BEER AWARDS
The beer awards at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show have been decided and it's good to see some regional winners including Grand Bridge Brewing Company Mirboo North, Vic, Hunter Beer Company Nulkaba, NSW, Jarrah Jacks Brewery Pemberton, WA, Murray’s Craft Brewing Company Taylors Arm, NSW, Northern Rivers Brewing Company Alstonville, NSW and Red Hill Brewery Red Hill South, Victoria.
Full details of this and other awards at www.sydneyroyalshows.com.au

WINTER WINE WEEKEND IN THE SHOALHAVEN
On the long weekend of June 9th to 11th the cellar doors of the NSW Shoalhaven Coast wine region will once again open their doors and invite visitors for the Winter Wine Weekend, a perennial feast of fine wine, food and fun. Entertainment includes wine tours and dinners, music and gourmet delights, lawn games, kite flying, live music and show bags.The Festival kicks off with a Launch Party at Coolangatta Estate on Friday June 2nd, and will feature special guest, Elise Pascoe of the Elise Pascoe International Cooking School. Further information please contact: Joan Swarbrick, 02 4448 5466, email: joanswarbrick@sevenmilevineyard.com.au

BACK TO SCHOOL: The Jamberoo, NSW, based Elise Pascoe International Cooking School teaching schedule for the first semester of 2007 is now on www.cookingschool.com.au offering two seasonal terms which can be booked online. Gift Vouchers are now available online.

Cyclone Larry Milk Blows away Top Dairy Judges
Flattened by Cyclone Larry last March, Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands have proved they are back on the map by winning the nation’s top dairy foods honour. Dairy Farmers Milk, processed at the Malanda factory using milk from farms ripped apart by 290kph winds was judged Australia’s grand champion dairy product only eight months later. It beat premium yogurts, luxury ice creams and quality creams for the top honour at the industry’s major awards, the 2007 Australian Grand Dairy Awards on February 9.

Olivado Moreton Bay Seafood Festival
Relax and unwind, enjoy the sea air and feast on succulent seafood and wine at the Olivado Moreton Bay Seafood Festival 2007, right on the waters of Moreton Bay at the Raby Bay Foreshore Park, Cleveland/Raby Bay on 9 – 10 June (Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend). Food, cooking, celebrity chefs, music and all kinds of activities run over two days of entertainment, education and fun. More information: www.moretonbayseafoodfestival

HARVEST HELP: The 2007 Australasian Postharvest Conference with the theme is ‘Postharvest at Work’ will be held in September this year on the Central Coast. Conference participants will hear about new packaging, storage and transport technologies, as well as innovative approaches to marketing and ways to encourage industry to adopt new technologies. The Conference t. It is to be held from 10-12 September the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Terrigal. For further information, contact: Jenny Ekman, Gosford, on 4348 1942 or jenny.ekman@dpi.nsw.gov.au

BREAKING NEWS: The world's biggest food and wine festival, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is planned from 16-30 March, 2007. Highlights include:  The World's Longest Lunch, which will return to Melbourne around the boundary line at Telstra Dome (16 March), return of The Original MasterClass (24 & 25 March), Cellardoor at Southgate (24 & 25 March), and much more. Full details: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

On Saturday, February 24th, The Slow Food Melbourne Farmers’ Market (SFMFM) at Abbotsford Convent will again offer the best local farmers’ produce, but this time, is working with the Country Fire Authority (CFA) to raise funds for the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) Disaster Relief Fund. The SFMFM at Abbotsford Convent takes place on the 4th Saturday of every month at St Heliers Street, Abbotsford (just off Johnson Street) from 8am-1pm.

IT's OK TO GO NUTS....?? .. if they're hazelnuts. With just 75 hectares of commercial hazelnut trees planted in Australia, it’s easy to understand why there is a $20 million hazelnut industry in Australia ready for domestic producers to tap into. We would need to plant approximately half a million trees for import replacement alone! A series of seminars about the potential for hazelnut growing in Australia will be held very soon in Albury, Mittagong and Tasmania.Email sales@meganut.com.au or fax: (02) 8080 7474.To learn more about the seminars, please call (02) 9279 4611 or for more detailed agricultural specifications on hazelnuts: www.hazelnuts.com.au

BIG CHEESES at 2007 DAIRY AWARDS: The tasting is over, the judges have made their decisions. Congratulations to: Grand Champion Cheese Heidi Farm Raclette, Champion Semi-Hard and Eye Cheese Heidi Farm Gruyere
Champion White Mould Cheese King Island Dairy Black Label Double Brie, Champion Blue Cheese King Island Dairy Bass Strait Blue, Champion Washed Rind Cheese Barossa Valley Cheese Co. Washington Washrind 
and many others. Full details: www.dairy.com.au

Serving up a Great Barrier Feast: Some of Australia’s most acclaimed chefs and winemakers will share their secrets at the annual Great Barrier Feast, hosted by Curtis Stone, on Hamilton Island over the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend from June 8 to 11. Celebrity chefs include Tobie Puttock (Restaurant Fifteen), Jimmy Shu (Hanuman restaurants) and Frank Camorroa, from Melbourne’s Mo Vida. 
Wine enthusiasts will have the opportunity to blend their own wine, learn top tips of how to compile their own cellar, and match wine with food.  For bookings and more information visit www.hamiltonisland.com.au <http://www.hamiltonisland.com.au>  or call 13REEF (137333).

GREAT YEAR FOR TOURISM: The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that 2006 was a record year for international tourism, with 5.5 million tourists visiting Australia, making it the third record year in a row. It is also reported that International tourists spent $1.4 billion dollars on Australian shores over the past twelve months to September 2006. The Australian tourism industry provides jobs for more than half a million Australians, with more than 200,000 of these jobs in regional Australia.

2006 QANTAS AUSTRALIAN TOURISM AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: Almost 200 of Australia’s best hotels, properties, attractions, festivals and major events, along with indigenous and ecotourism, have been short listed for the prestigious awards, with 27 awards to be presented at a gala event at Star City Casino Sydney on Friday February 23. The Qantas Australian Tourism Awards are organised annually on behalf of the tourism industry by the National Tourism Alliance (NTA). 

FOOD Week Again! News from the lovely town of Orange in NSW. The cleverly-named Food Of Orange District (F.O.O.D) Week festival will again be held this year from April 13-22. Country places are doing it tough thanks to the drought – so plan to celebrate the magnificent food and wine of the region. Full programme details: www.orangefoodweek.com.au

PLAN THESE DATES
The 15th Melbourne Food & Wine Festival's (March 16-30) full program can now be viewed online at: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au  Be tempted by over 150 events across Melbourne and Victoria and tune into Channel 10 on Saturday 24th February at 2pm for a documentary filmed around the 2005 festival, showcasing the foodie delights the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival offers. Bookings for the festival are open 16th February through Ticketmaster on 136 100 Menus for restaurants participating in Restaurant Express will be available online on 16th February.

Seven stores in Australia
On 5th December Macro Wholefoods Market brought an organic seachange to Northern Sydney with the opening of a new 1000-square-metre organic supermarket and cae at Westfield Hornsby. The Organics industry in Australia is currently valued at over $350 million p.a. and expected to grow by up to 30% in 2007.  www.macrowholefoods.com.au

Good Food & Wine Show  
The Good Food & Wine Show in 2007 will be held from 1-3 June in Melbourne, and the Sydney show will be held from 15- 17 June. If you are thinking of exhibiting at either show, visit www.goodfoodshow.com.au for further details, including information on how to book your stand. 

Mark your diaries
To be held from October 13 to 20, 2007, in Adelaide, the fifth biennial Tasting Australia promises to be the most comprehensive yet with a sparkling line-up of guest chefs and food experts. There will be a wealth of demonstrations and discussions, tastings galore, and relaxed opportunities to meet other food-lovers and industry people. www.tasting-australia.com.au

ALSO COMING UP
Melbourne will host the third annual Organic Expo, Australia’s foremost organic and environmental show, covering all lifestyle areas from September 7-9 this year at the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton Gardens. For more details contact Seamus on 02 9451 4747 or email exhibitors@organicexpo.com.au

Yarra Valley Farmgate Tours
A new tour lets visitors get up close and personal with the Yarra Valley’s stunning produce, including fruit, vegetables, flowers, wine and livestock. The Farmgate Tours will introduce participants to the region’s farming from both a historic and modern perspective and include many opportunities to taste or buy delicious products. For more information call 03 5962 3870 or visit www.farmgatetours.com.au

PENINSULA PLONK
A new tour of the Mornington Peninsula combines visits to some of Victoria’s premium wineries with a delicious organic picnic lunch and a cheeky game of petanque. The all-day tours run Thursday–Sunday and take small groups of up to 10 people, visiting four to six top wineries with expert commentary from a local guide who can educate participants about the diverse cool climate wines of the region. For more information visit www.plonkandpetanque.com.au

A Good Read
If you want to keep up with what life is like on the land, especially at Murgon, well west of Gympie, Queensland, contact the Seilers at Bottle Hill Organics (p. 144). Their newsletter keeps people up-to-date with the farm happenings, the drought and current specials. www.bottletreehill.com.au/newsletter.html

ANYONE ELSE WITH A NEWSLETTER? Let us know and we can share it with other regional people.

FEAST TIME 
In association with the Harvest Picnic Foundation, Campaspe Country House (p. 348) will host the Annual Harvest Picnic Dinner on Saturday, 24th February, 2007. This year George Biron of Sunnybrae will be our guest chef. Having acted as a consultant and mentor at Campaspe Country House throughout 2006, George is known throughout country Victoria and beyond as a champion of regional cuisine. Assisted by Campaspe Country House Head Chef , Brad Lobb, and his team, he will prepare a feast featuring the region’s best produce. George will follow up the dinner with a cooking demonstration at The Age Harvest Picnic on Sunday, 25th February to be held at Hanging Rock. For bookings or more information call 03 5427 2273 or email sales@campaspehouse.com.au  www.campaspehouse.com.au

Feeling thirsty? 
Visit Northern Rivers Brewing Company for a taste of Australia’s best beer. Defeating a field of more than 100 beers from Australia’s finest brewers, Northern Rivers Stout recently won the highest accolade of Champion Australian Beer at the second annual Australian Hotel Beer Awards. www.nrbrewing.com.au

Canberra District Wineries -  Harvest Time
 The Canberra District Wine Harvest Festival, from 31 March until 1 April, is a celebration of the annual wine harvest. This year there are opportunities to learn when to pick the grapes, how to make red and white wine (including biodynamic wine), how to disgorge champagne, and you can actually taste the fermenting wine at a number of the wineries. Or take a balloon ride over Lake George, do a cheese master class, play some boules, try some complimentary 'Zwebelkuchen', or buy some local produce or just have a gourmet lunch and some fabulous local wine from the more than 30 cellar doors and cafes involved, while listening to some great live jazz! . More info: www.visitcanberra.com.au  or call the Canberra and Region Visitor Centre on 1300 554 114

Canberra District Wine & Food Festival in Leichhardt
The Canberra District Wine & Food Festival on 16 – 18 February at the Italian Forum, Norton Street Leichhardt will feature 26 Canberra District wineries and food producers in a regional showcase tasting. Taste wines from the region including Clonakilla, Lark Hill, Lerida Estate, Mount Majura Vineyard, Wily Trout and many more. An Italian-style banquet under the stars from 6–10pm on Sunday, 18th, will feature Canberra wines at $95 per person. For bookings visit www.boutiquewines.com.au  or call 02 9798 2955.

Canberra District Wine and Food Day at The Rocks
On Saturday 3 March the Canberra District Wine and Food Day will be held at the Sydney Visitors Centre at The Rocks. Visit from 11am–6pm for free tastings of delicious cool climate wines – wines with diversity in variety and style found nowhere else - matched with fresh regional produce. More information: www.visitcanberra.com.au or call the Canberra and Region Visitor Centre on 1300 554 114.

NORTH-EAST Celebrations
Taste an array of the region's best wine and produce over the two consecutive March weekends (March 10-11 & & March 17-18) at the annual Tastes of Rutherglen celebration

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

The finalists for the second annual Vogue Entertaining + Travel Audi Produce Awards have been selected and the winners will be announced in the April/May issue of Vogue Entertaining + Travel, on sale 14 March. The Vogue Entertaining + Travel Audi Produce Awards aim to encourage and showcase producers, the quiet achievers of the Australian food industry. Finalists will be acknowledged nationally in the pages of the magazine, giving them the opportunity to promote their product to a wider audience.

Visit www.vogueentertaining.com.au for more information on the awards.

Finalists 

From the earth:
Budgi Werri Prunes, Wirrimah, NSW
Farrell’s Avocadoes, Yeagarup, WA
Joseph Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Virginia, SA 
Perigord Truffles, Grove, Tas
R. Stephens Leatherwood Honey, Mole Creek, Tas
Simarloo Glace Fruit, Lyrup, SA
Tasmanian Honey Company’s Leatherwood Honey, Perth, Tas
Tas-Saff, Glaziers Bay, Tas
The Wine & Truffle Company, Manjimup, WA
34 Degrees South Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Margaret River, WA

From the Paddock:
Blackmore Wagyu, Alexandra, Vic
Cornucopia Eggs, Lostock, NSW
Highlands Heritage Pork, Moss Vale, NSW
Macleay Valley Rabbits, Kempsey, NSW
Mayura Station Wagyu, Milliocent, SA
Ross Hill Cool Climate Snails, Orange, NSW 

From the sea
41º South Aquaculture, Deloraine, Tas 
Oss Eels, Skipton, Vic 
Spring Bay Seafoods Scallops, Triabunna, Tas
Tuki Springs Trout, Smeaton, Vic
Woodbridge Smokehouse Trout and Salmon, Woodbridge, Tas

From the dairy
Barambah Organics Yoghurt, Oxley, Qld
Gundowring Ice Cream, Gundowring, Vic
Heidi Farm Cheese Gruyere, Exton, Tas
Holy Goat Cheeses Fromage Frais, Mature Veloute, La Luna and Black Silk, Castlemaine, Vic
The Barossa Valley Cheese Company Chevre, Camembert and Washed Rind, Angaston, SA
Woodside Cheese Wrights Monet, Vigneron and Edith, Woodside, SA