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With Australia’s rich history, abundant food sources and innovative chefs, it’s no wonder the Aussies have created a next-level culinary and dining culture. But let’s face it, Australia isn’t small. So here’s our solution for food lovers to sample world-class cuisine (with Qantas and on land) in a short space of time. Book an international flight to Australia and unlock discounted Qantas Explorer flights when you book a multi-city trip to your choice of more than 45 destinations within the country. You in? Below, we dish up our top foodie picks for passengers on Qantas’s southern route between Adelaide, Melbourne and Tasmania.

Adelaide: history, charm and big, bold reds

Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, is home to amazing restaurants, a vibrant bar scene, and has plenty of wine regions on its doorstep. Kick off with the Adelaide Central Market, which houses more than 70 passionate, fresh-food traders. Visit the Kangaroo Island Stall, selling the best of South Australian produce or make a bee-line for Lucia’s, renowned as Adelaide’s first pizza bar, a joint serving traditional Italian fare since 1957. Paninis are a passion there. Order a Number Two for a panini stuffed with mortadella, provolone and green olives. You might not be able to stop at one.

Then it’s a hop, skip and a jump for gourmets to get to Gouger Street, opposite the Central Market, famous for its array of international cuisine.

Award-winning Africola often tops the leader board in Adelaide for foodie heaven and chilled vibes, serving up spicy sharing food with a South African flourish. Anyone for peri peri chicken with Mpumalanga fire sauce?

Just over an hour north-east from Adelaide lies the Barossa Valley. It’s one of Australia’s oldest wine regions where bold, full bodied reds have made their mark – shiraz, most notably – as well as fortified wines. Why not saddle up and take a horseback tour with Jacob’s Creek Vineyard Trail Ride and Taste Experience? Lots of its award-winning wines are served onboard Qantas flights, and for business passengers, sommeliers are on hand to make recommendations.

If cheese is your guilty pleasure, then indulge at the Barossa Valley Cheese Company. You’ll find a huge collection of artisan cheeses including rich Barossa camembert, halloumi and crumbly vintage cheddar.

The Tanunda Bakery & Cafe in the small town of Tanunda in the Barossa region is owned by a second-generation German couple. Choose between sourdoughs, vollkorn sourdough ryes and other German treats such as chocolate torten or pretzels. If you have time, sample the pies (always Australian beef), pizzas and fresh salad rolls.

Melbourne: caffeine, culture and cool climate vino

All the foodie fun isn’t reserved for terra firma. Qantas’s in-flight food will get your taste buds on board at altitude, where regional food takes pride of place. In First or Business, kick back and enjoy top quality Oberon’s Margra lamb, Gippsland’s Bannockburn chicken and Pepe Saya butter. And throughout all flights, mouthwatering morsels are always on tap. Think Dreamtime Tuka snacks (made with native Australian ingredients), or the old Aussie classic: a chocolate Tim Tam (these iconic biscuits are sandwiched together by a chocolate cream filling and, well, covered in chocolate).

The caffeine capital of – arguably – the world, Melbourne’s position as a port, coupled with Greek and Italian heritage, gives it the cultural edge in coffee. And it’s not all flat whites. Coffee culture now embraces pour over, siphon and cold-drip styles.

Ask for a “magic” for example, and you’ll get a Melbourne-originated short drink with double ristretto (concentrated espresso) topped with steamed milk. Head to Carlton’s Good Measure for innovative creations such as its Mont Blanc, a filter coffee topped with cream, nutmeg and orange zest. Watch out, it’s strong!

Or check out ST. ALi in South Melbourne, a lively cafe for devoted caffeine heads; and home to creative collaborations that extend beyond coffee to fashion and art. Soak up the atmosphere and stay for a while, not just for a quick caffeine hit.

No visit to Melbourne is complete without a trip to the Yarra Valley, a mere hour north-east of the city. Here, you can get a taste of not only fine wines, but regional favourites from restaurants and dairies. The valley’s various microclimates have produced outstanding pinot noirs and chardonnays, but the region’s shiraz is also making headlines. Visit Victoria’s first vineyard, Yering Station, established in 1838, for understated elegance as well as fine wines.

The cellar door at TarraWarra Estate in the heart of the Yarra Valley won’t disappoint. And at the restaurant, you’ll be served a “story” of local produce, not just a menu. A sample of the signature menu: Buxton trout – from one of Australia’s best freshwater trout producers – with purple daikon and celery.

Anyone for bubbles? Head to Chandon. There, winemakers have carried the Chandon tradition of sparkling wine since it first arrived in Australia from Argentina in 1959, with the cool Yarra Valley region the perfect climate for producing premium sparkling. Consider enjoying its three-tier brunch with bubbles.

Next, drop by The Yarra Valley Dairy for goat and cows’ milk cheese tasting. Munch on marinated Persian feta or savour salted honey cow (a cheese!), which uses premium local honey and salt to create the ultimate sweet‘n’savoury hit. Specialities from its cafe include goat in a coat (goat’s cheese, with Noosa’s black garlic honey, wrapped in prosciutto and cooked till golden). Delish.

Once you’ve sampled the best the Yarra Valley has to offer on land, why not elevate your experience? Literally. Check out the Qantas Passenger Perks for discounts on Yarra Valley Hot Air Balloon Experience and survey the stunning vineyards from the sky.

Hobart: seafood safari

Flying into Australia’s island state, Tasmania, it would be criminal not to start with the seafood. Sure, there are many culinary delights to this island, but a highlight is the superb fruits de mer. Two and a half hour’s drive north-east from Hobart, where you’ll land, takes you to the Freycinet Peninsula. Discover the award-winning Freycinet Marine Farm, dishing out some of Tasmania’s best and freshest seafood, harvested daily. The best part? You can either take it away, or enjoy it on the deck with a glass of something chilled.

The farm is the only mussel farm on Tassie, so it’s certainly the go-to destination on the island for the freshest batch. Try its moules marinière with garlic, cream and white wine, Tasmanian scallops or mussels España.

If it’s oysters you’re after, then Oyster Bay Tours is where it’s at. Offering a truly memorable experience: harvesting them yourself. You’ll be hopping into the waters of Swanport Estuary to learn how to sort and shuck. Afterwards, enjoy your oysters on the riverbank with a glass of local wine. Some of the tours include a trip to a local Freycinet Vineyard, so you can bliss out on grazing plates and a selection of delicious local wines. From here, you’re just 20-30 minutes away from the wild beauty of Freycinet National Park. On a visit, you’ll be able to soak up the views of Wineglass Bay with its clear waters and curved white-sand beach from the hills above.

Book now at qantas.com or your preferred travel agent.