Chef Alastair Waddell and wild food researcher Peter Hardwick are a duo to be reckoned with. Waddell took over the pans at Harvest Newrybar just over a year ago and his menu, paired with Hardwick’s wild ferments and native ingredients, is an extraordinary offering, where fine dining meets the Australian bush in the northern rivers.

The natural environment completes the boho-chic experience. The charming weatherboard cottage is surrounded by gums and native plants including lemon myrtle, finger limes, native gingers and Davidson plums, with a flourishing vegetable garden visible from the restaurant deck, and newly installed beehive at the bottom of the garden. It feels secluded and private, a much needed respite from the foot-traffic-heavy Byron township.

Hinterland ingredients are showcased at their best. Smoked macadamias are buttery and rich, fat capers from local farm Picone Exotics are surprisingly complex in their spice and tang, while a fermented fish sauce made by Hardwick is spilling with terroir. The lunch menu features classics with a twist – slow-cooked lamb is meltingly tender, dressed with a tangy lime and peppercorn sauce. Ballina prawns are enlivened with mouth-puckering native lemon aspen. Seaweed vinaigrette, a concoction from Hardwick, dresses an earthy salad of beetroot and radish, finished with a lick of cultured cream.

With native ingredients at the forefront of the Harvest experience, there is a resonance with the food here that extends beyond what’s on the plate, into a deep exploration of the Australian land and all it has to offer.