Tasting Australia Airlines - Murray River

River time means a chance to reset. Hours slow when beside the Murray and in the company of local chefs and producers, together with interstate counterparts who revel in an unconventional kitchen. This full-day adventure illuminates Riverland abundance.   

Guests will begin with a short flight from Adelaide to Renmark, then gather in small groups and travel by pontoon cruiser boat to explore two fascinating sites alongside expert guides from Murray River Trails. Stroll the riverbank and visit eucalypts once used by Aboriginal groups to carve canoes, also stopping at a food station shaped by local chef Anthony Cresp. He grew up in the area and later worked across a string of noted Adelaide kitchens before returning to help lead lauded fine diner Temperance.  

Next: an uphill meander to gaze over beautifully ochre-hued Headings Cliff and the landscapes beyond while enjoying a second snack. Meet for a three-course lunch within a stone’s throw: the top deck of luxury houseboat High River. Chefs Darren Robertson and Andy Allen will have eats covered, bringing signature off-piste flair to the freshest provisions. Both have pursued a uniquely Australian approach, best expressed in their beloved Three Blue Ducks collective.  

This is lunching at its most memorable – dishes enjoyed riverside that honour ingredients nourished by the same waterway. To pair? Regional wine and spirits: sun-kissed and charting their own course. A beverage from festival partner St Agnes is sure to be among the day’s highlights. 

A coach transfer after lunch will lead to the orchards of Singing Magpie Produce. Find Georgia Roberts – resident baker at Picadilly bistro Thelma – preparing sweet and savoury snacks between its fragrant fig, quince and pecan trees alongside producers Frank, Ros and Sue Heward.  

Dreamlike it may sound, but be assured: the magic is real.