The winding drive through rolling hills sets the tone for a long, leisurely lunch, arriving at a beautifully restored farmhouse complete with sunlit dining room, cellar door and a larder stocked with cheese and smoked meats.

Start with thin, delicate slices of ham perched on top of a beignet with slivers of melted Gruyere, before moving to rustic main courses. Grilled wild mulloway, say, that arrives with crisp Yamba school prawns, potato rosti and a supple leek fondue – rich, but never over the top. Or Byron Bay pork cheek with all the slow-cooked winter warmth you could hope for, balanced with the salt from house-made prosciutto, the acidity of roasted apple and the crunch of hazelnut.

Bread-and-butter pudding is comfort in a bowl, hugged by brandy custard and tart preserved strawberries. Service radiates the same warmth as the crackling fireplace, with Poachers’ wines the ideal beginning and end to a day out in the country.

Must-order dish: Byron Bay pork cheek, Poachers prosciutto, roasted apple and hazelnut.

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