100 Gourmet Experiences: AT Staff Picks

Australian TravellerBy Australian Traveller
hero media
The Australian Traveller team couldn’t agree on the Top 100, so they took it upon themselves to give their favourite from the final list, as well as the ones they wish could have made it. Who do you side with? Log on and let us know if we all missed one too . . .

Greg Barton

Favourite from the 100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences:

The Great Aussie BBQ. It’s something that will always be an iconic Australian experience, but it doesn’t limit itself to being a “basic" or “non-gourmet". Yes, you can stick to the script of sausages, beer, more sausages and more beer, but if you fancy yourself as more of a Matt Moran type, there’s nothing to prevent you from barbequing a nice piece of fish and bringing it to that Masterchef level with a few more sophisticated accompaniments. For that reason alone, it’s the great social equaliser. Something that can bring all Australians together.

One That Got Away

I was quietly devastated when Eating a Pie and Sauce at the Boxing Day Test at the MCG didn’t make the Final 100. Again, it can be a simple Four’n’Twenty or dolled up to something more gourmet. I have vivid memories of bonding with my Dad as he showed me how to get that sauce onto your pie with one hand, while leaving the other hand free to drink a beer (soft drink for me at that age), all while keeping one eye on the batsmen at the crease. I hope some day to teach my son how to do the exact same thing.

Quentin Long

Favourite from the 100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences:

Sorry, but anything that’s two days of nose-to-tail cooking of an entire pig where you learn butchery, cooking, vegetable cultivation and more cooking is just too good to be true – it has to be The Agrarian Kitchen.

One That Got Away:

Clairault Margaret River. A fabulous lunchtime restaurant in Margaret River wine country that is everything the Margaret River needs to be.

Nigel Herbert

Favourite from the 100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences:

Taste of Tasmania. It’s the best way to spend the New Year in Australia. Full stop. If I had a magical transporter machine, I would have New Year’s in Sydney, staying at the Four Seasons, then I would roll out of bed on New Year’s Day and be magically whisked to Constitution Dock in Hobart. Where I could sit in the sun, nurse my hangover while listening to Jazz and watching the boats form the Sydney to Hobart roll in. All the while eating the world’s best oysters, matched with great wine. This is the best-known hangover recuperation session on the planet.

One That Got Away:

BBQ King in Chinatown. It’s not the best duck but it has that brutal Chinese efficiency. I think the soup nazi in Seinfeld was modelled on these guys. It’s an experience. And it is the best way to end a Friday night in Sydney.

Lisa Perkovic

Favourite from the 100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences:

Sunnybrae Restaurant and Cooking School – George Biron wins you over with his passion for Australian produce, teaching and a good meal.

One That Got Away:

Jannei Goat Dairy – these Lithgow cheesemakers live and breathe for their produce and it shows. The goat curd is divine.

Jane Abma

Favourite from the 100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences:

The Turkish-gourmand delight of Ottoman Cuisine in Canberra. On my last visit there, I gave three of my senses the evening off so I could fully appreciate what was a truly orgasmic fusion of taste and smell – a sensory adventure I will never forget.

One That Got Away:

I would have to say the Fort Denison Cheese & Wine Experience – I have already given personal reviews to certain cheese-loving comrades encouraging them to do it before the year is out because it really is fascinating.

Alex Barnett

Favourite from the 100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences:

MoVida, because it was Great Food and an all round fantastic venue and when Nigel asked the waiter would that be enough he made a smug laugh and said “You’ll see" . . . needless to say what followed was not enough for such amazing food.

One That Got Away:

Won Ton Noodle Soup with Extra Won Tons and Egg Noodle From Cafe China in Cairns or Happy Chef on Sussex. A Sunday tradition for the past two years, it’s just great food.

Megan Russell

Favourite from the 100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences:

Nothing beats The Great Aussie BBQ during summer!

One That Got Away:

Enjoying a Sunday pub lunch – it’s gotta be a pint and parma at your favourite local pub.

Australian Traveller
See all articles
Lake Burley Griffin
Australia

12 summer weekends away across Australia to plan now

The weather is heating up, the days are getting longer, and the break we are all looking forward to is nearing closer. Here, 12 different ways to spend your summer weekends, from beach breaks to city stays.

Read more
26 incredible ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve
Australia

26 incredible ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve

Still don't have plans for New Year's Eve? Here are 26 ways to welcome 2026.

Read more
cold moon december
Australia

Friday’s Cold Moon is your last chance to see a supermoon in 2025 

On 5 December, a spectacular 'Cold Moon' will close out this year’s supermoon trilogy with a bang.

Read more
the ghan flinders ranges
Australia

Australia’s most iconic train journey is changing in 2027

The Ghan is extending its long-loved northbound journey with a spectacular new stop.

Read more
hero media

7 Great Walks of Australia providing unforgettable adventures

    Rachel LayBy Rachel Lay
    Continue
    Traipse Jurassic cliffs and wander secluded beaches on Australia’s most enchanting walks.

    Australia’s landscapes are made for hiking. Take the Red Centre, dusted in shifting sands and dotted with miraculous geological formations. Or our rainforests, left behind as the sole souvenir from continents that no longer exist. Down south, mottled night skies hang above crashing seas and unwavering cliffs. It makes sense, then, that hiking holidays are rising in popularity. No wi fi, no traffic. Just you and the path less travelled on the Great Walks of Australia in remote and iconic destinations.

    What are the Great Walks of Australia?

    If nature is your happy place, you’ve likely heard of the Great Walks of Australia, part of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experiences program since 2013 – a curated collection of 15 all-inclusive, eco-luxury journeys showcasing the country’s most spectacular landscapes with expert guides and incredible meals. GWOA launching in 2013 as 

    From exploring the peaks of a World Heritage listed island, to journeying through the heart of Australia, and the gentle pull of the majestic Murray – there’s a walking holiday to suit walkers of all experience levels (and interests).

    Joining a Great Walks of Australia hike means the pressure is off with all meals, guides and eco-luxury accommodation included.

    Where can you hike?

    1. Scenic Rim Trail, Queensland

    great walks of australia tour group on Scenic Rim Trail, Queensland
    Enjoy incredible food along the way.

    Around 23 million years ago, volcanoes spewed magma across Queensland’s Scenic Rim . Now, what’s left of the fiery landscape takes the form of the UNESCO-listed Gondwana rainforest.

    The Scenic Rim Trail is a four-day guided hike that takes you through the ancient rainforest. You’ll venture out into breathtaking viewpoints across the Main Range National Park. Enjoy a packed lunch, listen out for the duplicitous calls of the lyrebird and enjoy the silence.

    You’ll spend your nights in boutique eco-cabins and incredible hospitality.

    2. Murray River Walk, South Australia

    great walks of australia tour group on
    Walk through vibrant wildflower fields.

    Murray River Walk pairs easy hiking with blissful evenings cruising the Murray River. Over four days and nights, you’ll follow kangaroo trails through red dirt dusted with vivid patches of wildflowers.

    Each day ends on a solar-powered, custom-built houseboat. Watch towering, red sandstone cliffs float by from the top deck spa. Then, it’s three-course meals sourced from local produce and served alongside the region’s best wines.

    The entire region you’ll be traversing is within the Riverland Ramsar site. Watch as spoonbills forage for food in the tranquil wetlands, emus parade through the wildflowers, and regent parrots flit above.

    3. Maria Island Walk, Tasmania

    wombat along the Maria Island Walk tasmania
    Spot adorable locals.

    Your Maria Island walk begins with a private boat transfer to an untouched, white sand beach. Barefoot in the sand, you’ll quickly realise – aside from your guide and group – you’re completely alone. Spot countless wombats and hear the distant calls of Tasmanian Devils as you spend four days leisurely traversing the island.

    Nights are split between private, comfortable wilderness camps and queen-size beds in a historic cottage from the island’s convict history. Meals are built around fresh-caught seafood and served with East Coast Tasmanian wine.

    4. Seven Peaks Walk, New South Wales

    hiker on Seven Peaks Walks on Lord Howe Island
    Explore the incredible Lord Howe Island. (Image: Luke Hanson)

    Lord Howe Island feels like another world. With its patchwork blue coral lagoons and magma-honed peaks, it’s easy to forget you’re in New South Wales.

    This walk has the highest level of elevation in the Great Walks of Australia’s collection. It’s because of this that you’ll witness nature like never before. UNESCO-listed volcanic peaks and coral reefs that grew out of solidified lava will become your daily norm.

    Along the way, step onto beaches that lie undisturbed for weeks at a time. Then, snorkel the southernmost reef in the Pacific Ocean.

    5. Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk, Northern Territory

    great walks of australia tour group on
    Learn from the Anangu people.

    This five-day, fully guided, premium hiking experience inside Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park was developed in partnership with Aṉangu Traditional Owners. Begin your walk dwarfed by the shade of Kata Tjuṯa’s towering dome formations. Following remote desert trails through the red sands, crest dunes and traverse mulga woodlands as you draw closer to the monolithic walls of Uluṟu.

    Each night, dine under the lamp light of the Milky Way in the warm desert air and sleep in new flagship, environmentally sensitive private camps and lodge. This is the first time that travellers have ever been allowed to spend the night inside the national park.

    6. The Twelve Apostles Signature Walk, Victoria

    great walks of australia tour group on The Twelve Apostles Signature Walk, Victoria
    See the Twelve Apostles in a new way. (Image: Ken Luke)

    The Great Ocean Road’s rugged splendour is best experienced on this signature four-day, 44-kilometre guided walk . You’ll follow the rugged limestone stacks of the shipwreck coastline: wild, crashing waves, curious wildlife, and two national parks.

    Finish each day at your luxurious lodge, where you’ll sit with your feet soaking and a glass of wine in hand. You’ll have a single lodge to call home on this walk, meaning you’ll only need to set out with a day pack.

    7. Three Capes Signature Walk, Tasmania

    Three Capes Signature Walk, Tasmania
    Walk along the edge of the world. (Image: Luke Tscharke)

    On Tasmania’s Three Capes Signature Walk , you’ll feel like you’re walking along the edge of the world. From your boat landing on a remote beach, climb slowly upward for spectacular views and wildlife encounters with pods of dolphins, fur seals and echidnas. Spend days walking Jurassic dolerite cliffs with the wild Southern Ocean as your only constant.

    Stay in architecturally designed eco-lodges nestled at the very edge of the world. Think floor-to-ceiling windows, a plunge pool and even an on-site spa to tend to ailments from the hike.

    Discover more Great Walks of Australia and start planning your next adventure at greatwalksofaustralia.com.au.