The Acclimatisation Society of Victoria was founded early in 1851 with the primary aim of introducing and “naturalising” useful plants and animals from other parts of the world.  According to the founders, in Australia, “there was a remarkable absence of plants and animals likely to be useful to mankind”. Despite this, the society did not balk at dining on the local wildlife and, in October, held an Experimental Dinner featuring a multitude of dishes made from indigenous ingredients.

The Experimental Dinner was held at Menzies Hotel in Melbourne, where the kitchen staff were charged with producing the unusual fare. Melbourne’s Herald reported on the event, declaring that:

…probably in no period of the history of the Australian colonies has there been such a collection of “quite colonial” dishes as were presented to the 120 or 130 gentlemen who were present on that evening…Nor must we forget to mention the very creditable manner in which Mr. Menzies carried out the onerous task entrusted to him; for we are afraid that if some of the experimental dishes had not had a good deal of culinary skill expended upon them, they would have been experimental failures.

The dinner was clearly served French style which, at that time, involved placing all the dishes of a given course on the table at the same time. With around 100 separate dishes, it’s unlikely that any guest sampled all of them.

The Herald made particular mention of dishes such as bandicoot, fricandeau of wombat and spinach, curried opossum, native companion (brolga), and patty of frogs. However, there were many more native fish and animals on the menu, which began with a choice of kangaroo, Murray turtle or crayfish soups. The fish course offered a dozen varieties, from Murray cod to flounder, black fish to golden perch, with oyster, lobster, anchovy or shrimp sauce.

The “remove” (a substantial dish on traditional French menus, served after the fish course and signifying a shift to the heavier portion of the meal) was a haunch of kangaroo. Then followed nearly two dozen dishes, including the aforementioned brolga, bandicoot and frog, but also parrot (parroquet) pie, wallaby, black swan, Cape Barren goose, various other types of native wild fowl and the more familiar ham, turkey and rabbit.

The meal continued with a further five courses, featuring dozens of dishes conjured from almost every conceivable native animal. The “porcupine” listed was, no doubt, an echidna. Fortunately, there was no mention of koala or platypus. There were stewed eels, curried crayfish, jugged kangaroo, mayonnaise of Murray lobster, plover, snipe and wattlebird.

However, the Experimental Dinner became less experimental when it came to entremets (what we would call dessert). The array of jellies, meringues, custards and tarts was thoroughly European, as were the fruits and nuts served afterwards. While imported liqueurs were served, the wines were colonial: a sparkling from Victoria; Red Cawarra, White Irrawang and Rosy Kaludah from New South Wales; and  Malvoisie, Verdeilho, Gnape, Espanior and Burgundy from South Australia.

It’s a dinner the like of which we will never see again. Now, almost all native Australian animals – including birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals – are protected by law, making it illegal to harm, kill, or take them from the wild without a permit.  Wombat is no longer on the menu.