We speak with chef Mark Best on the new, flavour-forward rail adventure from Tasting Australia.
From announcing its ultra-luxe new Australis and Aurora Suites to the addition of a new Flinders Ranges stop for 2027, there’s been a lot of talk around The Ghan recently. Now, the legendary train is gearing up for an exclusive new journey spotlighting culinary talent and ancient desert landscapes.
Part of the 2026 program of Tasting Australia – an esteemed annual festival celebrating South Australia and its people through flavour – the all-new Tasting Australia by Train: The Ghan Edition is a four-day culinary rail adventure between Darwin and Adelaide. Guests can expect fine wines and bespoke menus curated by an impressive line-up of culinary talent, including Michelin-starred Spanish chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho alongside Australian legends Mark Best, Jo Barrett and Shannon Fleming.
Discover the stories of the route’s diverse landscapes.
The exclusive itinerary from 6 to 9 May includes accommodation in a Gold Twin Cabin aboard The Ghan, with culinary and cultural moments thoughtfully woven between encounters with some of Australia’s most striking natural scenery, from Katherine and Alice Springs to the otherworldly landscapes of Coober Pedy. Guests will also have plenty of opportunity to engage meaningfully with the chefs.
South Australia-born, Mark Best says he is excited to be revisiting the region on such an iconic voyage. “It’s quite sparse, and you’re really dissecting the middle of Australia, right through past Lake Eyre and some of the most arid and beautiful landscapes in the world. But you have complete comfort."
Mark Best on the dining
Expect exquisite dining on Tasting Australia by Train: The Ghan Edition.
As far as what guests can expect on the culinary front, Best says he will be heroing local South Australian produce, hinting that kangaroo may appear on the menu. He also hopes to create a dish inspired by Adelaide’s iconic ‘pie floater’ (a pie sitting atop mushy peas).
“It’s fairly early days in terms of menu, but I’ll be using produce from Little Tin Co," Best says. “They have super high-quality tinned fish out of Port Lincoln and that area of South Australia – sardines, tuna, all locally tinned with local olive oil. And it’s absolutely fabulous." This produce will feature in one of the snacks: a ‘fish and chips’ using crispy Kettle chips. “It’s just a simple little thing we can do in the confines of the galley, leaving us room to do much more elaborate things."
Best anticipates the informal lunch at Simpsons Gap to be a highlight. Alongside chef Nieves, he plans to cook a kangaroo tail stew and damper in camp ovens followed by the likes of billy tea and quandong crumble. The food will reflect the amalgam of cultural stories that underpin Simpsons Gap, as well as The Ghan – which is named after the Afghan families that forged the route from Adelaide to Darwin. “We’re really trying to tell some of that story through the food," explains Best.
Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.
AI Prompt
The itinerary
The Ghan traverses cinematic landscapes.
Day one starts off with a bang. Guests will depart Darwin Berrimah Station and settle into their luxe new home aboard The Ghan, before discovering Bollinger’s most memorable vintage Champagnes during a private tasting and masterclass. A curated lunch onboard in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant will follow, along with an off-train stop in Katherine. Learn about the astounding cultural significance of the area as you cruise through a maze of ancient sandstone towers at Nitmiluk Gorge.
Day two enchants the senses in new ways. Journey into the beating heart of Central Australia and discover rich Indigenous lore at Simpsons Gap while marvelling at mulga woodlands believed to be the home of giant goanna ancestors. Here, you’ll enjoy a low-key lunch prepared by chefs Mark Best and Nieves Barragán Mohacho in a unique setting. Come evening, gaze up at wide-open starry skies during a memorable dinner at historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station.
Discover the ethereal beauty of Simpsons Gap.
Witness rust-red desert landscapes.
Enjoy dinner at Alice Springs Telegraph Station.
Day three unfolds with a stop in the outback town of Coober Pedy, the opal capital of the world. Here, many residents live underground in dugout homes to escape the harsh heat. Walk among undulating red contours of Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park and savour lunch prepared by chefs Jo Barrett and Shannon Fleming while overlooking a brilliant desert panorama. Then immerse yourself in community art and history at the Umoona Arts Centre and Old Timers Mine. Back onboard, Mark Best will whip up exceptional fare for a final black-tie evening infused with old-school Agatha Christie glamour.
The following morning, guests will pass through the spellbinding rocky landscapes of the Flinders Ranges en route to Adelaide, where they will disembark – no doubt filled with a sense of awe that will linger long after stepping off the train.
Weekly travel news, experiences insider tips, offers, and more.
The details
Fine wines come standard aboard The Ghan.
Event: Tasting Australia by Train: The Ghan Edition
Inclusions: All-inclusive meals, fine wines, beverages, off-train experiences and a stay in a Gold Twin Cabin for the duration of the journey.
Tick the box next to "Australian Traveller". That's it.
Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
From cabins to canvas, craft distillers to destination dining, Heathcote locals reveal their eco-savvy passions in ways that resonate with those seeking to travel lightly.
Heathcote, on traditional Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, is synonymous with its garnet-hued shiraz, but wine isn’t the only string to its bow. The town itself is sprinkled with heritage buildings from the gold rush era, and beyond that a growing collection of sustainable gastronomy and eco-friendly escapes. Nearby Bendigo, one of only 65 cities in the world recognised as a UNESCO Creative City and Region of Gastronomy, plates up an astonishing calibre of produce, wine and food for its size. Increasingly the entire region is taking up the challenge, though Heathcote in particular shines with its focus on sustainability.
The dramatic landscape of Heathcote’s Pink Cliffs Geological Reserve. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Goodfrey)
The eco-stays bringing sustainability to Heathcote
Yellow Box Wood’s safari-style tents are nestled on 40 hectares of bushland. (Image: Emily Goodfrey)
Andee and Lisa Davidson spent years working in southern Africa before settling in Heathcote. “We had a vision of how this could be,” explains Andee. “We wanted a retreat, but one that was off-grid and environmentally sustainable.” Now, at Yellow Box Wood, two luxury safari-style tents are at the heart of 40 hectares of rolling hills and native bush, with kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, goanna and birdlife aplenty. It’s all solar-powered, wood for the fire is mainly fallen timber, and water is collected on the carport roof. No lack of creature comforts though – en suite with rain shower, espresso coffee maker, comfy seating, wood-burning fire all set to go. There’s also a solar-heated, mineral salt pool in a bush setting, walking tracks, and even a mini bush golf course. On my visit, I put the vision to the test. Cocooned in the plush four-poster bed I can glimpse the stars, while the heater casts a golden glow on the canvas. In the morning, I wake to a blush-pink sunrise, kangaroos feeding and a soundtrack of magpies.
Mt Ida Eco Cabin is rustic and simple but oozes comfort. (Image: Graham Hosking)
If a tent is not your style, Stephen and Cally Trompp’s carbon-neutral Mt Ida Eco Cabin might entice with its generous deck and farmland views. Inside the cabin, corrugated iron walls as rusty as a shearing shed, gleaming (recycled) floorboards, timber truss ceiling (crafted by Stephen), wood-fired heater and an old-school turntable with a pile of vinyls to spin. It’s fun, and a little boho.“Everything is recycled. The cabin takes maximum advantage of the sun in winter. It’s all solar-powered. Don’t panic, though,” says Stephen, “you can still charge your phone and get 4G reception!” Settle into an Adirondack chair on the deck or pedal off on a mountain bike to suss out the wineries.
A taste of Spain in Central Victoria
Three Dams Estate make Spanish-style wine.
Another person with a vision is Evan Pritchard at his Three Dams Estate where the wines reflect his deep love of Spain and of Spanish-style grapes, such as tempranillo. Afternoons in the ‘wine shed’ or cantina are matched with music (flamenco is a favourite), Spanish bites from tapas to paella (with Evan on the pans!) and views to Mount Alexander. Sustainability is also a passion. “You don’t need to buy anything. We decided to be off-grid from the start, but it is a lifestyle change,” he says. “You need to think about it and be careful.” Everything here is recycled, reassembled, refurbished. Evan has an electric car (with solar-powered charger), solar-power for the winery, and even a jaunty little electric tractor/forklift. “I love the idea of all the things you can do using the sun.” Sipping a crisp rosado (a Spanish rosé) with Evan in the sunshine, I couldn’t agree more.
The vineyard redefining sustainable winemaking
The Silverspoon Estate winery is completely off-grid. (Image: Graham Hosking)
On the other side of Heathcote, Silver Spoon Estate demonstrates sustainability on a more extensive scale. Tracie and Peter Young’s winery, cellar door, award-winning restaurant and their own house are all solar-powered and off the grid. Sustainability is intrinsic to everything they do. The property sprawls across 100 hectares, with 20 hectares under vine – shiraz, viognier, grenache, tempranillo. As the climate has changed, so too has the approach. These are dry-grown vineyards. “We prune for drought. That means lower yields but more intense flavours,” says Peter. The fine-dining restaurant offers sweeping views, a wood-burning fire and a deck for languid lunches. Head chef Ben Hong sources regional, sustainable ingredients and weaves estate wines into the menu – think crispy wild mushroom arancini, viognier-infused chicken breast.
Silver Spoon’s award-winning restaurant.
Heathcote’s other hidden gems
Heathcote Wine Hub is housed in a 1855-built timber church.
Not all local wineries have a cellar door, but I find local treasures at the Heathcote Wine Hub, a petite 1855 timber church in the main street, lovingly returned to life by Karen Robertson and Carey Moncrieff. “Carey is a scrounger,” says Karen. “He doesn’t throw a single thing away.” He does, however, craft things into something quite special. Heritage floors, light-filtering lancet windows and shelves of regional wines create the perfect ambience for wine tasting. Or order a glass and linger over a cheese platter.
Heathcote is not all wine, of course. Nathan Wheat and partner Vanessa Curtis run Envy Distilling with a committed sustainable ethic – and a serious love of gin. Their small-batch distillery produces grape-based gin, and soon brandy. Distilled water is reused in an ingenious cooling system. All waste is treated on site. They buy excess wine from winemakers to distil and buy recycled barrels. “Distilling with the sun,” as Nathan says. Each Envy gin has its own story. Spicy, award-winning The Dry, is designed to capture the region’s dry, rugged nature. Pull up a stool at the bar (reclaimed timbers and tiles, of course), order a Gin Flight, or kick back with a cocktail and let Nathan share his eco journey.
Sample gins at small-batch distillery Envy.
A traveller’s checklist
Getting there
It’s less than two hours’ drive from Melbourne. The scenic route we take goes past Sunbury, then along a splendid country road through Romsey and the magic, boulder-strewn landscape of Lancefield. Watch for kangaroos on the road!
Staying there
Go off-grid in style at Yellow Box Wood for glamping or try Mt Ida Eco Cabin for a couple’s weekend hideaway.
Eating there
Award-winning French restaurant Chauncy.
At award-winning Chauncy, French chef Louis Naepels and sommelier wife Tess Murray have created a tiny, elegant pocket of rural France. Meticulously restored 1850s sandstone building, sun-drenched dining room, impeccable service, a menu suffused with local flavours and thoughtful wine pairings.
Fodder is both cafe and social hub. Chef Mo Pun and sister Lalita serve classic Aussie breakfast-to-lunch fare, though their Nepalese heritage sneaks through.
Playing there
Sip on wines among the vines at Sanguine Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)
Sanguine Estate’s cellar door and terrace overlook bucolic vineyards. Its award-winning, dry-grown wines include the distinctive D’Orsa Blanc dessert wine, reflecting the family’s Swiss-Italian heritage. Order a charcuterie board and stay a while. Keep it carbon neutral by cycling some (or all) of the 50-kilometre O’Keefe Rail Trail to Bendigo.
At Bridgeward Grove, learn about the property’s Old Mission Grove heritage olive trees, do a sommelier olive oil tasting, and stock up on sustainably grown olives and oil. Explore the unique landscape, wildflowers and wildlife of pink cliffs geological reserve.
