The top Australian food worth travelling for

Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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Australia is blessed with incredible food and produce. Here are the best that are definitely worth a road trip.

Australians have countless reasons to travel overseas, but when it comes to top-quality produce, is it bragging to say that Australia comes out on top? Well, we don’t want to be accused of false modesty…

From native super fruits to wine that gives the French a run for their money, these are the Australian foods worth travelling for.

1. Barramundi, Darwin, NT

You will find barramundi on menus across Australia, but the barras in the Top End are considered the best. It’s become so popular that once a year, anglers descend on the Northern Territory to catch the ‘million dollar barra,’ which is tagged and released in the waters, ready for enterprising anglers as part of the Million Dollar Fish competition.

enjoying a Barramundi platter in Darwin
Barramundi in the Top End is considered the best. (Image: Jojo Yuen)

Best season? November to May (wet season).

Where to try? Fin and Tonic on Marina Boulevard in Darwin, NT.

2. Green Ants (gulguk), Arnhem Land, NT

Indigenous Australians have been eating these tiny but fierce insects for millennia. Today, the lemony-coriander seed-tasting treat is gaining momentum among more eaters. Try them in Arnhem Land.

green ants on a plate
Try green ants in Arnhem Land. (Image: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia)

Best season? All year round.

Where to try? One of the most famous ant-based products is the green ant gin made by SomethingWild Australia on Larrakia land.

3. Bowen/Kensington Pride Mangoes, Bowen, Qld

Not just the home to the Big Mango! Australia’s most popular breed of the luscious, tropical fruit originated from the Whitsundays town of Bowen. This summer sweet treat is now grown up and down the Queensland coast. Pick your own in the Aussie summer.

ripe mangoes hanging from a tree
Pick your own mangos. (Image: Rajendra Biswal)

Best season? December to January.

Where to try? Fresh mangoes are everywhere here. If you’re taking a road trip up to Townsville, stop halfway to pick your own at The Frosty Mango on the Bruce Highway, Mutarnee, Qld.

4. Prawns, Gulf Country, Qld and NT

Whether cooked, peeled or chucked carelessly onto the barbecue, one thing is for certain: Aussies love their prawns. The tropical waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria, stretching between Queensland and the Northern Territory, contain enormous, fat banana prawns and some of the biggest tiger prawns in Australia.

tiger prawns on a plate
Aussies love their prawns. (Image: Getty Images/luchezar)

Best season? Tiger prawns are caught around August to December; banana prawns are best caught September to November and March to May.

Where to try? Take the Savannah Way to the coastal town of Karumba for prawns fresh off the fishing boats.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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5. Sydney Rock Oysters, South Coast, NSW

Turns out Australians are quite greedy when it comes to our oysters. Most are sold domestically, and the addiction doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Mad about the molluscs?

Go on a seafood odyssey down the NSW South Coast. From Nowra to Eden, there are plenty of places to try Australia’s native oyster.

sydney rock oysters being served at Jim Wild's Oysters
Go on a seafood odyssey down the NSW South Coast. (Image: Destination NSW)

Best season? September to March.

Where to try? Jim Wild’s Oyster Shack at Greenwell Point in Shoalhaven is a great pick for Sydney daytrippers.

6. Macadamias, Northern Rivers, NSW

Did you know Australia is the only place in the world where macadamias grow wild? The sweet and rich nuts have been growing here for tens of millions of years. Today, the native Australian macadamia is grown up and down the east coast of NSW, with the rich soils of Byron Bay producing gorgeously fatty mouthfuls that are popular overseas and at home.

a basket filled with macadamias
Pick some sweet and rich macadamias. (Image: Destination NSW)

Best season? March to August (harvest time).

Where to try? Wander through the macadamia crops during harvest time at The Farm near Byron Bay, NSW.

7. Cheese, Gippsland, Vic

Who wants a charcuterie platter? Our answer will always be a resounding, ‘Yes, cheese!’ Australia has a massive array of gourmet, inventive, and reinvented traditional cheeses.

And it’s down in the rich dairy pastures of Gippsland where the creamy milk is transformed into addictive specialties, like hearty slices of blue-veined cheese.

wine and cheese tasting at Bassine Specialty Cheeses
Bassine Specialty Cheeses makes premium artisan cheese.

Best season? Available year-round.

Where to try? Fill up your picnic basket at the Bassine Specialty Cheeses store at 2125 Bass Highway, Glen Forbes, Vic.

8. Samphire, Eyre Peninsula, SA

A quick pop followed by drops of seawater suffusing your mouth. Eating the salty snack of the samphire is oddly addictive. The samphire succulent grows in salty areas around the world, but Australia has its own species that can be found in salt lakes, such as those on the Eyre Peninsula. Try ‘sea asparagus’ on salads, as a side accompaniment to shellfish, or dried and sprinkled as a boost of vitamin C.

a close-up landscape shot of the samphire succulent
Samphire bursts with salty flavour. (Image: Getty Images via lynnebeclu)

Best season? Summer.

Where to try? Unfortunately, Australian samphire is currently at the ‘look, don’t taste’ foraging level. You can get a big fine for picking it.

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9. Kakadu Plum (gubinge), Dampier Peninsula, WA

Another win for those seeking some antioxidant power is the sweet-sour Kakadu plum. The fleshy native fruit is up to six per cent vitamin C and can be found in the Kimberley region, as well as stretching all the way to Cape York.

green Kakadu Plum fruits
The sweet-sour Kakadu plum grows in the Kimberley region.

Best season? January to February in Western Australia.

Where to try? Take a bush food tour on Nyul Nyul country with Twin Lakes Cultural Park.

10. Marron, Margaret River, WA

Jet 2500 kilometres south to Margaret River and try the state’s largest freshwater crayfish, which can weigh in at over two kilos. Hairy and smooth marron live in the fresh waters here, but the former are endangered and should not be eaten.

Luckily, other kinds of marron can be grown and harvested on farms during the short summer season, before being dished up with garlic butter.

a garlic butter maroon dish on the table
Marron is a must-try in the Margaret River region (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Best season? January to February.

Where to try? You can tuck into the crayfish during Marron season across restaurants in the Margaret River, like the Voyager Estate.

11. Sparkling wine, Tamar Valley, Tasmania

Australia has half a dozen regions where sparkling wines are produced. But it’s the cool climate of Tasmania’s Tamar Valley that produces French-style drops that have us dropping past Calstock instead of Champagne.

The wines found at the family-owned wineries here are made from pinot noir and chardonnay varieties and are delectable enough to make anyone cheers!

pouring sparkling wine into a glass at Jansz Tasmania
Enjoy a glass of Tasmanian sparkling wine in the Tamar Valley. (Image: Adam Gibson)

Best season? All year round – thank goodness.

Where to try? When it comes to Tamar Valley wineries, it is hard to go wrong. But for sparkling, Jansz Tasmania is a must.

Kate Bettes
Kate Bettes is a freelance travel writer. Whether having a picnic in Vietnamese jungle with new friends, or partying in the back of a limousine in Hollywood, Kate’s experiences have left her with the sneaking suspicion that the best travel memories happen when you least expect. It’s this feeling - and how to get it - that she loves to write about.
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7 wellness experiences on Hamilton Island for complete rejuvenation

(Credit: Riley Williams)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    Conjuring calm and active adventure in equal measure, Hamilton Island is a tropical tonic for body and mind.

    Hamilton Island knows a thing or two about indulgence. There are long lunches to linger over, seafood towers to savour and poolside loungers designed for guilt-free idling. But for health-minded travellers wanting to feel energised inside and out, this sliver of the Whitsundays takes wellbeing just as seriously. Think yoga mats rolling out at dawn, kayaks skimming turquoise water, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and spa therapists working tropical magic. These Hamilton Island wellness experiences promise to restore, rebalance and leave you feeling brand new.

    1. E-Mountain biking

    mountain bikers on Hamilton Island wellness
    Follow Hamilton Island’s mountian biking trails. (Credit: Harry Gruttner)

    For travellers with an appetite for adrenaline, Hamilton Island’s new self-guided e-mountain biking experience is worth carving out a morning for. Start at HI Trails HQ, where you’ll be fitted with a full-suspension, pedal-assisted e-mountain bike and given a run-through of a nine-kilometre section of the island’s 25-kilometre trail network. The electric boost makes the ride more accessible (and the climbs more manageable), though an intermediate level of fitness is still recommended.

    As a first-time mountain biker, I start off wobbly – taking my time to get used to switching gears and electric modes – and wonder if I’ve overestimated my coordination. But soon something clicks. Suddenly we’re zooming through pockets of eucalyptus and out onto ridgelines with sweeping views of electric blue waters, catching our breath at hidden bays with barely another soul in sight. More than 70 per cent of the island remains untouched, so witnessing these lesser-explored pockets feels like a blessing. It’s the kind of adventure that leaves you buzzing, accomplished and blissfully tired out.

    2. HI Fitness Club

    HI Fitness Club reformer pilates
    Stretch out with reformer pilates.

    If mountain biking isn’t quite your speed, there are plenty of other ways to stay active on the island. One of the newest Hamilton Island wellness experiences, HI Fitness Club now has 24-hour access, offering a fully equipped modern gym, group classes spanning HIIT to yoga, plus two bubbling spas and a sauna waiting to loosen sore muscles.

    I drop in for a Reformer Pilates class. Each of the four machines has its own mini screen with a wide selection of high-quality virtual classes, meaning I can select one that suits my level and mood that day. Beyond Pilates, the virtual library is like a choose-your-own adventure for fitness enthusiasts: dance, Body Pump, Body Combat and GRIT Cardio are among the options. Or perhaps challenge a family member or friend to a hit of tennis at one of the three courts.

    3. Walking trails

    runners on hamilton island
    Get the blood pumping on a morning run.

    We set out early. By 6:45am, we’re halfway up Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island and widely considered its most impressive vantage point. From the Scenic Trail Entrance, the viewing platform takes around an hour to reach by foot, with moderate inclines that will get your heart pumping without feeling too punishing. The payoff at the top is immediate. Bush-clad Whitsundays islands scatter across the horizon in every direction, the sunrise brushing the scene with soft melon and gold tones. I take my time soaking up the 360° panorama, remembering how powerful an active start in nature can be for clearing the mind and energising the day ahead.

    While Passage Peak is one of the most popular hikes on Hamilton Island, Flat Top Hill Lookout and the longer Southeast Head Trail are also excellent choices.

    4. Spa wumurdaylin

    Spa Wumurdaylin on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Feel your worries melt away at Spa wumurdaylin.

    In a tranquil treatment room at Spa wumurdaylin, the world disappears. The space is all brown stone tiles, bamboo racks and lush garden views, setting the tone for my Soul Temple treatment. My therapist, Kass, begins with a full-body, exfoliating orange buff sugar scrub that feels divine. Next comes the vertical Vichy shower and underwater massage to knead out muscle knots. The sound of cascading water is reminiscent of a tropical rainstorm, and stress becomes a distant memory.

    It’s a prime example of the transportive power of the island’s spa, where guests can come to reset the mind and loosen tension in the body. The menu spans radiance facials to deep release rituals and mud wraps, all using products from pH-balanced skincare brand LaGaia Unedited. Concluding with herbal tea, I leave in a blissful daze.

    5. Sunrise yoga

    sunrise yoga session at the sundays on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Start your day on the right foot.

    Morning movement doesn’t get more surreal than sunrise yoga on The Sundays’ seaside terrace. As we roll out our mats, morning light spills across Catseye Beach below, turning the water into a sheet of molten gold. But the setting only does half the healing. I match my breath to the rhythm of the waves and feel my body gradually lengthen and wake as instructor Tyla Rae guides us through a slow, mindful flow.

    Available exclusively to guests of The Sundays, this session captures the spirit of wellness on Hamilton Island – immersion in nature, slowing down by the sea, recalibrating both body and mind. To round out the experience, the perfect ocean cool-off awaits just steps away.

    6. Getting out on the water

    people on sup boards at the sundays hamilton island
    Try your hand at a host of watersports.

    Speaking of ocean delights, Catseye Beach’s host of watersports delivers spades of fun and rejuvenation. Glide over the crystalline water in a kayak, test your sailing skills in a mini catamaran, spot schools of fish (and a turtle if you’re lucky) from a stand-up paddleboard, or slip into an underwater wonderland when you snorkel off the beach.

    Out here, the water is so clear it feels like floating in glass, and the green silhouettes of the Whitsunday Islands rise on the horizon. Half an hour on the water here is all you need to reset your entire mood.

    Guests staying at qualia, Beach Club, The Sundays, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows and Hamilton Island Holiday Homes have complimentary access to all these water activities, making it easy to dive right in.

    7. Take a swing

    Dent Island Golf course
    Enjoy incredible views with a swing of golf.

    For others, mindfulness comes from calm concentration – and golf fits the bill to a tee. Designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson, Hamilton Island Golf Club is perched along the scenic ridges of Dent Island. It’s Australia’s only golf course on its own island, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the world. The experience is suitable for golfers of all skill levels, with spectator bookings also available for those simply wishing to take in the views. Follow the game with a well-earned lunch at the Clubhouse restaurant.

    Find out more ways to unwind in the Whitsundays at hamiltonisland.com.au.