Paul van Reyk on True to the Land 2021

Spanning 65,000 years, this book provides a history of food in Australia. Paul van Reyk traces its beginnings, with the arrival of the first peoples and their stewardship of the land, to a present where the production and consumption of food is fraught with anxieties and competing priorities.

The book describes how food production in Australia is subject to the constraints of climate, water and soil, leading to centuries of unsustainable agricultural practices post-colonisation.

Australian food history is also the story of xenophobia and the immigration policies which continue to question the image of Australia as a model multicultural society. This comprehensive history also considers how Indigenous peoples are taking increasing control of how their food is interpreted and marketed.

About the author: Paul van Reyk is a food writer living in Sydney, Australia. He is a regular presenter at the Symposium of Australian Gastronomy.

This event takes place online via Zoom.