Turn your road trip along the New England Highway into an adventure starring a bar with the drinks list of the year, a mill used by top Aussie bakeries and more.
Driving from Sydney to Brisbane, you have two main options: taking the popular coastal route along the Pacific Motorway, or further west along the New England Highway.
I’m here to tell you to head inland. A new generation of entrepreneurs has opened cellar doors and coffee shops, and a regional wine bar recently took out the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide drinks list of the year — and that means there has never been a better time to take the road less travelled.
This food-focused guide will take you through small-town gems such as Murrurundi and Gunnedah, up to regional centres such as Tamworth and through to (the chronically underrated) South East Queensland wine country.
There are coffee stops, wine tastings and BYO farm-to-table restaurants you have to try, along with a few sneaky tips on scenic detours, dog-friendly venues and vintage shops.
But first, here are a few tips to ensure a good time:
- Pre-download podcasts, audiobooks and/or playlists before setting out because reception can be spotty.
- Assign a designated driver (ideally someone else).
- Pack a picnic rug: beautiful parks and scenic rest stops abound, and what better way to devour a pie?
- Depart early and plan for an overnight stay around Armidale — this is a long journey, and there’s no need to make it harder than it needs to be.
Let’s go!
DAY ONE: Sydney to Armidale
STOCK UP ON SUPPLIES
Laguna Trading Post
3718 Great North Road, Laguna, tradingpostlaguna.com
Travellers have been pulling up to this roadside rest stop, about a two-hour drive from Sydney, for more than 140 years. “Although our means of transport has developed far from bullocks and wagons, I think it’s pretty special that this business still serves its original purpose,” says Laguna local Rosanna Marsh, who became its owner and caretaker in 2013. She’s done a brilliant job retaining the cottage’s rustic charm while introducing modern amenities (a wine bar, a sourdough bakery and a restaurant serving elevated pub fare). Pick up a bottle of minimal-intervention wine for later, a takeaway cup of specialty AllPress coffee and danishes for the road.
ART, ANTIQUES AND A DAMN GOOD TOASTIE
Mayne St
59-63 Mayne Street, Murrurundi, instagram.com/maynestmdi
For a town of fewer than 900 people, Murrurundi has a lot going on. Pull in at Mayne St cafe for a coffee, a mushroom toastie or their bestselling chilli scrambled eggs. Husband and wife team Kieran French and Emma Taylor transformed the derelict building two years ago, with an adjoining lifestyle store and a leafy, dog-friendly courtyard (plus cubby-house) out the back. After fuelling up, wander down to Fox’s Store to check out their recreation of the original 1950s milk bar (yes, you can order a milkshake). Your final stop is the Michael Reid gallery, where you’ll find exhibitions of contemporary regional Australian art (often with food themes, as with the crocheted appliances recently shown by South Australian artist Trevor Smith).
- Fox’s Store, 45 Haydon Street, Murrurundi, 0417204391
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE — EAST OR WEST?
We’ve come to a fork in the road. Do you take a slight detour and drive an hour and 20(ish) minutes north-west for a renowned regional bakery and flour mill in Gunnedah? Or will you journey north-east for (almost) an hour, to discover the organic farm gate and historic woollen mill in Nundle?
West: Reverence
50-52 Barber Street, Gunnedah, reverencesourdough.com.au
Wholegrain Milling in Gunnedah is a family-owned business making the chemical-free, stone-milled flour you may already have tried — it’s the flour of choice at many of Australia’s best bakeries, including A.P Bakery (Sydney), Zelda Bakery (Melbourne) and Millers Local Bakehouse (Wollongong). At Reverence, second-generation miller Renee Neale uses her family’s flour to make long-ferment sourdough for their community, along with pastries, toasties and specialty coffee (and you can buy the flour retail). Drop past Posies while you’re in town for a bit of shopping (and a sneaky slice of cake).
- Posies, Laneway of 243 Conadilly Street, Gunnedah, posies.store
East: Oakenville Farm Store
37 Oakenville Street, Nundle, oakenvillefarm.com.au
He’s a country singer and sometimes-farmer. She’s a teacher-turned-herbalist and pilates instructor, and together, Jeff Gibson and Rachel Webster operate a small farm shop where they sell homegrown produce, preserves and sauces and host regular sourdough bread-making workshops.
While you’re in town, check out the historic (and still functioning) Nundle Woollen Mill and the artisan wares at Odgers & McClelland, then grab a coffee and donut for the road at Machina, a shipping container-turned-cafe.
- Nundle Woollen Mill, 35 Oakenville Street, Nundle, nundle.com
COFFEE STOP
Camp Grounds
322 Peel Street, Tamworth, campgroundscoffee.com.au
I’m pretty confident in saying Camp Grounds is the cutest cafe in the country music capital. There’s cosy vintage furniture, ’70s Australiana tea towels, and the piece de la resistance: a giant green canoe hanging from the ceiling. Owners Matthew Bettesworth and Monique Hope opened the cafe after returning from Melbourne in 2019, and they brought specialty coffee with them (try the rotating origin batch brew). If you’re still hungry (or just curious), the ham and cheese toastie (made with smoked ham, pickles, bourbon dill mustard, and local sourdough from Unfurl) is the go-to order.
JUST ONE BEER?
New England Brewing Company
19 Bridge Street, Uralla, newenglandbrewing.com.au
You’re almost at the halfway mark! Reward yourself with a cold one at New England Brewing Company. You’ll find the local craft brewery in a former servo, pouring a range of pale ales, lagers and IPAs (with cans available for retail sale). While you’re in town, drop into the Top Pub next door (if it’s winter, the fireplace may be roaring).
ITALIAN IN ARMIDALE
Signor Vertelli
Shop 5, 110 Marsh Street, Armidale, signorvertelli.com
This is good pizza. The dough is made with organic flour from Wholewheat Milling in Gunnedah and slow-fermented to amp up the flavour. It’s topped with organic ingredients, house-made sauce (using San Marzano tomatoes), and then cooked in a wood-fired oven, becoming crispy and lightly charred. I ordered a simple pizza rossa with buffalo mozzarella, basil and tomato to take away (bed was calling), but I hear the restaurant is good. Either way, don’t miss out on a scoop (or a tub) of gelato from Signora Gelato, two doors down. For those keen to kick on, The Welder’s Dog Brewery looked like the place to be on a Friday night.
Day Two: Armidale to Brisbane
THE FIRST CAFFEINE HIT
Herdies Coffee
101 Beardy Street, Armidale, instagram.com/herdiescoffee
For five years, Armidale locals Henry Moore and Bridget Doran drove their vintage caravan across the New England region to sell specialty coffee at farmers’ markets and events. Then, last year, The Welder’s Dog Brewery approached them about opening a cafe in the space adjoining their bar. “We were so excited,” says Doran. “[We] could not pass up the opportunity to … bring our vision and dreams to life.” The pair use St Ali beans and serve a selection of pastries and toasties, like the best-selling chicken and pesto. For a more comprehensive breakfast menu, try nearby Seesaw Coffee or see what’s on offer at the Armidale Farmer’s Market (held the second Sunday of each month).
CELEBRATING WINE COUNTRY
Stonefruit
204 Rouse Street, Tenterfield, stonefruit.bar
Wondering what to expect from the regional wine bar that took out the Good Food Guide Drinks List of the Year award in October? Well, for one, it’s far more than a wine bar. The venue opens at 10am as a cafe and bottle shop, with focaccia sandwiches and Campos coffee to be enjoyed in the sunlit outdoor courtyard bordered by vine-covered walls. From noon, Stonefruit becomes a restaurant and wine bar with an extensive selection of producers from the Northern Tablelands and Granite Belt regions, and a European-ish menu of snacks and share plates. If you’ve arrived too early for Stonefruit, drive a little further to Fields Specialty Coffee — a cute, roadside cottage serving Beam coffee and homemade cakes and cookies.
GREAT NORTHERN GRAPES
Dear Vincent
64 St Judes Lane, Ballandean, dearvincent.com.au
To get to Dear Vincent, turn off the highway just before the Ballandean dinosaur and head down a dusty dirt track. Follow the signs and you’ll be greeted by a shed made of corrugated iron, a couple of kangaroos and a loud “How are you goin’, mate?” from owner and generous wine-pourer Adam Penberthy. Penberthy, who co-founded City Winery in 2018, and his young family recently swapped Brisbane for Ballandean. They’ve jumped headfirst into country living, taking on the vineyards at St Judes Estate and ownership of The Ballandean Pub. Penberthy’s first batch of wines include a fun pet-nat (natural sparkling) and a skinsy pinot gris, and as of Saturday, you can pair them with Spanish tapas from pop-up kitchen June.
Want more wine (or beer)? Try:
BYO WINE, WITH A BOOKING
Essen
2 McGregor Terrace, Stanthorpe, essenstanthorpe.com.au
If you’re planning to pass through Stanthorpe around dinner time, buy a bottle from one of the aforementioned wineries and book a table at BYO restaurant Essen, in Stanthorpe. Owner Clarissa Pabst is writing her own small-town rules, ensuring she can serve the food she wants (such as beef tartare with curry oil, hot sauce and roasted mushroom; or cavatelli pasta with local rocket and sunflower seed pesto and buffalo curd) and still turn a profit. Pabst is Essen’s only chef, while one friendly front-of-house manager runs dishes and opens wine. The shared menu is $91 a head and vegans cannot be catered for.
FUEL UP FOR THE FINAL STRETCH
Bluebird Kitchen & Smokehouse
130 Palmerin Street, Warwick, facebook.com/bluebirdkitchenandsmokehouse/
Driving through Warwick without stopping to eat at Bluebird Kitchen & Smokehouse would be a criminal act. Jim and Katie Osborn opened the American-style smokehouse in an old petrol station 10 years ago, and they’ve been raking in accolades from barbecue competitions and local “best of” polls since. Those awards don’t lie: Bluebird’s ever-changing menu is consistently delicious, with standouts such as smoked brisket, honey barbecue glazed pork ribs, and the occasional cherry pie.
BONUS QUICKFIRE ROUND: THE (EVEN MORE) SCENIC ROUTE
Suttons Farm, Killarney Hotel and Blume Restaurant
If you’ve reached Stanthorpe by mid-afternoon, and your car has good brakes, you can try an alternative route. First, pick up an apple pie from Suttons Farm. They’re buttery and rich and perfect for heating up with a scoop of ice-cream once you hit Brisbane. Then head to the tiny town of Killarney, where you can rest with a beer on the verandah of the old (in a charming way) Killarney Hotel. Finally, adventure down Falls Drive, where there are several waterfall lookouts and walks to stop for. This narrow country road will take you (steeply) down the Great Diving Range, through rainforest and farmland, with unforgettable views. And then, for your troubles, you can stop in at farm-to-table restaurant Blume in Boonah. From here, there’s just one more hour until you reach Brisbane.
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Bianca Hrovat – Bianca is Good Food’s Sydney eating out and restaurant editor.
