Braidwood Bakery, Braidwood, NSW The picturesque goldrush-era town of Braidwood is an ideal stopping place on the way from Canberra to the coast (Batemans Bay), its excellent bakery being a major reason to pull over and take a break here. As popular among locals as travellers, the bakery an enviable reputation and no wonder, it offers a huge range of goodies (their breads, pastries and cakes are to die for), and has ample seating for the hungry travellers who flood through its doors. Braidwood Bakery, 99 Wallace St, Braidwood, NSW. Phone: (02) 4842 2541.

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Beechworth Bakey, Beechworth, Vic I used to be able to do the driving from Sydney to Melbourne easily in a day, until the day I discovered Beechworth Bakery. The historic former goldmining town of Beechworth is 30km of Hume Highway at Wangaratta, and well worth the extra drive, if for nothing else but lunch or brekky at the bakery (though the town has plenty more to offer the visitor). Someone what of an instituation in Victoria's north-east, the Bakery's food is always good and the range is superb; try and avoid lunchtime as it gets pretty busy. Beechworth Bakery, 27 Camp Street, Beechworth, Vic. Phone: 1300 233 784. Website

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Parker Pies, Rutherglen, Vic The Rutherglen wine region in north-eastern Victoria produces what for me are some the best reds in the country. Not many people know it but its pies are up there with the best too. I'm always skeptical when I see a "best pies in Australia" sign outside a bakery, but these people have ever right to make that claim. They win 1st prize in just about every pie contest they enter, and for me, their signature pie - Kangaroo with Caramelised Onion and Redcurrant Jelly Sauce - is worth driving all the way to Rutherglen and back for. They offer dine-in or take-away and supplement their range of pies with cakes, deserts, coffee, local wines and beer. Parker Pies, 86-88 Main Street, Rutherglen, Vic. Phone: (02) 6032 9605. Website

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Millhouse Cafe, Pemberton, WA Ever the thriving hub of activity along Pemberton's main street, this cafe offers patrons a range of locally created cafe favourites from coffees to cakes, sandwiches to salads and all the typical cafe trimmings, plus some local marron (freshwater crayfish) dishes. Take-aways also available. The Cafe also doubles as a gallery space which showcases the work of local photographers. Pembnberton Millhouse Cafe 14 Brockman Street, Pemberton, WA. Phone: (08) 9776 1122.