On holidays with… Peter Kuruvita

Peter Kuruvita made a name for himself with the Flying Fish Restaurant & Bar in Sydney back in 2004 and has since opened restaurants in Fiji and most recently the Beach House in Noosa. Steve Madgwick discovers the other ingredients that make his life complete.

Born in England, his family travelled overland (through the Khyber Pass) to Sri Lanka when he was four years old, before migrating to Australia in the mid 70s. His restaurant success has been the catalyst for various cookbooks and television series.

First impressions of Australia?

My first memory was trying to get out of the airport. In those days when a Sri Lankan family travelled, the extended family would give them food. Going through customs we had things like wild roasted boar wrapped in banana leaves, which had gone off, of course.

I remember this six-foot tall red headed man at customs – I had never seen anyone like him before in my life. He started going through our stuff, grabbing a jar of dried Maldives fish, which has quiet a pungent smell. He smelled it and cried out “Jesus Christ, mate". He put the lid on it and said “just take it!". That was my welcome to Australia.

Favourite holiday destination in Australia?

I love the NSW South Coast. An old favourite was Bendalong Point, near Ulladulla. There are some cabins there called Don Hearn’s – he was a great old surfer. Seriously basic cabins! You just get away. It’s pristine and just smells clean.

Dream Australian destination?

I would love to go to Kakadu. Up there is some of the most pristine tracts of land around. I have this dream: one day I could work with the communities up there to start up a hospitality school which Aboriginals could run for Aboriginals.

How did you become a chef

I left school at 15 and nine months, wasn’t happy there [Peter says he experienced repeated racism]. So I topped the class (in cooking) and then left.

My dad badgered me every day about what I was going to do for a job. One day we were driving down through our local suburb and he said “you’ve been cooking at school, haven’t you?" He put his foot on the brake – and said: “there’s a restaurant, go and ask for a bloody job or you can’t come home tonight". I got the job and it changed my life.

Food inspiration?

I spent a lot of time in the kitchen in Sri Lanka with my aunties and grandmother and watched them cook. I was with them all the time. They had so much passion for food.

You travel a lot for your TV work. What’s the best country for food (outside of Australia and Sri Lanka, of course).

Clean fresh food, Vietnam, possibly. Variety and regionality, India. Flavour, but unhealthy, Malaysia. Seafood, Singapore. I’ve just been filming in Mexico, Mexican food is pretty damn good.

You can’t really go beyond a French base, though, it’s a great foundation stone – I fall back on that all the time.

How do you unwind?

I love to fish, as often as I can. I was just on the river yesterday – a few flathead and bream. My sons love it as well. I fish with very busy people – but we just talk and fish – focus on a common thread.

I love surfing as well – I’m no great surfer, but it’s one of those things. With surfing, you just look out into the deep blue ocean and wait for the next wave to come – not much crosses your mind.

Favourite fish to eat in Australia?

Coral trout: clean white and it’s sweet. You can make many things with it.

Must-pack item?

Nowadays a smart phone is always handy. But I have a grab bag that goes along with me everywhere. It has length of ropes, a couple of g-clamps, small first aid kit and a hat. Maybe I have a fantasy about ‘surviving’ somewhere.

Best foodie region in Australia?

Produce? Margaret River and Adelaide Hills. For foodies areas, Sydney and Melbourne.

Sydney is one big resort; everyone gravitates towards the sea – if you’ve got a restaurant by the ocean or water views, that’s the thing.

Melbourne is more of a village. Every suburb is a village and every suburb has its own identity. I believe the food in Melbourne is better than Sydney. And I’m from Sydney.

Classic ‘feeling lazy’ meal?

A lazy one just for myself, because my wife and kids don’t like it, is steamed rice and what my dad used to call “rice puller".

Fry the fish until crisp, then fry onions tomato and lime, fresh chili, dry chili. Then add the fish to it. The reason it’s called “rice puller" is that it’s so bloody tasty that you just want more and more rice.

Hot summer evening, what do you drink?

Agua Fresco – I’ve just learned about it in Mexico and it’s changed my life. A sugar syrup infused with vanilla as a base, some cucumber. A little bit of radish with half sparkling water and half ginger ale – the most refreshing drink you’ve ever had. If you want to get crazy, add tequila.

Why Noosa?

Australia doesn’t have many places like Noosa. It’s beautiful but it also has a great vibe and a foodie element to it surrounded by stunning natural beauty and discerning people.

For more information on Peter Kuruvita’s latest project, see peterkuruvita.com

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.