Noosa is the place where passionate foodies, fabulous local produce, and wild appetites meet to forge a distinctive beachside Queensland cuisine. Noosa is a melting pot of old and new eateries, many of which are recognised Australia-wide for their talented chefs, superior menus, delicious local produce and friendly service. With dozens of restaurants, cafes, markets and farmsteads spread along the stunning coast and into the hinterland, Noosa really is the perfect holiday destination for food-lovers.

New Restaurants

With so many restaurateurs and chefs arriving in Noosa on holiday but forgetting to leave, the landscape of cuisine is constantly evolving and growing. New restaurants are forever cropping up, and here are just a few of the highlights...

Noosa's newest restaurant is The Boathouse Floating Restaurant (www.boathouserestaurant.com.au) is a three storey designer boathouse with a restaurant on each level, moored on Gympie Terrace. Michelin star chef Eric van Alphen oversees this amazing arrangement of four riverside eateries, including Macca's for takeaway fish and chips on the esplanade and The Bridge that serves sushi and cocktails on deck with a bird's eye view of the Noosa River and stunning sunsets over the mountain ranges.

The River House (www.riverhouserestaurant.com.au) was recently opened by legendary chef in Queensland, David Rayner. In true Noosa style, The River House accesses locally grown produce, organic where possible and never genetically modified. The River House philosophy embraces the beauty of Noosa: "Nature has a soft spot for the Noosa Shire: climate and soil favour the cultivation of an amazing variety of vegetables, herbs and salad greens and fishermen supply an abundant catch of fresh fish and seafood."

Qom is an intimate dining space in the Peregian Beach square with an exquisite and colourful menu of middle eastern-inspired dishes. In a quirky twist on the menu norm, main meals are vegetarian and complemented by a range of tasty meat or fish sides.

HUMiD Restaurant and Bar overlooks the river and is halfway between Hastings Street and Noosaville. The owners, an award winning chef and house manager, team have transformed an airy warehouse into a stylish, relaxed setting.

Local Produce

Noosa is home to a number of fascinating and diverse local producers, supported by Noosa's abundance of restaurants and open to the public. Imagination in these parts is as fertile as Noosa's climate and soils. Why not visit some of the local producers...

Bamboo Australia (www.bamboo-oz.com.au), grows about 250 species, many of them with edible shoots that are an integral part of Thai and Vietnamese dishes. Bamboo Australia exports tender and tasty bamboo shoots to markets all around Australia from its Belli Park farm. Coolabine Farmstead, Kenilworth (www.coolabinefarmstead.com) is where they create handcrafted goats cheese with milk produced by their herd of Anglo-Nubian and Saanen Boer goats. These include a feta and superb soft ripened cheese that have won prizes at shows in Sydney and Brisbane. Coolabine Farmstead runs day-long workshops where visitors learn to make feta and ricotta and feast on a delicious lunch plus a cheese and wine tasting. The Australian Nougat Company at Eumundi, combine the lush and buttery macadamia nuts they grow with natural bush honey, Queensland sugar and eggs to make nougat that has aficionados around the world.

Food Markets

To find many of these gourmet goodies together in one place try the famous Eumundi Markets, held at Eumundi village every Saturday morning from 6.30am to 1.30pm and on Wednesdays from 8am to 1pm or the Noosa Farmers Market on the second and fourth Sunday of the month at Noosaville.

The Noosa Food Trail

The Noosa Food Trail has emerged from this plethora of offerings as a great way to see and taste Noosa's local produce. The Food Trail is a comprehensive listing and full colour map of more than forty producers, growers and suppliers, throughout the region who welcome visitors to their gardens and farms to taste their wares and see how they are grown. This gourmet meander around Noosa and its hinterland is a foodie must and can be done as a self-guided tour or with one of Noosa's tour operators. The concept of the trail encourages a return to the traditional methods of shopping, giving you the opportunity to speak to growers and producers first hand and allowing you to buy the freshest of produce in season.

As well as farm gate and farm visit experiences, the Noosa Food Trail highlights artisan producers, wineries, markets, delis, bed and breakfasts, cafes and restaurants that have a commitment to featuring local produce. Tasting and eating as you go, you will find hitting the Noosa food trail renews even the most jaded palate's enthusiasm for the freshest and finest ingredients.

Celebration of Australian Food & Wine - Noosa Style - 12-14 May 2006.

Experience all the above during a fun filled food and wine lovers weekend that includes farmers markets, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs and a food and wine symposium. (www.tourismnoosa.com.au/foodtrail/news.html).

Noosa has its own style of cuisine...it's innovative, made with the freshest ingredients and encourages visitors to discover some new sensations for the tastebuds.

For further information contact:

Vicky Aykroyd on 020 7202 6377 / vickyaykroyd@hillsbalfour.com

Julia Hilson on 020 7202 6379 / juliahilson@hillsbalfour.com

www.tourismnoosa.com.au