Food & Wine Festivals in Australia

One of the many benefits of Australia’s multicultural society is the diversity of food. Add to this world-class local produce, exciting indigenous influences and wines from world-renowned vineyards and you have cuisine that is feted by foodies around the globe. Feast your eyes and your tastebuds and take a trip to some of the places famous for their food and wine. Wherever you are in Australia celebrate our favourite pastime at festivals and events designed to showcase the local produce and wine-makers.

Queensland
Noosa International Food & Wine Festival 
May 17-20, 2012
Recognised as the premier food and wine event in Australia, the Festival boasts an influential line-up of over 180 leading international and national chefs, iconic winemakers, high profile food and wine media, restaurateurs and serious foodies who converge on the magical setting of Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast to taste, talk, debate, dine and indulge...Noosa Style!

Northern Territory 
Mindil Beach Sunset Market 
May – October
Darwin’s famous Mindil Beach market is a six-month food festival. Every Thursday and Sunday evening during the balmy months of the dry season, locals and visitors take their chairs, rugs and eskies to this idyllic beachside setting to watch the sunset and eat great food. With 60 stalls from more than 30 different cultures across five continents, this is the ultimate eating experience. The market also has around 200 stalls selling quality handmade wares, local food products and indigenous art, massages, tarot and palm readers, buskers and live entertainment.

South Australia  
Tasting Australia   
April 26 to May 3, 2012 
International epicureans gather in Adelaide every two years to savour the best of what Australian chefs and vignerons have to offer the world. This year the theme of the festival is the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Its 100s of stall and events will provide opportunities to attend food and wine masterclasses, dine with top Australian and International chefs, hear your favourite culinary writer speak at the Food and Wine Writer's Festival and celebrate South Australia's reputation for food and wine excellence.

Kangaroo Island Gourmet Gallop  
21 January, 2012
Journey to one of Australia’s treasures, Kangaroo Island, to enjoy a day of great racing and local food and wine. Join the party and start 2012 at the Gourmet Gallop Food and Wine Festival.There will be marquees, flags, picnic sites, train rides, merry go round rides for children. Make like a kangaroo - hop along and enjoy live music, good food and wine.

New South Wales 
Crave Sydney International Food Festival
October
Eat noodles at a night market under the glow of Chinese lanterns, brunch on Australia's most famous beach, learn from the best chefs - there are no flash-in-the-pan chefs here - and taste the fresh produce that Australia is known and revered for and roll up your sleeves and get cooking. This huge and vibrant Sydney festival of food is bursting with goodness and will satisfy your foodie soul...until the cravings begin again for Crave 2013.

The Lovedale Long Lunch
May
Love long, leisurely lunches? Then head to the annual event, held in the Hunter Valley on the third weekend in May. It is a progressive-type lunch where visitors wine and dine their way around the seven participating wineries over the weekend enjoying a glass of wine, gourmet food, fabulous music and art.

Victoria 
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
2-21 March, 2012
Melbourne is often hailed as the gourmet capital of Australia, and the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival is the hallmark epicurean event celebrating the vibrant food and wine culture of Melbourne and Victoria. As a testament to how big a place food and wine have in Melbournian's hearts, 2012 is the 20th anniversary of the festival and will be sure to have extra features to celebrate.

Mildura Murray Outback Earthbeat Festival   
November
This Outback event captures the Melbourne Cup mood of Victorians with a 10-day feast of food, wine and jazz at cosmopolitan Mildura and historic Wentworth on the mighty Murray River. The district’s renowned wineries become the venues for concerts, parades and jamborees and restaurants and riverboats provide round-the-clock parties – there isn’t a better time to visit the Outback!

Australian Capital Territory 
Canberra District Wine Harvest Festival
Mid-April
Celebrate autumn in the vineyards. Grapes are harvested and turned into wine at this beautiful time of year. Visit the Canberra District Wineries to engage your senses with special wine tastings or talks from the winemakers. Join a tour or watch wine making demonstrations. Enjoy live music and challenge your tastebuds with food and wine matching.
There are over 30 cellar doors and cafes to choose from, so spend a day or more exploring the local region.

Days of Wine and Roses  
November
Come to the nation’s capital in November for some cool climate wines, cool food and cool jazz. The Wine, Roses and All that Jazz Festival features wine and food tastings at various locations in Canberra and at the district’s boutique wineries. Explore the Poacher’s Trail for tempting tastes and wicked wines!

Western Australia
Margaret River Wine Region Festival  
March
The west’s famous wine region will host a four day festival of food, wine, art and entertainment. There’s a tempo to suit every one, with 27 venues presenting fantastic cuisine, world-renowned wines and great local, national and international musicians. The festival is staged in an amazing natural environment of forests, beaches, lush vineyards and magnificent surf breaks.

Tasmania
Taste of Tasmania
End of December – early January
The Hobart waterfront is the place to be this Christmas.  As the Sydney-to-Hobart yachts sail into Sullivan’s Cove, experience the Taste of Tasmania, one of the State’s best known and loved summer festivals. The Taste showcases Tasmania’s celebrated food and wine with a range of international cuisine based on Tasmania’s renowned local produce.  Set opposite Hobart’s historic Salamanca Place, it provides a forum for buskers, musicians and performers from around the world.

Nationwide
Taste of the Nation
October
Be part of an exciting national food and wine fundraising event on October 17 this year, in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Run by Community Aid Abroad, the event will feature over 35 food and wine stalls, with top restaurants producing their gourmet dishes, and wineries and food producers donating specialty products. All food and wine will be donated by the participants to raise funds for development programs benefiting the world’s most disadvantaged communities. Plates of delicious food will cost only $5, with glasses of wine starting at $2.50.

Are there any food and wine festivals that you have attended in Australia that we should know about? Which wine region do you rate as the best?