A visit to Biran Biran Farm (Gippsland Natural Beef) in Victoria (Australia) was indeed an exciting and unforgettable experience. I always wanted to explore what’s in Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, until recently, my first trip to Gippsland Natural Beef Farm happened with Meat Livestock Australia’s team from Jakarta (Indonesia). We were invited to be part of Renascence Gippsland 2018 which is one of the highlights of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival 2018 (MFWF 2018) held on March 17, 2018. Took place in the heart of Gippsland Farm, we enjoyed an open-air lunch festival on the autumn day along with a 5-course menu featuring locally sourced products specially prepared by Chef Alejandro Saravia.
Just like last year, Chef Alejandro teamed up with the Gippsland Natural beef producer, Paul Crock, to surprise everyone who has reserved seats through MFWF’s website with first-class produce from the Gippsland Farm. They also provide welcome drinks such as Gurneys Cider at the entrance to make them relaxed and welcomed at the farm. And the big shared table lets everyone sit together with a bunch of total strangers and encourage everyone to mingle with those around them.
Everyone from different countries gathered there to enjoy the flavors and textures of Saravia’s open-fire cooking made by Pastuso’s Executive Chef, Chef Alejandro Saravia, a top-notch Melbourne chef who runs Melbourne restaurant Pastuso. All the food paired with premium local wines from Bass Phillip ranging from Pinot Rose 2016, Chardonnay Old Cellar 2015, Gamay 2016, and Crown Prince Pinot Noir 2015; it’s exciting! Despite the hot sunny day, the view from the top of the hill overlooks Victoria’s iconic Wilsons Promontory, one of Victoria’s best-loved National Parks was fantastic!
For the first time in my life, I felt so close to nature. I can’t believe that we’re actually on the farm where Gippsland Natural Beef produces high-quality Black Angus grass fed beef on #TrueAussie that are sourced directly from the farm. We were told that the Gippsland environment inspired Chef Alejandro to share stories from farm to the table through BBQ feast on the farm like this. All the meat was hanging on the racks, pit roasted and slowed cooked for 10 hours, resulting in superb textures, fresh, tender, medium-rare with a nice char aroma, this Black Angus steak has it all. It’s definitely the best Beef and Lamb Steak we’ve had so far!
There are lots of Australian Butchers shops that offer premium meats sourced from leading Australian meat producers. Guess what? I had never felt so happy when we went to a meat shop. The meat shop that we visited Meatsmith Butcher at St Kilda (Melbourne), featured premium meats, beautifully arranged and very neat, complete with details of the source. Whether you’re looking for grass-fed beef, lamb, free-range chicken, etc, they have it all. All cuts, fresh, and some of the processed meat has been seasoned too, so it’s very easy to cook at home in Australia. It’s worth visiting when you’re in Melbourne, and there are lots of meat shop in Queen Victoria Market (QVM). Must go there if you want to experience TRUE AUSSIE BEEF!
When we met Bob Davie, Producer and Director of Bimbadeen Phillip Island, Victoria (Australia), he shared his life story about running 340 hectares of farmland. Bimbadeen is located close to both the world famous Penguin Parade and Grand Prix Circuit; owned and operated by the Davie family since 1955, was first used for dairying and pig production before beef cattle were introduced in 1968. Bimbadeen has become renowned for its award-winning premium quality beef and innovative environmental practices winning awards both at State and National levels. Wow! So, unlike much feedlot-produced beef, all the cattle at Bimbadeen as part of Gippsland Natural Beef, are well-fed and raised naturally on top fresh pastured, roam free and carefully managed without artificial growth-promoting hormones. With a world-class farm management system like Bob Davie on his farm, Gippsland Natural became one of the first brands to adopt the MSA grading system, and he ensures the quality of their beef consistently tender in various cuts and cooking methods.
There’s a growing number of consumers in Indonesian market are also began shifting to grass-fed beef to get more health benefits from this premium meat. In fact, with such special treatment in the farm, the cattle here are happier, and that’s why grass-fed meat provides higher nutrients than meat from the feedlot cattle. Bob Davie is very concerned about quality and strives for environmental improvement in sustainable agriculture. And because it’s all pure meat, it produces a leaner, healthier, and much more flavorful steak.
With Bob, and media friends, we roam the paddocks, feel the wind breeze, fresh air, and see the Black Angus Cattle closer. It was really an unforgettable experience for us! For lunch, we visited Noobies Ocean Discovery Centre. There’s a cafe inside the visitor center featuring the best regional food and wine, with spectacular coastal views stretch beautifully forever. For the food, we loved their signature dishes, Gippsland Natural Beef Burger with extra egg served with grass-fed Gippsland Natural Beef and the finest ingredients.
If you’re going for a day trip to Phillip Island, don’t forget to visit the Nobbies; try the best burger ever, discover the walking tracks, enjoy the amazing coastal view, watch the Penguin Parade at night, etc. For more information, click here to visit Nobbies Centre’s website at Phillip Island, Victoria (Australia).
Gippsland Natural Beef is a community effort on sustainable beef farming with a focus on a holistic environmental approach by a small group of dedicated farmers in the Gippsland region of Victoria since 1999. More information, click here to visit Gippsland Natural Beef’s website.