Beneath the Surface: A Taste of Truffle Gold on the NSW South Coast

By Alex Mitcheson

Tucked away in the lush folds of Dignams Creek on the South Coast of New South Wales — where the rainforest dips into the sea and the soil hums with volcanic memory — a quiet luxury is stirring underground. The black Périgord truffle, that gnarled and enigmatic jewel of the culinary world, is thriving here thanks to a blend of science, instinct, and a near-spiritual alliance between humans, dogs, and the land.

At the heart of this aromatic uprising is Fiona Kotvojs of Gulaga Gold. Her family farm, once a dairy and later a beef operation, has been in her family since 1961. When Fiona returned in 2005, she came armed with the intent to make the land financially viable and sustainably productive.

"We considered everything from saffron to olives," Fiona says, standing among 380 hazelnut and oak trees on the hectare of land now dedicated to truffle cultivation. "But truffles made sense. The soil, the climate, and yes, the mystique."

She planted her first inoculated trees in 2012, and by 2019, the first commercial truffle harvest emerged. Today, Gulaga Gold exports to the US and services local Melbourne chefs with what may be some of the most uniquely flavoured truffles in the Southern Hemisphere.

"The terroir here is incredible," Fiona explains. "Our soil comes from an ancient monzonite volcano, the air is tinged with sea salt, and we're surrounded by temperate rainforest. The result? Truffles that carry notes of sea salt, rainforest floor, and rich, dark earth."

As with any agricultural venture, the numbers have to work. Fiona has built her business model carefully, balancing tree yields, export potential, and niche experiences. She's also expanded thoughtfully, with an additional 90 trees soon to come into production. "We're still boutique, and that's our strength," she says. "But everything we do has to make sense financially — from dog training to packaging and logistics."

And while the science of soil and the business of export are key, so is the story. "People want to know where their food comes from," Fiona adds. "It's about the provenance — the narrative behind the flavour. That's where small producers like us can shine."

Training Noses: The Role of Truffle Dogs

Truffle hunting season at Gulaga Gold runs from mid-June to mid-August, and that's when the real work begins. Enter Kai, a sharp-nosed Koolie with a high-energy drive and a nose for buried treasure. Kai is one of several community-trained truffle dogs that work the fields alongside their handlers.

Kai's owner is Dr. Elisabeth Newfield, a veterinarian based in nearby Narooma. When not tending to pets or wildlife, she's out among the truffle trees, partnering with Fiona during the intense harvest months.

"Kai started with truffle-scented cloth in the lounge room," Elisabeth laughs. "We progressed to burying samples in the garden and eventually moved to Fiona's farm for real field work."

Training a truffle dog is part science, part art. It begins with basic scent recognition indoors, then scales up to more complex challenges: outdoor searches, buried targets, and finally, field-ready performance among the trees. Dogs are taught to signal a find by lying down with their nose over the spot. Training includes variable scent locations and reward types to avoid false positives and keep dogs sharp.

"You have to make it fun," Elisabeth says. "Some dogs work for food, others for a ball. The joy is part of the job. And personality matters as much as breed. You want a dog that enjoys solving problems."

Dogs can detect truffles up to six weeks before they ripen. Handlers must confirm ripeness through a mix of sniffing the soil, nicking the surface of the truffle, and marking unripe ones for later. "Some dogs do try to scam you for a reward," Elisabeth admits with a grin. "But you learn their tells."

As Fiona puts it: "Without the dogs, we'd be fumbling around in the dark — literally. They're the unsung heroes of this whole operation."

A New Kind of Agritourism

Gulaga Gold is not only a truffle farm; it's a model of boutique agritourism. Guests can join truffle hunts, adopt a tree, and attend tasting sessions. Fiona also educates visitors on incorporating truffles into home cooking, whether infusing eggs or making velvety truffle butter.

But the farm's reach extends further. Fiona aims to foster regional employment and food tourism, inspiring others to follow suit. She's part farmer, part culinary tactician — and it shows. "We want to create a ripple effect," she says. "Truffles are the hook, but it's about building a connected, resilient food community."

Elisabeth nods in agreement. "There's something grounding about the work. You're out in the mist with your dog, unearthing something a year in the making. It's focused, physical, and deeply satisfying."

Behind the truffle-laden plates lies a story of patience, precision, and quiet passion running deeper than flavour. Coveted by chefs and food lovers for their complex, intoxicating aroma, truffles are one of the world's most luxurious ingredients. They don't shout; they murmur of earth, time, and craft. And here on the NSW South Coast, that luxury is being grown, sniffed out, and unearthed — one rich, fragrant piece at a time.