Hunt Truffles Year‑Round at Australia’s First Black Truffle Farm

Tasmania truffle hunting offers a rare opportunity to experience one of the world’s most sought‑after gourmet adventures. On a crisp afternoon, I walked between neat rows of oak trees at the first Australian black truffle farm, one of the few places in the country offering year‑round truffle tours. This is where the prized black truffle, the culinary diamond that helped put Australia on the gourmet map, thrives in the rich soils of the Meander Valley. Guided by a skilled handler and a determined truffle dog, I joined the search for fragrant winter truffles, eager to uncover these luxurious delicacies fresh from the Tasmanian earth.

Truffle Hunting Experiences Australia

This wasn’t my first Australian truffle hunting experience, but it’s easily one of the most memorable, right up there with my day at The Folly Truffles, where I made my own fresh truffle pasta. I loved the combination of truffle hunt and dine, searching for black truffles alongside a skilled truffle dog before sitting down to enjoy them. And as a delicious bonus, I even toasted marshmallows over the fire while we waited because who doesn’t love a little sweet treat with their truffle experience?

Paddock‑to‑plate perfection: dining after a truffle hunt in Tasmania.

 Freshly unearthed black truffle from Australia’s first truffle farm in Tasmania. Photo: Kevin Gordon.

The Birthplace of Australian Truffles

Back in 1999, against all expert advice, Tim and Adele Terry achieved what no one thought possible—they produced the first black truffle ever grown in Australia, right here on their family farm in northern Tasmania.

The experts had told them flatly, “It will never work here.” But Tim was stubborn in the best possible way. Adele backed him completely, keeping the family afloat during the experimental years by sewing curtains for every home in the district. Together, they transformed paddocks into an open‑air science lab, planting hundreds of inoculated trees and waiting years to see if their gamble would pay off.

And it did. Their first harvest made headlines across Tasmania, with news crews swarming the property. For a brief, heady moment, it seemed they had struck gold—or, more accurately, aromatic black treasure. But there was a catch.

In 1999, very few Australians knew what a truffle was, let alone how to use it. The market was in Europe, but getting a fresh truffle halfway around the world in under two weeks, without quarantine delays, was a logistical headache. Rejection for something as tiny as a speck of dirt meant wasted product and sleepless nights.

Fast‑forward 26 years, and the landscape has changed dramatically. These days, Australians adore truffles. Chefs champion them, food lovers seek them out, and the Terrys’ entire harvest is snapped up domestically, mostly in Tasmania.

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Marley, the truffle‑sniffing superstar, leading our Tasmania truffle hunting adventure. Photo: Kevin Gordon.

Rare Year‑Round Truffle Tours

Most truffle farms in Australia are strictly seasonal. Winter brings the prized black truffle; the rest of the year, the trees are left to rest. But this farm is different. They grow both winter black truffles and summer white truffles, each in separate orchards. The black truffles thrive under evergreen French oaks, while the white truffles grow under English oaks. This clever diversification means you can join a truffle hunt at any time of year, a rare offering in Australia.

Whether you visit in July or January, you can experience the thrill of a year-round truffle tour walking between neat rows of trees, watching an expert dog detect the scent of buried treasure, and unearthing it yourself.

Walking the oak tree rows during a year‑round truffle tour in Tasmania.

Meet Marley – The Star of the Show

My winter Australian truffle hunting experience was led by Marley, a lab–border collie mix with the nose of a detective and the charm of a movie star.

Her handler, Kim, explained how Marley came into her life as a free giveaway and turned out to have an extraordinary talent for sniffing out truffles. Although it can take three years to fully train a truffle dog, Marley found her first truffle within just three months. Over the years, she and Kim have honed their teamwork into something seamless and beautiful to watch.

With a treat as her motivation, Marley zig‑zagged between the trees, tail wagging furiously whenever she picked up the scent. When she marked the ground with her paw, we knew a truffle lay just beneath the surface.

Winter and summer truffles can be found on this Australian truffle hunting experience

I was very excited to find my truffle on this year‑round truffle tour

The Fragrance of Luxury

Fresh from the ground, truffles smell faintly of damp forest dirt. Once cleaned, their aroma unfurls into a rich, heady perfume. It’s earthy, nutty, almost intoxicating.

Back at the farm shed, Mary, our guide, demonstrated how each truffle is graded. They must be firm, richly marbled inside, and bursting with aroma to meet Australian standards. Soft spots, lack of fragrance, or pale interiors mean they can’t be sold.

Mary grated truffle over a pizza hot from the oven to give us a snack.  I’ve never seen so much truffle grated like that.  It was amazing and tasted even better!

I inhaled deeply and instantly understood why chefs go weak at the knees for this ingredient.

Dougie the truffle dog is always ready to welcome guests at this year‑round truffle tour

Farming for Flavour

Unlike in Europe, where truffles occur naturally in the wild, every truffle in Australia begins as a deliberate planting. Oak or hazelnut trees are inoculated with truffle spores before planting, and then it’s a patient wait, often up to 12 years, for the first truffle to appear.

It’s farming at its most exacting: soil pH must be just right, sunlight and water carefully balanced, and the orchard meticulously maintained. The work doesn’t stop once truffles appear as maintaining production is a constant dance with nature.

Dogs, Not Pigs

While European tradition leans on pigs for truffle hunting, Australian farmers prefer dogs. Pigs may be enthusiastic, but they also want to eat the truffles they find, and they’re not shy about wrestling for them. Dogs, on the other hand, are eager to please, easier to train, and much better company for long hours in the orchard.

Marley seemed entirely in her element. She was focused when working, sociable when off duty, and clearly adored by everyone on the farm.

From Paddock to Plate

The farm shop is a treasure trove of truffle treats, from truffle‑infused honey, truffle salt, rich truffle ice cream, and fresh truffles to take home. Even if you’re not ready to splurge on fresh truffle, these products offer a taste of its magic.

It’s worth planning time to linger in the gardens and soak up the rural tranquillity. You might even meet other members of the farm’s dog team, like the legendary Dougie, who has a statue in his honour at the reception area.

Why You’ll Love It

• More than a food experience – truffle hunting blends detective work, a nature walk, and hands‑on harvesting.
• Rare in Australia – one of the few places where you can hunt truffles year‑round, and the very first black truffle farm in the nation.
• For every kind of traveller – food lovers, curious adventurers, and dog enthusiasts will all find something to adore here.
• Deep appreciation – discover the patience, skill, and love that goes into producing each truffle.
• Addictive fun – the thrill of the find, the joy of working with a clever dog, and the intoxicating aroma of fresh truffle will have you coming back.
• Insider tip – book ahead (especially in winter), wear sturdy shoes, dress warmly, and be prepared for a little mud.

The ultimate reward – hold, smell, and admire one of the world’s most luxurious foods, freshly unearthed from the Tasmanian earth.

Disclaimer: Eat drink and be Kerry was a guest of The Truffle Farm Tasmania.

Learning the art of truffle grading at Australia’s first black truffle farm.