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Press Release
Tasmania on a New Menu
15 March 2008
Tasmania’s food and wine travel experiences are being showcased on a new Australian lifestyle television series, Mercurio’s Menu.
The Minister for Economic Development and Tourism, Paula Wriedt, said that over 350,000 viewers in Sydney, regional NSW and Adelaide tuned in to Channel Seven over the weekend to see a tour of southern Tasmania’s food and wine experiences - the first of two Tasmanian episodes.
Hosted by popular television presenter and keen foodie, Paul Mercurio, each 30-minute episode of Mercurio’s Menu is dedicated to one of Australia’s premier food destinations.
“A further 220,000 thousand Victorian viewers are expected to see the Tasmania’s South episode when it airs in Melbourne and regional Victoria on Channel Seven tonight.
“And thousands more will see the series each week when it begins running on Jetstar Airlines in-flight entertainment program on all 78 of their weekly international flights,” Ms Wriedt said.
The Tasmania’s South episode features Mures Restaurant in Hobart, a fishing expedition on the Tasman Peninsula, Bruny Island oysters, cherries and fudge, and sheep’s milk cheese from Grandvewe at Woodbridge.
“An episode featuring the food and wine experiences of Tasmania’s North will air during April, showcasing Angasi Restaurant at Binalong Bay, the Tamar Valley’s Ninth Island Vineyard and acclaimed chef Daniel Alps, Leavenbank Woodfired Bakery at St Helens, raspberries from Christmas Hills, Gone Fishing Charters and the lobsters from Salty Seas Seafood,” Ms Wriedt said.
The series’ producers spent eight days in the State earlier this year filming the two Tasmanian episodes, supported by Jetstar and Tourism Tasmania through its Visiting Journalists Program.
Tourism Tasmania contributed $30,000 to support the production of each Tasmanian episode.
“The television series is expected to provide Tasmania with destination advertising worth millions of dollars. Screenings of the Tasmania’s South episode have already provided the State with the equivalent of approximately $3 million in advertising.
“This collaboration with Jetstar and the series’ producers, WTFN Entertainment, is another example of how Tourism Tasmania is working smarter to make an impact in the tourism marketplace,” Ms Wriedt said.
Tasmanians will have a chance to see the Tasmania’s South episode on Saturday 22 March at 5.30pm on Southern Cross with the episode on Tasmania’s North expected to air at the same time on Saturday 13 April 2008.