Uluru, NT – Tuesday 6th February 2024: Tali Wiru, the native and Indigenous gastronomic adventure in the spiritual heart of Australia, has been awarded an Australian Good Food Guide Chef Hat for 2024 and a Readers' Choice Award, becoming the highest rated restaurant in the NT and the only entirely outdoor dining experience in Australia to be recognised. 

With a score of 15, the Australian Good Food Guide said Tali Wiru's unique blend of modern Australian with Indigenous and native flavours represents "Food Quite Out of the Ordinary".  

Meaning 'beautiful dune'  in local Pitjantjatjara language, Tali Wiru is an exclusive five-hour dining experience offered by Ayers Rock Resort that is limited to just 20 guests per evening. Now entering its 12th year of operation, Tali Wiru is highly sought after by guests to Uluru who are seeking a deeper cultural experience. 

“There is nothing quite like Tali Wiru in all of Australia, and we're incredibly proud of the culinary team at Ayers Rock Resort who bring this magical experience to life each evening with professionalism and passion,” said Matt Cameron-Smith, CEO of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. “Tali Wiru is a true feast for all the senses and a must-do for any lovers of great food and fine wine. If it's not yet on your bucket list, now is the time to start planning a gastronomic adventure to Uluru”.  

"Australia is blessed with an incredibly diverse dining scene, but none speak to the essence of Australian dining quite like Tali Wiru,” said Joseph Steele, National Operations Manager at Australian Good Food Guide. “From the ethos of the kitchen to the extraordinary finesse of the plating, the dining excellence at Tali Wiru transcends a culinary experience and becomes a truly cultural one. To say that this is a must-do experience underplays the impact that a dining experience here has on you. You leave Tali Wiru with a deeper understanding and connection to this wildly pulsing land". 

Australian Good Food Guide (AGFG) Chef Hats have been awarded around the country since 1982. These awards are the result of careful deliberation. Inspectors appointed by AGFG dine anonymously and pay full fare, and their reviews together with the opinions of the dining public determine the results. There are six key attributes considering in the judging: Ingredients, taste, presentation, technique, value and consistency. Readers Choice Awards give the Australian public the opportunity to vote for their favourite establishments throughout the year. 

To book Tali Wiru or for more information, visit your local travel agent, www.ayersrockresort.com.au or phone 1300 134 044. 

About Tali Wiru:  
 

• Guests of Tali Wiru begin their evening with an adventurous off-road transfer to a private dune with magnificent views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta as the sun slowly sinks below the horizon. While enjoying champagne and canapes, guests have the chance to take part in a discussion and tasting of native ingredients featured on the evening's menu. 

• As the first stars begin to glow, guests take their seat at the open-air restaurant for a four-course table d'hôte dinner perfectly paired with premium Australian wines and infused with ancient native ingredients. The menu boasts modern, creative uses of traditional Indigenous fare sourced from across the country, including Quandongs from Alice Springs as well as Desert Lime and Saltbush from South Australia. Other ingredients featured include Desert Oak pods, similar to those found in the dunes around Tali Wiru, Pickled Muntries, and Wattle Seed traditionally used in desserts and baking. 

• Afterwards, guests enjoy a hot chocolate or cognac while hearing from an Indigenous storyteller and star talker to uncover the secrets of the Southern Desert skies and learn about the Traditional Owners of these lands, the Anangu.  

• Priced from $420 per person, Tali Wiru includes transfers, table d'hôte menu, matched wines and cultural entertainment. The experience departs an hour before sunset each night between April-October.  

Image Caption: The dedicated Tali Wiru culinary team. Back row: James Mabo, Myunghwa Kim, Marcellus Jupurrul Ah Kit, Aung Khant, Junghun Lee and Asaeli Waqanivalu. Front row: Beyonce Matthew, Savirio Vodonaivalu, Adi Kelera Bulileka (Absent: Verenaisi Ceguadrau).

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More information and images: media@voyages.com.au | https://voyages.mediavalet.com | www.ayersrockresort.com.au/experiences/tali-wiru

About Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia: Voyages is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) established to undertake tourism business on its behalf. Voyages offers unique experiences and cultural immersion in spectacular locations around Australia including Ayers Rock Resort in the Northern Territory and the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre in Tropical North Queensland. Voyages works closely with local communities, respecting and supporting Indigenous culture and offering employment, training and business development opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.