World tea judge Mark Thirlwall’s mission to help Australians become tea aficionados

Australians need to slow down the way they prepare and drink tea, and take the time to discover the stories behind each brew, to find a greater appreciation of the beverage, according to one of the nation’s leading tea experts.

Making a pot of tea with Mark Thirlwall is a methodical, precise process involving a weighed portion of tea leaves, temperature-controlled water, a timer and cups and pots selected from years of testing.

It is what he calls “the theatre of tea”, and it is a big part of how he wants Australians to start approaching “having a cuppa”.