So it’s little wonder there will be some 250 events held for the Truffle Festival around Canberra, Bungendore and Lake George this year.

The events will range from truffle degustations and truffleinspired menus through to live truffle hunts, cooking classes, tastings, and much more.

One such trufferie that will be be involved with the Truffle Festival is Turalla Truffles at Bungendore, on the southern tip of Lake George.

Owner Damian Robinson is justifiably proud of the business he set up more than 10 years ago.

“Our property is arguably the oldest one in the district, and along with the truffles, my wife and I also run some Black Angus cattle,” he said.

“We have two trufferies, both at one hectare (almost 2.5 acres) in size with a total of 1000 oak and hazelnut trees of the species Robur and Ilex.

“We planted our first trees in 2005, and the second in 2009.

Both plots are producing excellent truffles.

“As we are a smaller boutique trufferie, I decide to train our house dogs - Jack Russells - to find the truffles.”

Mr Robinson said it had proved to be a great success. 

The family is into their second generation of Jack Russell truffle hunters.

He became fascinated with truffles almost 20 years ago, when the idea of growing truffles was just in its infancy in Australia.

“I originally become interested when I read about the first Australian truffles grown in Tasmania in 1999,” Mr Robinson said.

“I knew that they grew under oaks and as that species does well in our climate, we thought it might be a good ‘add-on’ to our core farming business.

“Although I’ve got French heritage and a French passport, I’m happy to admit I’d never tasted a real truffle before.”

Mr Robinson contacted Perigord Truffles in Tasmania and it so happened that they had been targeting the Canberra region.

They considered it a likely place to produce truffles, because of the climate’s similarity to the Perigord region in France.

“After some experience going out to farms and learning what was involved, we decided to give it a shot,” Mr Robinson said.

“The magic of truffles is undeniable.

At the start of each season the first scent of truffle aroma still makes the hair on the back of my neck prickle! I get great pleasure on our public truffle hunts, witnessing the delight from people who are experiencing that aroma for the first time.”

Mr Robinson has been selling his truffles at the Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPiC) markets in season for a number of years now.

“I have a strong and loyal client base who I’m careful to keep happy,” he said. 

“They are paying a lot of money for my truffles, after all. 

I also sell to a number of restaurants in the ACT and surrounding areas. 

I’m not producing enough to worry about overseas sales at this stage, as I quickly sell out every week during the season.”

The eighth Canberra Region Truffle Festival will be held June 25 to August 4 this year. 

For tickets and information, go to trufflefestival.com.au.