MLA Michael Pettersson, Southern Harvest Cooperative board member Christine Ellis and Blue Frog Truffle owner Wayne Haslam at the truffle season launch. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
While the winter chills give some the blues, others are rejoicing as frosty mornings ripen Canberra’s black gold: truffles!
The winter solstice marks the beginning of truffle season in the area and growers, wineries, restauranteurs and chefs gathered at East Hotel on Friday (20 June) to celebrate the start of the season and hear more about upcoming events in the July Winter Festival.
Wayne Haslam owns Blue Frog Truffles, one of the region’s oldest truffle farms. He told Region that 2025 has had a slower start to the season with the late onset of cold weather required to ripen truffles.
“We can usually expect frosts anytime after Anzac day in Canberra,” he said.
“This year it’s been much later, but the frosty mornings we’re seeing now are great for truffles. So even though it had a slow start it should be a good season.”
Experienced truffle grower Wayne Haslam said he’s expecting a good season. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The Capital Region Truffle Festival has been running for 17 years and since coming under the organisation of local food and farming cooperative Southern Harvest, has been rebranded as Winter Festival.
The Winter Festival aims to take the unique selling point of truffles growing on the doorstep of Canberra and build a program of flagship events to celebrate the abundance of local produce available in winter.
Michael Pettersson MLA launched the season and told attendees that the festival united growers with chefs, wineries, accommodation providers keen to showcase Canberra’s vibrant winter food culture.
“Now in its 17th year, this celebration has become a much anticipated part of our region’s winter calendar,” he said.
“It’s a beautiful example of how a local initiative can evolve into something that is truly special for the entire region.”
Canberrans and visitors can enjoy truffles across the season – which usually lasts around three months, depending on weather conditions – by taking part in truffle hunts, buying truffles from local retailers and farmers markets to cook at home, and dining at local restaurants who are highlighting this unique ingredient.
The flagship events of the Winter Festival will take place at Fyshwick’s Dairy Road precinct.
Highlights include a Bonfire Night on Friday 25 July which will feature spit-roast pigs from Braidwood’s Branch & Burrow farm and Ambrosia Distillery’s boozy hot chocolates.
A winter market will showcase local food and crafts on Saturday 26 July to bring the best winter produce to consumers, such as fresh-pressed olive oil, new vintage wines, locally grown brassicas, frost-sweetened root vegetables, preserves and ready to eat foods, alongside local crafts and live music.
Sunday’s program is a more hands-on affair, with a range of workshops, tastings and a long lunch at Contentious Character’s urban cellar door.
Attendees can book into a cooking demonstration by truffle farmer and acclaimed Chef Christophe Gregoire, or a coffee cupping session at Barrio’s roastery, with more ticketed events still being added to the program.
Southern Harvest Cooperative board member Christine Ellis said the festival aimed to leverage events to showcase the stories beyond the produce and get more people engaged with the vibrant local food scene.
“This season is not just about what’s on the plate, it’s about what’s behind it: regional resilience, innovation in agriculture and a strong connection to the land. It’s about people, stories and shared values.”
The truffle season is one of Canberra’s most exciting culinary events and the flagship events of the Winter Festival are – in the words of Minister Pettersson – “not to be missed!”.
Find out more about truffle season and Winter Festival events at the Southern Harvest website. Follow Winter Festival on Facebook, and Southern Harvest on Facebook and Instagram.
Lucy Ridge is also an employee of Southern Harvest Cooperative.
