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Australia’s best coffee revealed – and it isn’t where you think it is

Emily Murphy Emily Murphy
The judges have spoken, and the flavours taking top honours are ones you’ll want to try.

Australia’s obsession with coffee has reached new heights with the country’s best brew officially crowned at the 2025 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show. After a blind tasting process that saw judges work their way through hundreds of entries, Brisbane’s Coffee Mentality has taken home the prestigious Champion Coffee title.

For a nation that prides itself on its caffeine culture, the result is as much a victory for local Brisbane coffee producers as it is for the daily coffee drinkers who demand nothing but the best.

The blend that impressed the judges

Coffee being poured by man with tattoos.
Coffee Mentality’s Auditory blend was crowned Champion Coffee. (Image: Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash)

Judges described the winning coffee as rich, complex and beautifully balanced, the kind of brew that lingers long after the last sip. Coffee Mentality’s Auditory blend stood out from a field of more than 1600 entries across 72 classes, a reminder that great coffee is as much about craftsmanship as it is about beans.

The Sydney Royal Fine Food Show is known for its rigorous standards and has become one of the most respected platforms for producers to prove their worth. To take out the top coffee prize is to declare yourself the leader of a nation that lives and breathes cafe culture.

Unlike international competitions, where beans can be sourced from anywhere, the Sydney Royal awards put a strong focus on Australian produce. All entries must contain at least 85 per cent Australian ingredients. Coffee Mentality’s win is therefore not just about flavour, but also about the rise of locally grown beans and the roasters who are finding new ways to showcase them.

Other winners worth celebrating

Coffee being poured with latte art
All entries must contain at least 85 per cent Australian ingredients. (Image: Fahmi Fakhrudin / Unsplash)

While coffee took the headline, it was just one part of a showcase that celebrated the diversity of Australian food and drink. Rice Culture was named Champion Drink for its Organic Black Koji Amazake, a fermented rice drink that reflects the growing popularity of craft non-alcoholic beverages.

Slowbreads Roseville impressed again with its Fig, Cranberry and Walnut Sourdough, taking home the Champion Sourdough title. The PieFather in Rosebery made headlines of its own by winning Champion Pie with the quirky but delicious MickTaco pie. Mandolé Orchard continued its dominance in the Champion Plant-Based Product category with its Honey Almond Butter, showing that nut spreads can be every bit as decadent as traditional dairy.

Meat lovers were also well represented. Stockyard Beef was declared Grand Champion Beef Exhibit for its Stockyard Black, while Millin’s Free Range Butcher won Champion Fresh Sausage with its beef Philly cheesesteak sausages. These winners highlight the breadth of Australia’s food scene, from boutique producers experimenting with new flavours to established names pushing boundaries in traditional categories.

So, while a humble cup of coffee might be the headline act, the bigger story is the creativity, dedication and innovation running through every part of Australia’s food industry. Whether you are chasing the perfect morning brew, hunting down sourdough with a twist or curious enough to try a pie inspired by tacos, the 2025 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show has made one thing clear. The best flavours of Australia are being created right now, and they are worth every sip and every bite.

Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
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What it’s really like to stay on the world’s largest sand island

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

    The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort  with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

    But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

    Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

    Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

    Exploring K’gari

    ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island
    Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

    This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

    If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

    The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

    kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island
    Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

    If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

    While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

    The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

    Unwind at sunset

    two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort
    Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

    As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

    The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

    When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

    Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

    Indulge and disconnect

    woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa
    Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

    The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

    Getting there

    kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island
    The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.