The Food Journey of Australia

Australians are passionate creatures. We have no issues voicing our opinion when something needs to be said, and we are firm believers in defending something that we love. Were not talking about values, culture or even loved ones. No, something far more important. We’re talking about food.

Everyone has their own food that they love and have found in the far corners of Australia, even more so if you’re a keen camper trailer traveller. We’re sure you have your own that you rave about.
As lovers of all things Aussie, we believe its extremely important to support local Aussie businesses, chuck your dollars behind them and buy local produce. Not only to keep the little guys operating smoothly but because it tastes bloody awesome.
Whether you call it a potato cake or a potato scallop, a parmi or a parma, food debates in Australia are fiery and passionate, and that’s just the way we like them.

Without trying to ruffle any feathers, we have put together our list of favourite places to go and get a feed next time you’re travelling or create your future travel plans based on your tastebuds.
Let’s get into it, BYO dead horse.

No trip to the sunny coast is complete without a juicy mango from the markets. While you’ll find all sorts of produce here, the mangoes are second to none, and can’t be looked past. They grow in large numbers up north, and ripe mangoes ready to be eaten with your hands signify the start of summer, creating a nice feeling of nostalgia in our hearts.

Make sure that you eat it as the locals do. Slice the cheeks off, pick it up with your hands and get stuck in. Bonus points for doing it while looking out into the ocean. You’ll know you’ve done it right when you have juice dripping down your arms.

While these mangoes can be found in abundance all the way up to Cairns, there’s something special about the Eumundi markets that have locals and tourists flock here all year around for some of the best fresh fruit they’ve ever tasted. There’s plenty if places around the sunshine coast for you to set up your camper trailer and make an adventure out of it, so hop to it!

Even the blokiest of blokes can’t go past a nice creamy brie, and the Bruny Island Cheese co is where you will find the best the country has to offer. Everyone knows that Tassie is known for its fresh produce of all sorts, and the cheese is no different. Here you’ll find all sorts of delicious food to keep you settled like seafood that’s just been caught or apples that are so crispy you risk losing a front tooth.

The cooler climate of our mates down south means the food is always ripe and bloody delicious. The menu here always changes depending on whats growing nicely and what’s fresh, so there’s no particular time that we recommend going. In saying that, the ferry over from the mainland with your camper trailer makes for a perfect mid-year getaway if you ask us. Make sure to hit the gym beforehand to make room for all the cheese.

Sometimes it can be a bit shocking how much us Aussies overlook the goodness that’s in our own backyard. When’s the last time you learnt something new about Aboriginal culture? A day tour around Kakadu national park should fix that right up. You can sample bush tucker that’s only found in the top end, sourced by your local guide. You’ll be shown some of the pretty cool food that can be foraged from the outback, we promise its not just sticks and dirt. Your tastebuds will explode as you taste some of the local aboriginal bush tucker like magpie and buffalo. It tastes better than it sounds, trust us.

Kakadu is one of our favourite destinations to visit with our camper trailers, and we bet its one of yours too. With all the natural landscapes, swimming homes, walking trails and discoveries, your bush tucker experience is just another reason to love Kakadu.

Nestled between here and there in North-East Victoria is Beechworth, a small country town known for its honey. You probably know the name, you’ve probably grabbed it off the shelf of your local woollies, but seeing where it comes from and tasting it fresh is a whole new ball game.

At the Beechworth Honey HQ, you’ll be able to see the way the honey is made, a honey tasting station with over 300 types of honey (yep you read that right) and an opportunity to see the pros themselves, the bees, live in action.
Of course, you’ll have a chance to grab some for the road and stock up your camper trailer pantry for years to come. The kids will love this one, and its a great place to stop if your travelling from Victoria across the border.

While we’re here, let’s talk about the awesome and legendary bakery in Beechworth. While the bakery has expanded over the years and you can now find it here there and everywhere, this is the original and it’s damn worth the drive.

It’s been dubbed Australia’s greatest bakery and for a good reason. Pies, pastries, doughnuts, and every other kind of bakery goodness you can possibly think of comes from here. People flock from all over the country just to wrap their mouth around a pastry from Beechworth bakery. While we recommend the original bakery for the history and the building, you can also find them in Albury, Ballarat, Bendigo, Bright, Echuca, Healesville and Yackandandah. That must be one good meat pie!

Okay, we know we promised you enough food to make you full for a week but picking up some cooking essentials from here will transport you straight to a Tuscan field. You beauty!

Varapodio Estate is a family-owned olive grove just over on the NSW side of the Murray River. They process their own olive oil, and then pass it on to us, along with a heap of other olive-based products such as olives, soaps, skincare and all the other bits and bobs. One for the ladies.

If you’re passing through or you’re set up on the Murray, this is a great day out if you need a break from the boats and sun. There’s a cafe on-site too, giving you an opportunity to stock up for lunch or call ahead to organise a tour of the olive groves. Something different to keep in mind if you wanted to spice up your next holiday.

North Queensland and Mackay in particular are known for their lip-smacking mud crabs. There’s a competition every year for the biggest and best that’s a lot of fun to watch, but when they’re served up to you fresh from the water, they are so good we are struggling to find the words to describe them.

While the north is a great place to take your camper (We might be a bit bias, but cmon, its awesome up there) heading there for the mud crab is worth it. According to locals and tourists, one of the very best places to try out and get served up some mud crab is the Shipwrecked Seafood and Bar. Many have dubbed it the ‘best mud crab ever’, but keen fisherman can try their hand at catching them for the gang. Good luck, and touch them at your own risk!

Now that your stomach is rumbling and you’ve got some new places to explore, make sure that your camper trailer is up to scratch and prepared for the mission ahead. Take a look at our range and get started today. As always, the Mars Campers team are always willing to answer any questions about our products or have a healthy debate about your favourite foods in Australia.