Where To Eat In Mackay: The Foodie Destination You Need To Know

Spend a weekend discovering QLD’s newest foodie haven, sourced from delectable local produce, before taking in the surrounding natural wonders and abundant culture and history.

Located on the sparkling stretch of Queensland coast between Rockhampton and Airlie Beach, the Mackay region ticks a mighty array of boxes as a holiday spot. If it’s nature you’re after, try your luck at catching a barramundi or spotting a platypus among the rainforests. Treat yourself to a meal at one of the leading restaurants in the region – you’ll be particularly spoilt for choice when it comes to delicious, local produce.

Mackay Food

Foodie heaven

The food scene in Mackay has possibly been somewhat overlooked in favour of those in Australia’s capital cities, but this regional beauty offers way more delectable treats than just natural attractions. When it comes to wonderfully diverse delicacies, Mackay is a quiet achiever with world-class dining and drinking destinations.

The fresh produce of this region has been lauded by arbiters of good taste across the country, even picking up accolades at the Australian Food Awards. You can buy direct from local farmers at the Greater Whitsunday Farmers Market , with real paddock-to-plate experiences, or indulge in tantalising degustations created by highly skilled chefs at the other end of the scale.

Mackay is becoming well known as a food tourism destination, with local farms such as the award-winning Freckle Farm producing their free-range chickens, pastured Berkshire pigs, and Brahman-Nguni crossbred cattle. Keep an eye out for award-winning businesses such as Sarina Sugar Shed , now with ‘Hall of Fame’ status, which is notable for its rums, sauces and other produce.

The Mackay region is also home to a variety of seafood, with freshly caught barramundi (a local favourite), and the delicious mud crabs of Clairview, as well as St Lawrence (supplying five percent of Sydney Fish Markets’ total mud crab each year). It all comes down to whether you want to dine like royalty or take the family off the beaten track to experience the region’s incredible cuisine.

This part of the world has been home to a variety of multicultural tasting experiences for many years, complete with highly trained chefs (check out Frank Pham from The Austral’s Food Blog), so it’s no surprise that it welcomed yet another last year with the opening of Ashtart, a Lebanese-inspired restaurant – just another feather in the proverbial hat for the Mackay region. Other highlights of the region include The Dispensary , known for its wine cellar in excess of 5000 bottles and its ingenious degustation menu, and Church Café Pinnacle, notable for its authentic Italian cuisine and beautiful setting in a converted 20th-century church.

Visitors also can’t go past Platypus Lodge Restaurant , known for their signature ‘Yodel Burger’ (served with an authentic Austrian yodel, but of course), and 9th Lane Grind , which offers some of the most beautifully plated dishes in the Mackay region.

Soak up the culture

An entire host of historical outback mining towns in the Isaac region awaits your discovery, or just lose track of time exploring Mackay’s inner-city Art Deco buildings and public art displays.

Take yourself on a self-guided heritage walk through Mackay’s city centre, taking about 90 minutes, with all the information you need available at the Visitor Information Centre. Then mosey over to Greenmount Homestead, a heritage-listed Queensland homestead and historical collection of more than 20,000 items dating back to the early 1900s. If you’re interested in the art of the region, check out Artspace Mackay, which displays new artwork and features national, international and local artists. There are also more than 100 permanent artworks on display throughout Mackay’s city centre and Bluewater Trail.

The Mackay region has long been known as the Sugar Capital of Australia, and has a long and rich history of sugar-cane farming. Find out more about the large South Sea Islander population at the South Sea Islander Hut at the Mackay Region Botanic Gardens, or take a tour of Australia’s only miniature sugar mill to get an insight into how sugar cane is harvested, crushed and processed.

Get down with nature

You simply can’t visit this region without enjoying the glorious natural landscape and wildlife of the area. Catch sight of some of Australia’s most iconic animals feeding on the shoreline at Cape Hillsborough Beach (also known as the Casuarina Beach) as the sun rises over the Coral Sea, or spot elusive platypus in the wild at Broken River at Eungella National Park.

The bushwalking trails in the Mackay region take you from lush, green rainforests to rugged terrain and national parks bordering the beach, getting you up close and personal to any kind of natural beauty – there are even guided tours available throughout the Eungella National Park. After a long day of bushwalking, you’re clearly going to need a refreshing swim; popular spots include Araluen Cascades or the Wheel of Fire where you can find spectacular waterfalls and rock pools. If you prefer to stay out of the water, the Mackay region offers some of the best barra fishing in the world – top spots in the area include the Pioneer River and Kinchant Dam.

From the moment you arrive in Moreton Bay, stunning natural vistas, fresh and tasty dining, history and more invite you to stay and play.

Untouched national park, mirror-like lagoons and endless stretches of beaches all make Moreton Bay experiences feel like you’ve stumbled across a secret Queenslanders collectively vowed not to tell. Yet it’s easily accessible. Explore further and discover hinterland farms, ancient rainforest, fresh seafood and more: there’s something on offer for every pace, interest and generation.

Just 20 minutes from Brisbane Airport, it’s hard to believe how underrated this Queensland getaway is. Here’s your ultimate guide to rediscover play with unmissable experiences in Moreton Bay.

1. G’Day Adventure Tours, Bribie Island

G’Day Adventure Tours’ Sea to Table Experience should be your first agenda item in Moreton Bay. Take a 4WD journey through the sandy tracks of Bribie Island’s beaches to the still, glassy waters of the island’s lagoons. Glide over perfect replicas of paperbarks and fluffy blue clouds mirrored in the lagoon waters in your kayak. Listen as native birdsong echoes around you.

Then, it’s on to Fort Bribie. During the Second World War, these concrete bunkers – now slowly being enveloped by the dunes – were the last line of defence for Moreton Bay.

End the day with a sun-dappled beach picnic of locally caught Queensland prawns and famous Moreton Bay bugs. As you head home, watch the dolphins playfully dart in and out of the surf.

2. Morgan’s Seafood at Scarborough

Right on the Scarborough Boat Harbour, you’ll find Morgan’s Seafood . Between the luxury yachts, you’ll also spot trawlers and fishermen delivering their day’s catch right to Morgan’s. The family-owned and operated spot is one of the best places to try the region’s eponymous Moreton Bay bug. Or, sample more of the area’s direct-from-the-boat seafood fresh at their oyster and sushi bar. If you’re lucky, your visit might coincide with a day they’ve caught tuna.

Picture fish caught that day, prepared and then served to you as fresh sashimi as the sun sets over the unique silhouette of the Glasshouse Mountains.

3. Woorim Beach, Bribie Island

On Bribie’s eastern coastline, you’ll find Woorim Beach : aka the closest surf beach to Brisbane. Find a place on the sand by the patrolled area or wander further south to find a quiet spot and while the day away between the shaded dunes, the pages of your book and the peaceful sound of rolling waves.

Ask any local where to grab lunch, and they’ll direct you to Bribie Island Surf Club Bistro . Tuck into a fresh, local seafood platter, just metres from the beach.

4. D’Aguilar National Park

D’Aguilar National Park is a 40,000-hectare slice of greenery that stretches from urban Brisbane right up to Woodford (home of the Woodford Folk Festival). The vast expanse of park is home to ancient rainforests, eucalypt forests and shaded swimming spots hidden within gorges and under waterfalls. The area is significant for the Jinibara and Turrbal people, with ceremonial bora rings and dreaming trails all found within the park.

Carve out some time in your itinerary to explore the park’s many trails. The Maiala day-use area is the perfect starting point for walks for all levels of ability.

5. Arcade Wine Bar

arcade wine bar moreton bay — Sit down to a menu inspired by Italy.

Opposite the Redcliffe Jetty and down a laneway, you’ll find an unassuming wine bar. Venture inside and quickly fall in love with Arcade Wine Bar , one of the region’s most beloved local haunts.

Owners Danilo and Matt have a combined 50 years of sommelier experience, which they have poured into the menu, styling and wine list. More than just a hole-in-the-wall wine bar, Arcade Wine is an enoteca (a wine repository), whose walls are lined with bottles upon bottles of Italian wine varietals from every corner of Italy.

Settle in with a wine and work your way through the menu inspired by Danilo’s native Italy: traditional meatballs, their quick-to-sell-out terrine, or a selection of Italian cheeses, charcuterie and arancini.

6. Wamuran & Loop Rail Trail

Away from the ocean, tucked in the hinterland, is the Wamuran & Loop Rail Trail . Perfect for cyclists or walkers, the trail was built to showcase the history of the Caboolture to Kilcoy rail corridor (last operating in 1964) and makes for the perfect family day out. The trail runs for 10.5km and connects Wamuran and Caboolture via an accessible path.

Pass through former railroad, bridges and shaded bushland as you cut from A to B. Plus, visit in winter for a detour along the way to one of the many pick-your-own strawberry farms.

7. Farm Visits

Beaches, mountains and history make an enticing combination. But Moreton Bay also brings hinterland, family-friendly farms to the table. Trevena Glen is one of the area’s most loved, with bunnies, ponies, sheep, alpacas (and more) available to visit for the kids. For the adults, book a horse-riding session and be treated to a grazing platter as you watch the sun set over the mountains of D’Aguilar National Park.

At White Ridge Farm , find camels, putt-putt, train and tractor rides and all kinds of animals. The entire farm is paved, making it accessible for all.

8. Miss Sprinkles

Miss Sprinkles Gelato moreton bay — Pick your scoop at Miss Sprinkles Gelato.

An ice cream at the beach is one of life’s most perfect pleasures. While in town, stop by Miss Sprinkles for the locals’ pick of homemade gelato on the Scarborough foreshore.

The gelato here is made the authentic Italian way and scooped up just across from the beach. Or, settle in at their kitschy pink wooden tables for traditional gelato in the sunshine. Aside from the homemade gelato, you’ll also find tarts, pies and even doggie gelato.

To start planning your Moreton Bay trip, or for more information, head to visitmoretonbay.com.au.

Mackay: where gourmet delights and natural wonders abound