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21 January 2014 by Tim Tan
Enjoy the food, wine and sunshine at the 2014 Noosa International Food & Wine Festival
The charming seaside town of Noosa on Queensland's beautiful Sunshine Coast has long been a mecca for surfers, backpackers and anyone hoping to soak up some of the sunshine at one of Australia's most laid back beach destinations.
Since the late nineties however, Noosa has become far more than just another stop on the well-trodden East Coast tourist trail, having established itself as one of the Australia's most sophisticated gastronomic hotspots, a reputation that has only been enhanced by the region's superb seafood, an abundance of small, high-quality artisan producers and access to an incredible array of fresh ingredients, farmed locally from the lush agricultural expanses of the nearby hinterland.
Helping to perpetuate this burgeoning reputation is the annual Noosa International Food & Wine Festival, an epicurean extravaganza which attracts food and wine enthusiasts from across the globe, along with more than 200 of the world's leading producers, chefs, wine makers and sommeliers. This year sees some big names take centre stage at the four-day event, including Franck-Elie Laloum (Shanghai), Alvin Leung (Hong Kong), Bruno Loubet (London), Neil Perry AM (Sydney), Julien Royer (Singapore), and David Thompson (Bangkok).
From 15 to 18 May 2014, the festival returns for its 11th year, with a host of demonstrations, tastings, cooking classes and food trails celebrating all things culinary from Noosa and the surrounding region. As well as some wonderful food and wine, visitors will be treated to live music and entertainment including an unmissable sunset concert in the beautiful surroundings of Noosa National Park, bringing the event to a spectacular close.
Discover Noosa's fabulous food scene on a nine-day tailor-made gourmet getaway, taking in Brisbane, Spicer's Hidden Vale and five nights in Noosa to coincide with the International Food & Wine Festival. Prices start from £1,685 per person including return flights, accommodation and car hire.