Food and wine
Australia is one of the most exciting destinations for ‘foodies’ in the world because of its culinary innovation and novel, healthy and fresh approach to food preparation. Australian cuisine owes its reputation to access to fresh and high-quality produce; rigorous training and pride in the service and hospitality industry; the influence of Asia’s diverse cuisines; and the multitude of ethnic groups represented in Australia.
One of the many benefits of Australia’s multicultural society is the truly diverse food enjoyed in restaurants and homes in every state and territory in the country. Historically, there has never been a cuisine typically regarded as Australian. Instead, Australia’s cuisine has evolved with the distinct layers of flavour that each new culture has added.
Southern Europe has combined with Asia and the Pacific for new flavours and tastes. Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Thai, Malay, French and Vietnamese restaurants are common, particularly in the country’s capital cities. Middle Eastern flavours are emerging in greater abundance, with Moroccan and Lebanese flavours being used with local ingredients in mainstream cooking with notable success.
Traditional Australian ‘bush tucker’ is also being used to great effect in the cities’ best restaurants – chili kangaroo tail, sweet yam gnocchi and lemon myrtle linguine are just a few examples. Menus also incorporate Indigenous Australian wild foods such as bunya nuts and Kakadu plums with specialty meats such as crocodile and Northern Territory buffalo.
Many new industries were established in the late 1980s and 1990s to accommodate the growing Australian taste for exotic foods. New crops in the fruit and vegetable industry such as Asian greens, nashi pears, lychees, olives and herbs were introduced to take advantage of market opportunities. Aquaculture products, such as farmed Atlantic salmon and southern bluefin tuna, are now available in addition to the great range of seafood that comes from the ocean surrounding Australia – Moreton Bay bugs (shellfish), ‘banana’ prawns, barramundi and oysters.
The Australian wine sector is recognised internationally as producing a full range of wine styles and varietals to match any dish, from full-bodied reds and deep fruity whites, to sparkling, dessert and fortified wines. Australian wines are sold in more than 100 countries and found in the finest restaurants the world over.
Australia’s diverse geography and climate enable a wide range of grape varieties to be grown throughout the continent. More than 90 grape varieties are grown in Australia, with the most popular red varieties including shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, grenache, merlot and pinot noir; while popular white varieties include chardonnay, riesling, semillon and sauvignon blanc. Australia has more than 60 official wine regions; among the best known are Margaret River in Western Australia, the Barossa and Clare valleys in South Australia, the Yarra Valley in Victoria and the Hunter Valley in New South Wales. The state of Tasmania is highly regarded as a cooler climate wine region.
The best of Australian wine is equal to the best in the world. Not only have they won international acclaim for their quality and value at all price points, but Australian wines have won numerous prestigious international awards, competing favourably against longer-established wine-producing nations.
Each year, Australia exports more than 730 million litres of wine – equivalent to one billion bottles – worth nearly $3 billion. The main export markets are the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, Japan and Scandinavia. Australia is the number one source country for imported wine in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Ireland and the second most popular for imported wine in the United States and Canada. Australia is the world’s 5th largest wine producer and the 4th largest wine exporter, with customers in more than 100 countries.