In Bungendore, just outside Canberra, it's the middle of winter and the temperature is well below freezing. But as the frost melts and the sun comes out, Damian Robinson and Frisbee go truffle hunting on their property.
It isn't long before Frisbee's extraordinary sense of smell picks up the scent of truffles growing below ground. The truffle is a fungus that grows underneath specially inoculated trees.
The Canberra region is prime truffle country; it's extremely cold in winter and scorchingly hot in summer - exactly what truffle needs to grow.
The Australian black truffle can sell for around $2.50 a gram. Once they're washed, Damian can sell a bag for thousands of dollars.
“They have an extraordinary perfume and taste. They can add flavour to a dish that's quite difficult to even describe the pleasure you obtain from eating something that has been perfumed or flavoured with truffle,” says Damian.
These black truffles can sell for around $2.50 a gram. Source: SBS
But for anyone thinking of growing truffles, it's not easy money. Trees take years to produce truffles, and their shelf life is only a few days before they begin to rot.
“We've just got too many truffles ... so I have to open up markets interstate and internationally to try and move those truffles. With that process, the price line varies regarding what other people are selling and how they're competing with you.”
“That's a challenge and really that's a challenge of setting up your distribution,” Damian says.
There is no denying truffles are in demand and Canberra’s Truffle Festival is proof that the local food industry is taking notice of this little black fungus.
Canberra wineries are pairing with truffle growers and pitching to customers who want locally sourced food.
“It's a great opportunity to partner with other producers and truffles really compliment wine and food,” says Ben Jarrett of Contentious Character winery.
“As a consumer, you're always wanting to learn more about where it's coming from, how it's grown or produced.”
Canberra's Truffle Festival is at the peak of harvesting season for the black truffle. Source: SBS
Behind Spain, France and Italy, Australia is now the fourth-largest black truffle producer in the world. It's competing with countries like South Africa as a southern hemisphere producer, but experts say it has an opportunity to pitch to a growing market.
Great Southern Truffles Mycologist Federico Paci says, “Australian truffles are incredible for size and also quantity per tree. Truffles are not native from Australia so farmers have to try harder to make them grow, so they invest a lot in technology.”
”Australia has this amazing opportunity to export because the Asian market is just on their doorstep.”
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