffith Credit: Destination NSW
Citrus Sculptures on display at Griffith Spring Fest.
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Griffith Spring Fest 2019, Griffith Credit: Destination NSW
Citrus Sculptures on display at Griffith Spring Fest.
Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory, Junee Credit: Destination NSW
Sampling chocolate products at Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory, Junee.
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Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory, Junee Credit: Destination NSW
Sampling chocolate products at Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory, Junee.
Eat and drink in Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga is known for its vibrant food and wine scene. Drop by the Saturday Markets for baked goods, local honey, coffee and more. Visit Knights Meats & Deli for regional produce and stock your pantry with award-winning goods from Wollundry Grove Olives. Latte lovers should try The Blessed Bean Coffee Roasters and Trail Street Coffee Shop.
For stronger drinks, head to Thirsty Crow Brewery, a brewpub that also runs tours of its craft brewery on weekends. Or visit local boutique vineyards just a short drive from the city centre, such as Eunonyhareenyha Winery.
To learn more about the local Aboriginal culture, join the Tastes of Wiradjuri day tour run by Mark Saddler of Bundyi Cultural Tours.
End your day with a cocktail at Birdhouse Bar & Kitchen, followed by dinner at Magpies Nest, a restaurant in a converted 1860s stone barn that’s surrounded by olive trees and a vineyard.
Make your way to Tumbarumba
Tumut is a pretty riverside town and the gateway to the Snowy Mountains. It’s a popular fishing and boating location, with nearby Blowering Dam stocked with Murray cod, golden and silver perch. For craft beer and a pizza, drop by Tumut River Brewing Co. From here, head south to Batlow, home of the Big Apple. You can pick your own fruit at numerous farm gates, including Wilgro Orchards and Mouat’s Farm.
Tumbarumba, in the western foothills of the Snowy Mountains, boasts 19 vineyards in the area. The wine region is known for its fresh, delicate chardonnays and pinot noirs. Visit Courabyra Wines for tastings with a view (from its cellar door balcony) and tours of this award-winning vineyard. Enjoy your glass with a ploughman’s platter or extend your stay with a luxurious meal at the on-site restaurant.
The region’s cool climate not only produces good wine, it also generates great fruit. Jolly Berries in Tumbarumba is proof of this — try its fruit at local markets (such as the weekly Riverina Producers Market at the Wagga Showgrounds in Wagga Wagga).
Nest café in town serves excellent food and coffee in a welcoming space lined with book shelves. Owned by food writer Sheridan Rogers, this venue highlights local ingredients (raspberries from Happy Wombat Hazelnuts adorn pancakes and granola, for instance) and there’s a program of movie nights at its boutique cinema. Enjoy screenings with a good dose of pizza and wine.
And look out for Tumbafest in February: this festival turns the spotlight on Tumbarumba’s chardonnay, pinot gris and other local drops, thanks to its Wine Courtyard showcase. There are also market stalls offering local produce and music performances, too. And then there’s the annual Tumbarumba Tastebuds festival in October: the event also celebrates local produce and cellar doors — with the region’s cool-climate vineyards open for tastings.
Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Tours, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Take part in the Bundyi Cultural Tours Tastes of Wiradjuri experience when in Wagga Wagga.
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Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Tours, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Take part in the Bundyi Cultural Tours Tastes of Wiradjuri experience when in Wagga Wagga.
Courabyra Wines, Tumbarumba Credit: Destination NSW
Grape vines at Courabyra Wines, Tumbarumba.
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Courabyra Wines, Tumbarumba Credit: Destination NSW
Grape vines at Courabyra Wines, Tumbarumba.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, CorowaCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa.
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Feast on the riches of one of Australia’s most important food bowls on a road trip through the Murray, named after the mighty river that flows through this southwest area of New South Wales. Float down the river on a historic paddlesteamer wine cruise, stop by farm gates to sample incredible fresh produce, and dine at chic restaurants and bars in this unique culinary playground.
Take the back roads for gourmet treats
Head off the beaten path along The Backroads Trail, a 250km driving route that passes through the small pastoral towns of Barham, Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin on the upper reaches of the Murray River. Sink your teeth into fresh olives, avocados, free-range pork, honey and citrus fruit from farm gates along its loops and trails, and taste the region’s wines at vineyards such as Restdown Wines. While you’re at this winery, venture out along the Restdown Wetland Walk to encounter Aboriginal cooking hearths and an old sheep camp.
Cruise along to The Old School Winery & Meadery in Womboota to pick up wine, pottery and honey mead. Or seek out Ivy Joyce in Barham to indulge in a warm space, offering local produce from farms for a truly paddock to plate experience in the heart of Murray River country. For more snacks and meaty fare such as British-style pork pies and sausages, head to Pacdon Park’s factory shop in Moama.
You can work up an appetite as you build your own itinerary on the theme of food, paddocks and produce, and find suggested routes and maps to Murray River farm gates, at the Echuca Moama Visitor Centre.
Wine and dine along the river
Embark on a wine tour by water in Moama, where the first steamboats made their way up the Murray in 1853. Take a Murray River Paddlesteamers Wharf to Winery Cruise from the town to Morrisons Riverview Winery for a leisurely lunch. Or drive along the river, stopping in at Three Black Sheep for risotto and woodfired pizzas, and tasting crisp dry whites and full-flavoured reds at St Anne’s Vineyards, where you can nibble on a cheese platter overlooking a scenic lake.
Head east along the riverside roads to rest and recharge in the town of Tocumwal, known for its riverside beaches, golf courses, glider flying and iconic Big Murray Cod statue. Start the following day with a solid foundation of breakfast pizza (topped with bacon, eggs and a hash brown) at The Old Bank and indulge in a scoop of ice-cream or sorbet from Tocumwal Ice Creamery – flavours include rocky road, green apple or macadamia. If you’re in town on a Saturday, pick up honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dressings and other condiments made by local producers at the Tocumwal Foreshore Markets.
Continue your odyssey along the river to Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation. Immerse in the town’s rich turn-of-the-20th-century colonial heritage as you make your way to the former 1920s flour mill housing Corowa Distilling Co. Here you can book a whisky tasting and behind-the-scenes tour and buy locally made chocolates and sweets from sister shop Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Work off an indulgent afternoon with a walk along the river before settling into the stylish Circa 1936 hotel, which is housed in an Art Deco former bank on the main street of Corowa.
Celebrate regional ingredients in Albury
From Corowa, follow the Riverina Highway eastward to the city of Albury, a food, wine and culture hub. Taste how seasonality and locality are expressed at The Proprietor, a former butcher shop turned cafe offering brunch treats such as fruit toast with Beechworth honey and whipped ricotta, and banana waffles with Gundowring vanilla ice-cream. Or try the all-day breakfast offering at Mr Benedict, from cheesy bacon waffle with popcorn chicken to one of its signature eggs benedicts, including one with cider-braised ham hock.
At The River Deck restaurant, local ingredients are celebrated alongside stunning river views, and dishes may include chicken Caesar salad with Milawa eggs or beef brisket braised in coffee by Albury roaster The Brothers Cup. At tiny and elegant Bistro Selle, complement warm Gooramadda olives with a buttery Australian chardonnay and fresh market fish. Yardbird offers a bold-flavoured menu featuring dishes like scorched Albacore tuna, along with meats grilled in a Spanish woodfired oven.
In between meals, stroll along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk and take in the contemporary artworks by Aboriginal artists that line the Wagirra Trail. Meander through the Murray Art Museum Albury’s contemporary photographic collection, Aboriginal art and works by renowned Australian artist Sir Russell Drysdale. Afterwards, order lunch or dinner at the museum’s excellent Canvas Eatery – try the saltbush lamb rump or one of their Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
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The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
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Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.
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Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.