GrEAT Ocean Road Trip Series

Our first stop is Conlan’s Wine Store in Port Fairy, where we talk to Head Chef, Matt Dempsey.

He loves the area for its natural beauty and the abundance of local produce to be served in his restaurant. They use Great Ocean Ducks, Jane Dough sourdough, Noodledoof beer and more. He describes the quality when buying from the Great Ocean Road’s local producers and other suppliers as being “miles apart!”

From there, we head to Noodledoof Brewing & Distilling Co. in Koroit. Just like Conlan’s Wine Store, Alex Carr (Doof) and Sam Rudolph (Noodles) are all about sustainability and using local ingredients in their beer. But for these two characters, having fun is the real key to their success.

If you’ve never tried “bush tucker”, put Worn Gunditj at Tower Hill on your bucket list, where you can take a tour and learn about the abundant native foods available in the area. A lot of restaurants are turning towards native plants because of the flavour and nutrient value, and this dormant volcano has an abundance of it!

Our final stop is Budj Bim Cultural Landscape in Tyrendarra, where Auntie Eileen Alberts talks about the importance of visiting to learn about the people and the area. For over 6,600 years the Gunditj Mara people have been making eel baskets, which are still used to this day, and using the lava flow created from nearby volcanic activity to make sophisticated aquaculture systems. Freshwater crays, eels and black fish are still caught this way.