From hidden bush retreats to the best fresh seafood you’ve ever had, Australia’s country communities really do have so much to offer. But where do we find these secret bakeries and boutiques and beaches? Luckily for all of us, there are a bunch of awesome initiatives our fellow Aussies have started to share these places with us. Read on for your Aussie holiday inspiration.
Empty Esky
Food is one of the main reasons we travel, right? So why not travel with an empty esky and pick up the delicious home-made jams, relishes, fruit and veg that country towns do best?
From Sydney you can head north to the Hunter Valley, best known for its semillon wines. Long lunches, wine tours and a pit stop on the Central Coast on your way home sounds like the perfect weekend away, right?
In Northern NSW there’s a whole feast of fresh food in fancy eateries like Taverna in Kingscliffe, and local cult foods like Coopers Shoot tomatoes (trust us they’re the best you’ll every try). And of course there is no shortage of breweries like Red Earth in Cudgen. And we haven’t even started on the gems that await further in land like Tenterfield, Orange and Batlow.
South Australia is arguably the MVP food bowl of Australia, with the Adelaide Hills, the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, the list continues on. Plus there’s beautiful Kangaroo Island. Check out the Empty Esky website for a full list of places you can eat and drink your way around the country.
Road Trip For Good
Basically the ultimate road trip tool… for good. This website does a roundup of a whole different range of things in rural areas you can travel for, including where to get the best coffee, where to eat, drink, shop, see and do. It’s the ultimate road trip guide for a day, or long weekend or even longer. Check out the website here.
Spend With Them
This initiative started by Aussie legend Turia Pitt, focuses on highlighting businesses in bushfire affected areas of the country. They share info on local boutiques to shop at, wineries, gin distilleries, eateries and more. There is a big focus on the NSW South Coast where Pitt is based, but plenty in other areas too. There’s no website, but check out
the instagram for places you can support, including a bunch you can buy online from too.
Buy From The Bush
The long-running initiative to help drought-affected farmers bring in extra income, Buy From The Bush does a similar thing to Spend With Them, showcasing a range of awesome things you can buy from our farms across the country. This is a great tool, even if you can’t hit the road yourself, as many businesses offer online purchases. Presents for the rest of the year sorted.
Book Them Out
This is an all-round initiative and trending hashtag that does exactly what it says: book out our Aussie hotels this year! There’s no website or instagram per se, but type in the hashtag on IG and you’ll find posts from right around the country showcasing all of the wonderful places open and waiting for your business. And of course, head to our Australia page to see the latest deals on accommodation around the country.
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