Macenmist Black Truffles and Wine, BredboCredit: Destination NSW
Owners Barbara and Richard Hill with their truffle hunting dogs searching for truffles at Macenmist Black Truffles and Wine, Bredbo.
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Experience the thrill of hunting for coveted black Périgord (Tuber melanosporum) truffles during the winter months of June to August. Prized by foodies for their intense, earthy taste, these buried delicacies prefer to grow in rich soil in a cold climate, with frosts adding to the intensity of flavour. So rug up, pull on your gumboots and join the hunt while relishing a gourmet getaway to one of New South Wales’s truffle hotspots.
Uncover truffles near the Blue Mountains
Follow truffle dogs on an exhilarating hunt among the oak and hazelnut trees at Lowes Mount Truffière in Oberon, an hour’s drive west of the Blue Mountains, which hosts truffle hunts throughout the season. Then discover how foods rich in natural fats (think: butter, cream and eggs) unlock the truffle’s flavours as you tuck into a delicious tasting platter. You can also treat yourself to a selection of truffled products, such as truffle honey and truffle salt, to enjoy at home.
Time your visit to coincide with the Oberon Community and Farmers Market, held on the first Saturday of each month, to stock up on more locally grown produce as well as handmade arts and crafts. Then retreat to Wild and Seek’s Tiny House, a beautifully crafted off-grid stay for two, hidden on a local property. Order a locally crafted food hamper to enjoy on your private deck as you soak up the rural views, or fire up the barbecue to cook up your own feast with your market goodies.
Or check out RedGround Truffle Hunts, where the hunting season spans an impressive 8 months of the year from February through to October. Guests also have the option to stay onsite at the truffle hunting lodge to immerse themselves in Alpine climate, rich soil and stunning views.
Feast on a truffle degustation in Orange
Uncover a pioneer of Australia’s truffle industry at Borrodell Estate near Orange, a 3.5-hour drive west of Sydney, where the largest truffle harvested weighed in at a whopping 10.5kg. Visit Borrodell during winter to buy wine, truffles and truffled goods or celebrate the truffle harvest at the Black Tie and Gumboot Truffle Hunt and Dinner, a five-course degustation feast with matched estate wines. Flop onto a comfortable bed in one of the on-site Cider Suites or cottages, or make yourself at home in one of the charming 22 rooms at the Byng Street Boutique Hotel in central Orange, which combines the history of an original homestead with contemporary furnishings.
Greet a new day with a heart-starting coffee at the Byng Street Local Store, or unleash your appetite at The Agrestic Grocer, known for its excellent food using local, seasonal produce.
Borrodell Vineyard, Canobolas. Credit: Destination NSW
Dog leading the Borrodell Vineyards truffle hunt in Canobolas.
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Borrodell Vineyard, Canobolas. Credit: Destination NSW
Dog leading the Borrodell Vineyards truffle hunt in Canobolas.
Celebrate truffles in the Canberra region
Feel enlivened by the cool climes of Sutton, just 20 minutes’ drive north of Canberra, where Blue Frog Truffles runs truffle hunts, lunches and tastings on Sundays during truffle season. Or slow down and seize the opportunity to explore the nearby historic village of Bungendore, enjoy a pub lunch at the historic Carrington Inn (circa 1885). Soak up more history on a stay at the Old Stone House; the lovingly restored 1860s property now operates as a boutique hotel.
Indulge in more truffle-related fun at Turalla Truffles on the outskirts of town, which offers a truffle hunt and degustation experience including a range of tantalising truffle-infused dishes, as well as truffles for sale. You’ll also find in the area Tarago Truffles, a small mixed farm with hands-on truffle hunts on Saturdays from mid-June until early September.
Learn how to grade truffles in the Southern Highlands
Find truffle joy just a two-hour drive south of Sydney in the Southern Highlands. With its cold climate and regular rainfall, the town of Robertson is another ideal truffle-growing area. Learn how Robertson Truffles became one of the first operating and producing truffle farms in Australia on one of its Thursday hunt tours during the harvest season. Marvel at the live harvest and a washing and grading demonstration before a tantalising tasting overlooking the truffière.
Tempt your tastebuds with more gourmet local produce at the Robertson Cheese Factory, a lovely café and dairy store, stocked with cheese, chutneys, oils and more. Spend a novel night at Redleaf Carriages, a duo of restored railway carriages converted into characterful accommodation at Redleaf Farm, near the spectacular Fitzroy Falls.
Take another mouth-watering tour to a local truffle farm with Experience Nature. After foraging for truffles, you’ll be served a three-course, truffle-infused lunch, and a tasting of four cool-climate wines.
Wild Food Adventures, Southern Highlands Credit: Ashley Mackevicius
Unearthing truffles in the Southern Highlands with Wild Food Adventures.
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Wild Food Adventures, Southern Highlands Credit: Ashley Mackevicius
Unearthing truffles in the Southern Highlands with Wild Food Adventures.
Find more truffles in southern NSW
Slip on your winter woollies and follow your passion for truffles to the NSW Snowy Mountains in Bredbo, where Macenmist Black Truffles and Wine offers truffle hunts, including a family-friendly option, tastings and three-course lunches in scenic rural surrounds.
Then make for the NSW South Coast via the enlivening wilderness of Wadbilliga National Park. Stretch your legs on the Cascades or Tuross Falls walking tracks that lead to waterfalls and spectacular views en route to Gulaga Gold, a truffle farm scenically situated between Cobargo and Tilba. Enjoy a truffle hunt in winter, experience the life of a truffle farmer in spring, or join a ‘treasure hunt’ from home at any time of the year – the first truffle produced from the tree you chose on its treasure map will be posted to you so you can savour it at home.
Drift off to sleep to the peaceful sounds of the Pacific Ocean in a cottage, cabin or glamping tent at the nearby Mystery Bay Cottages, perched on a headland overlooking the ocean at Mystery Bay. Be inspired to prepare your own truffle feast, with kitchen facilities available for all room configurations.
Borrodell Vineyard, Canobolas. Credit: Destination NSW
Freshly harvested truffles from Borrodell Vineyards in Orange.
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Borrodell Vineyard, Canobolas. Credit: Destination NSW
Freshly harvested truffles from Borrodell Vineyards in Orange.
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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.