Meet our local food heroes
CANBERRA REGION | MID-JUNE TO MID-AUGUST 2022 Festival ProgramPlan your visitMEET OUR LOCAL FOOD HEROES
Across Canberra and the surrounding southern NSW region are a multitude of farms producing the highest-quality black winter truffles, as well as myriad other foods and beverages.
Meet the people opening their farms to gourmet travellers during this year’s truffle festival, and check out their recommendations on what to do nearby so you can plan an action-packed gourmet visit.
Durran Durra Truffles
45 Brightside Road
Durran Durra, NSW 2622
0432 573 342
Distance from Canberra
One hour via the Kings Highway
The Farm
Set in the picturesque southern tablelands of NSW against the backdrop of Mt Palerang and the Tallaganda Range and the nearby heritage town of Braidwood, the farm features an abundance of wildlife including wombats, kangaroos and echidnas, plus reptiles. The dominant trees are yellow box (their flowers make excellent honey) and stringy bark. We’ve also got wattles and native shrubs. We’re close to Canberra and the towns and beaches of the south coast of NSW.
Who we are
Dick and Virginia Groot Obbink – both of us microbiologists in our previous careers.
Truffle Season Activities
We offer truffle hunts and tastings, eco-tourism experiences and stories of the rich heritage of the Braidwood area around the warmth of a wood fire.
Best Truffle Discovery
The climate here is ideally suited for producing truffle with an intense aroma and flavour. The largest truffle harvested on the farm was more than 500g.
Truffle Tip
Simple foods and truffles are the best combination, and you don’t need much truffle.
Truffle Dog
Bella is a kelpie cross, rescue dog who is keen to please and loves to flirt with our guests. Max, our new one-year-old kelpie addition is the son of truffle hunter Barry from L’air du Wombat truffle farm. Max is still on his “L”s!
What to do nearby
Lunch
Winery
The Corang Estate Winery at Nerriga has excellent cool-climate wines.
Shop
Braidwood offers great shopping, with a range of specialty stores and a museum.
Visit
Soak up the history of Braidwood with a walk around this heritage town. Braidwood also has a very attractive nine-hole golf course.
Other Highlights
Visit The Big Hole walking trail 30km south of Braidwood on the Cooma Rd. Mogo Wildlife Park is close by. Canberra and south coast towns are also easily accessible. The Elrington Hotel, Majors Creek has more than 100 years of history and offers good food. Horse riding is available at The Saddle Camp on Bombay Rd. Bedervale historic homestead, built in 1842, is open by appointment.
Bluefrog Truffle Farm
63 Gooalbri Drive
Sutton, NSW 2620
0403 242 454
Distance from Canberra
20 minutes’ drive from Canberra city centre.
The Farm
The farm comprises a picturesque 63 acres of tree-covered rolling hills and 1800 truffle trees, just off the Federal Highway, close to the Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve and the village of Sutton, NSW.
Who we are
A family farm run by Wayne Haslam with son Justin and their respective partners Lanie and Sabrina (Sabrina, Wayne and Justin pictured left with truffle dog handler Gill Cummins).
Truffle Season Activities
Truffle hunts, truffle talks, truffle tastings, truffle sales, all at the farm.
Best Truffle Discovery
The farm has been producing premium-quality aromatic black truffle since 2007. The largest truffle was discovered in 2020, at just over 700 grams.
Truffle Tip
Simple food dishes are best to highlight the flavour. Truffle is a glutamate and its aroma is taken up by any fat and alcohol. Profiteroles filled with truffled cream consumed with a shot of truffled vodka are to die for!
Truffle Dog
We have one dog, a German shorthaired pointer, named Rocco. Rocco is ably supported by expert contract dogs and handlers during our hunts.
What to do nearby
Lunch
Stop in at The Baker at Sutton (open from 7am) for a coffee and snack before the 10am Bluefrog Truffles hunts. Or for a great lunch try any of the following: Contentious Character, Lerida Estate, Westering restaurant at Lake George Winery, Poachers Pantry Smokehouse Restaurant, Olleyville at Shaw Vineyard Estate, or in Canberra’s Braddon, Bentspoke Brewery for truffled beer and food.
Dinner
Agostinis, Molto Italian, The Italian Place in Canberra.
Winery
Contentious Character, Lerida Estate, Poacher’s Pantry, Shaw Estate Vineyard, Gundog Estate.
stay
Base yourself in Canberra for the easy trip to Sutton at one of festival naming rights partner DOMA Hotels’ luxury properties.
Shop
The local gallery and gift shop next the Sutton Bakery is well worth a visit.
Visit
L’Air du Wombat Truffles
1211 Oallen Road
Oallen NSW 2622
0408 478 448
Distance from Canberra
110km, or about 90 minutes
The Farm
Our farm is home to the larger-than-life and unique wombat sculpture “Wusty” at the entrance to our beautiful property. Truffle hunters get to experience our fun approach to life with our myriad pets, ranging from Truffle our miniature pig, to alpacas, goats, Clydesdale horses and miniature galloway steer Humphrey. Our property backs onto the Shoalhaven River and is a glorious drive through scenic countryside to our 100-acre oasis.
Who we are
Tricia and Rainer Kwast
Truffle Season Activities
We conduct hunts every weekend of the season, a 10am morning hunt on Saturday for any of the Sydney travellers who want to make that their first stop and a 1pm hunt on Sunday afternoon for those who’d like to do a hunt on their way home without interrupting their time in Canberra.
Best Truffle Discovery
An 874g truffle found in 2019. As with all those large truffles, it was a knobby 2nd class specimen, but a surprise find.
Truffle Tip
Enjoy it with simple food such as eggs and pasta. Don’t let truffle intimidate you.
Truffle Dog
Our farm is home to four dogs. Barry is our Australian kelpie who will be seven this year. He’s been on Sunrise and in Australian Geographic and just loves to work and perform. His wife Roxy is a four-year-old NZ huntaway who knows how to find truffles but would rather ride on Barry’s coat tails. She’s also the mother of our third dog, JJ, who is two. JJ finds truffle but is still easily distracted like all toddlers. Our newest member is Ralph, another offspring from Roxy and Barry. Ralph is just four months old and recently started puppy school.
What to do nearby
Lunch
If you’re heading here from Sydney, stop in at The Marulan Cafe and check out the antique stores while you’re there.
Dinner
Our local Nerriga Hotel has great meals Friday and Saturday night.
Winery
Corang Estate is our local winery.
stay
We have accommodation at L’Air Du Wombat, or you could try Corang River B&B Farmstay, or the Nerriga Hotel.
Shop
We totally love Bungendore Woodworks Gallery
Visit
If you’re keen, you can bushwalk 2km to the Shoalhaven River from the back of our farm.
Turalla Truffles
204 Bungendore Rd
Bungendore NSW 2622
0407 105 857
Distance from Canberra
25 minutes
The Farm
Turalla is one of the oldest remaining farms in the district. Established in 2005, Turalla Truffles is set on the picturesque southern end of the Lake George Basin, a half-hour drive from the nations capital. Along with our Angus beef herd, we grow black winter truffles.
Our farm is five minutes from the town of Bungendore, with multiple galleries, seveal great restaurants, fashion boutiques and antique shops. We are also close to several vineyards with cellar door access.
Who we are
Damian Robinson and Lindsay Davy
Truffle Season Activities
During the truffle season we offer truffle hunts and truffle degustations. Join us and our Jack Russell dogs in search of the wondrous black truffle. Be guided through the process of finding truffles with the help of the dogs and then deciding on what is ready to harvest. Along the way you will be enlightened by the facts, and some of the magic of this amazing fungi. Along with the hunt for truffles, you’ll taste a mouth watering degustation of some of our favourite truffle dishes.
Best Truffle Discovery
1kg truffle found last season (2021)
Truffle Tip
Don’t harvest until the truffle’s ready or all you’ve got is a black potato.
Truffle Dog
We have 2 trained Jack Russells, Frisbee and Arrow, along with two young pups in training, Speckles and Worm.
What to do nearby
Visit
East Kowen Forest is a great spot for cycling, with beginner trails through to routes suitable for more advanced cyclists. A drive out along Lake Road will give you great views of Lake George and the wind farm.
Tarago Truffles
173 Willandra Lane (off Tarago-Bungendore Road)
Tarago NSW 2580
0434 216 342 / 02 4849 4605
Distance from Canberra
Just under an hour – via Bungendore.
The Farm
The nine-hectare truffiere is part of a small working farm which retains the farm house and sheds from the 1950s.
Who we are
Denzil and Anne Sturgiss. We work the truffiere with our son, Matthew.
Truffle Season Activities
A Saturday hunt at Tarago Truffles generally starts about 10.30am. After an introductory chat over a hot cuppa, you join a group of dogs and guides and walk to the truffiere where the hunt begins. Be willing to get down on your hands and knees, sniff out the truffle and then help carefully excavate it!
About an hour and half later you are rewarded back at The Truffle Shed with a variety of truffle tastings followed by truffle cleaning and grading demonstrations.
After swapping a yarn or two around the open fire, you will leave the farm about 2pm. As well as having just experienced a unique adventure, you may have also purchased some fresh truffle along with recipes and tips for how to enjoy your treasure once back at home.
Best Truffle discovery
The great mystery is what the hunt may yield. Will it be the biggest of the season or the most aromatic? Will it be the perfect golf ball shape or will it have “knobbly knees”?
Truffle Tip
Denzil’s favourite winter breakfast is a huge bowl of hot porridge with lashings of cream and shaved truffle.
Truffle dog
Matthew’s friendly blond-tipped brown border collie/kelpie, Dusty, just loves to help visitors find truffles.
What to do nearby
Lunch
Bungendore offers several choices for breakfast on the way from Canberra to Tarago Truffles. Get coffee and treats to go from Gunna Doo Bakery, which opens early. Kings Junction and R’n’R’s Diner in the Bungendore Village Square are also good value for breakfast or lunch. Another 20km on and you are at the truffiere, where you can enjoy a cuppa and treat while waiting for other hunters to arrive. Equally worth calling into for lunch or afternoon tea is Some Café in Collector, about 40 minutes from Tarago Truffles.
Winery
Next to Some Cafe is the multi-award-winning Collector Wines. For a glimpse of the past, you might also enjoy a beer at the historic Bushranger Hotel, which has country style accommodation if you are planning a short getaway. Maybe a game of pool with the locals?
stay
Base yourself in Canberra for the easy trip to Sutton at one of festival naming rights partner DOMA Hotels’ luxury properties.
MACENMIST BLACK TRUFFLES & WINES
230 Cappananna Road
Bredbo NSW 2626
0402 028 795
Distance from Canberra
91km from the Canberra CBD or approximately one hour by car.
The Farm
Macenmist is a working farm just outside the village of Bredbo which borders the Snowy Mountains ski resort gateway. This property was once pastoral lands but now boasts a farming oasis of truffles, grapes, fruits and native flora and fauna.
Who we are
Owned by Richard and Barbara Hill, this property now features both homestead and function centre.
Truffle Season Activities
During the winter months Macenmist hosts regular truffle tours each weekend. Weekdays are also available by appointment. During the off-season our farm is opened by appointment for either events or just a casual visit to check out the wine and produce.
Best Truffle discovery
The most exciting find at the farm was not size but volume. In 2016 the record find stood at 26 truffles from one hole but that was broken the following year with a find of 50 truffles.
Truffle Tip
Use your truffle to hero the dish not just as a garnish on the plate. It adds the umami taste to a dish and pairs well with eggs.
Truffle dog
Lagotto Romagnolo dogs are the only pure breed truffle dog and Macenmist has three. Fahren is Macenmist’s matriarch and is a seasoned hunter both here and on numerous other New South Wales truffle farms. To complement her activity we have Tawdiffu and the “newcomer” SongLu who has yet to establish her prowess at truffle finding.
What to do nearby
Lunch
Enjoy coffee, cake and pies at the Bredbo Pie Shop or visit the newly open Maru Fish & Chips. Then there’s also The Historic Bredbo Inn Hotel if pub food is your fancy. Alternatively, join Macenmist and enjoy a three-course truffle luncheon.
Dinner
The Historic Bredbo Inn Hotel dining room is open for dinner.
Winery
Macenmist Black Truffles & Wines is the only winery in the area.
stay
The Historic Bredbo Inn has free caravan and camping and hotel rooms for the traveller. For those wanting something different should try the farm-stay at Ingelara Ridge in Colinton.
Shop
Truffle produce can be purchased at the farm. The Bredbo village shops sell a variety of wares as well as food. Open for a limited time annually, Bredbo Christmas Barn is also worth a visit if you want to add that something special to your festive decorations.
Visit
Going to the snow is only a short trip up the road and you can visit Macenmist on your way there, or on your return journey.
Book
Your visit
See our event program to book your truffle hunt, lunch or demonstration with one of our featured farms.
LIST YOUR EVENT
If you’re a truffle grower in the Canberra Region or Southern NSW and wish to be a featured farm, contact us to list your events on the festival website (conditions apply).
WANT TO BECOME
A FESTIVAL PARTNER?
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