CANBERRA
Raising the bar
Forget what you might have once thought about Canberra; Australia’s capital is raising the bar, with more on
the menu than ever before, writes Brittney Levinson.
Just a few years ago, the mention of
Canberra may have conjured up thoughts
of politics, roundabouts and memories
of primary school excursions. But today
Australia’s capital city is in the midst of
what some are calling a “renaissance”,
with a booming food and wine scene,
an influx of contemporary art hotels and
growing international interest.
And as Canberra’s image gets a
makeover, the business events sector is
also refocussing its efforts to attract more
international events and incentive groups.
Canberra Convention Bureau director of
marketing and communications Giselle
Radulovic says often people remember
Canberra as the city they experienced on
their primary school trip many years ago.
“The city’s seen a bit of a renaissance
in recent years definitely in terms of its
food and wine offering. There’s a real
burgeoning amount of great restaurants
and bars,” she says. Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling varieties,
and Clonakilla, home to the award-winning
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier.
“There’s a focus on creating entertainment
precincts and dining precincts in Canberra,
we’ve got a number of great hatted
restaurants, a really keen focus on using local
produce from the Canberra region and we
can do that easily because we’re so close to
the regional areas.” Canberra is also home to the only truffle farm
in the world situated in a capital city. Located
in Majura Valley, The Truffle Farm Canberra
is just 15 minutes’ drive from the city and has
plenty on offer for groups. Delegates can join
the truffle dogs as they hunt for truffles, take
part in an interactive cooking demonstration
and enjoy a truffle lunch prepared by
executive chef Damian Brabender. Truffle
season in Canberra runs from mid-May to
mid-September and is celebrated with a
series of festivals and events by restaurants
and venues across the region.
One of Canberra’s major drawcards as an
incentive destination is the more than 30
cellar doors located within 35 minutes of
the city centre. Made up of around 140
vineyards, the region produces award-
winning cool climate wines, and with a
variation of altitudes, every classic variety
is grown somewhere in the region. Some
highlights include Shaw Vineyard Estate, the
largest vineyard in the region, that produces
14 Convention & Incentive Marketing, Issue 3, 2017 www.cimmagazine.com
Within the city, the food and wine scene is
bolstered by a long line-up of restaurants
and bars, many of which focus on serving the
best local and Australian produce. Taking