Tasting Australia by Train: The Ghan Edition

In a world clamouring for your attention the legendary still leads. Quiet confidence. The promise of adventure. And so too with The Ghan, a gleaming silver ribbon across Australia’s heart. You already know it as one of the world’s most remarkable rail journeys. Now we go further. A new edition of Tasting Australia by Train is set to unfold between Darwin and Adelaide, with stellar fare, coveted beverages and time to discover ancient landscapes. Four days. Three nights. Welcome aboard.    

Menus will be crafted by Michelin-starred Spanish chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho, together with renowned Australians Mark Best, Jo Barrett and Shannon Fleming. Hosting the fun is Mandy Hall: storyteller, strategist and South Australian Woman of the Year – Food and Hospitality. 

A childhood spent cooking in the Basque city of Bilbao propelled Barragán towards professional kitchens. Since the late 90s she’s been based in London, most notably at Barrafina – awarded a Michelin star in 2014 and then at Sabor, her own venue, which earned the honour in 2018. Legado, her latest venture, opened in August this year. 

The Michelin-trained Best has shaped Sydney fine dining for decades, setting the tempo through his seminal Marque and, more recently, the reimagined Infinity at Sydney Tower. Trailblazing Barrett, meanwhile, embraces adventure through projects including Future Food System in Melbourne’s Federation Square and Lorne’s beloved Little Picket. 

Day one highlights from this debut passage include a private tasting and masterclass led by a Bollinger brand ambassador and devoted to the maison’s most memorable vintages. It will be followed by lunch, then your first chance to explore beyond the tracks: a cruise on the tranquil Katherine River to see Nitmiluk Gorge and its geological wonders. Dinner onboard will be crafted by Barragán Mohacho.    

Serenity abounds at Simpsons Gap, known to the Arrernte people as Rungutjirpa, where cliffs are split by a waterhole and sandy creek bed. It will be the spectacular setting for an informal lunch prepared by Best and Barragán Mohacho. Spend an evening at the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station, with dinner to be paired with a selection of platinum beverages.  

By dawn you will be close to Coober Pedy: scene of a full-day outback experience. Walk among the ochre folds of Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park, before visiting Two Dogs Lookout and the Serbian Orthodox Church. A lunch prepared by Barrett and South Australian star Shannon Fleming will be served at the Big Winch Café, complete with views across dugouts to the desert skyline. Tour the Umoona Arts Centre and Old Timers Mine ahead of returning to The Ghan in Manguri, followed by dinner courtesy of Best. Think classic glamour for dinner – suits, sparkle and a sense of occasion. 

The final stretch of this odyssey will be spent south-bound through the Flinders Ranges to Adelaide. Disembark mid-morning, with ample opportunity for more culinary exploration in Tasting Australia’s Town Square and beyond.