From the Editor, Leigh O’Connor.
How’s the head? Now that festive and New Year celebrations are over and we are into the second week of 2025, it’s time to turn our attention to the announcement of the Australian Good Food Guide Chef Hat Awards to be announced on Friday, January 17.
With only 11 days to go the excitement is palpable around AGFG headquarters…we are ready to pop the cork in celebration of all the hard work venues have put in around Australia to reach an unbelievable standard of dining.
As we countdown to the big reveal, we will take you on a journey of some of last year’s most memorable moments and excite you to try a new Chef-hatted dining destination in 2025.
With the holiday season continuing for another few weeks, research has shown that cost-of-living pressures have impacted on Aussie road trip habits with more than one in three taking fewer trips and one in four visiting destinations closer to home in the past 12 months.
Despite changing habits, inflation hasn’t dampened our appetites to head outdoors with road trips remaining a crowd favourite as more than half of 2000 travellers surveyed are planning a road trip adventure in the next two to three months. We bring you the ultimate Great Australian Road Trip, unveiling five itineraries showcasing Australia’s unique destinations, coast to coast.
We also taste-test Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and BY.ARTISANS new Eucalyptus Gin, a unique creation born from a remarkable collaboration between the artisan craft distillery and the world’s oldest and largest koala sanctuary.
This innovative gin highlights the natural life cycle of eucalyptus leaves, turning waste into a luxurious spirit while supporting koala conservation with the bottle honouring the sanctuary’s legacy with branded colours inspired by nature and the Lone Pine logo. Complemented by other native botanicals including lemon and cinnamon myrtle, the fin evokes the experience of walking through the Lone Pine home with the koalas.
Get ready for a bumper 2025 as we turn up the heat on where to dine and excite you to try new things!
