Within reach of Perth, the Southern Forests are regarded as the gourmet food bowl. A wide variety of fresh year-round epicurean treats, including chestnuts, cherries, ginseng, green tea, cheeses, beef, lamb, as well as seafood of marron, perch, trout and the prized black truffle, draw chefs and visitors seeking award-winning wines and culinary trails. Nestled between majestic jarrah and karri forests, Manjimup is the largest producer of truffles, holding an annual festival and truffle hunts between June and September.

Just a short ferry or helicopter ride from Perth is the pristine Rottnest Island, an A-Class Reserve. Snorkel, dive and fish in its bountiful turquoise waters, and on land, enjoy the 63 white sandy beaches and the famously friendly quokka. Seafood is king here. Plump, meaty scallops are harvested between March and October, and soon after, crayfish (known as rock lobster) harvest season begins. These prized finds are snapped up by gourmet restaurants around the country. Your best bet on the island is to head to Hotel Rottnest and Thomsons Rottnest.

Gather on the grounds of Vasse Felix, the oldest vineyard in the Margaret River region and recently named "New World Winery of the Year" by Wine Spectator. Select unique Aussie bites like housemade kangaroo pastrami, local cheeses and marinated olives for a wine-paired picnic. Every Saturday morning, locals gather at the Margaret River farmers' market — a perfect place to create your own picnic of crocodile jerky from Absolute Biltong & Jerky, sheep cheese from Cambray and a few sweet treats from Temper Temper Fine Chocolates.

With more restaurants per capita than any other major city in Australia, you’ll be spoiled for choice in Perth. Inland it doesn’t get more local than Paddock and Farm Bistro in the suburb of Bedford, where your meat is butchered on site. In central Perth, dine within one of the city’s original horse stables at the classic Stables Bar. The Cone Bay Barramundi followed by a sticky date pudding in butterscotch sauce is sheer heaven.

Located beside the wine regions of Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills, Adelaide is the South Australia hub for wine-lovers. An evening perusing the city’s wine bars should start by slurping down a pile of fresh oysters at The Loft Oyster and Wine Bar before heading for tapas at Mother Vine (order the Motherboard for a full selection of cheeses and meats). End the night munching on truffle popcorn at Cantina Sociale, where you can buy your wine straight out of the barrel.

South Australia offers more than just world-class wine: 78 Degrees gin was awarded Best International Gin at the distinguished American Distilling Institute Awards. Red Hen makes a classic London dry style and is conveniently located in downtown Adelaide, where bootleggers once operated in the 1880s. Prohibition Gin in Adelaide Hills is notable for using unusual botanicals such as wormwood, pink peppercorns and green tea. You can also find your pick of laid-back lounges and trendy bars along vibrant Rundle Street.

The Eyre Peninsula is known as Australia’s seafood frontier, as over 65 percent of Australia’s catch is sourced from here. Wade through transparent water with a local farmer to harvest your own oysters for lunch with Coffin Bay Oyster Farm Tours.

On Kangaroo Island, you can grab oysters (gathered just over 600 feet away), marron and abalone at the Oyster Farm Shop. For the most romantic dining experience possible, eat in a fairytale-like private dining room created from entwined tree branches at the Enchanted Fig. Open only between December and April, this magical spot perfectly merges Kangaroo Island ingredients with global flavors like local sashimi with Thai aromatics.