Narooma Oyster Festival

27/05/2026

A tradition is born.

Our take on the Bloody Mary fired this cocktail into the realm of evening aperitif. Served by the cooking fires as the sun set over Wagonga Inlet, it featured oysters grown in the very inlet our guests mingled beside.

26/05/2026

👏👏 Oyster Farmers Alley! 👏👏

This year, around 37,500 oysters were enjoyed here, at the heart of the festival!

It takes at least three years to grow each one from tide to table, approximately 4 seconds to open (if you are a seasoned shucker), and around 10 seconds to eat with a full appreciation of the merroir of the oyster and the shell.

All up, 66,000 oysters were savoured across the entire festival, sourced from 11 stunning estuaries and 14 dedicated oyster growers. That's a whole lot of cultivation and care - and over 72 hours of shucking.

With the harvest more than tripling over the past 10 years, it is a truly heroic effort by all of our farmers and shuckers - many of whom are one and the same.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support them, and an even bigger thank you to the growers who keep pushing the industry forward!

25/05/2026

Today the NSW Oyster Conference begins!

The biennial conference brings together oyster farmers, researchers, and industry leaders from across the country for three days of innovation, technology, agritourism, sustainability, and knowledge sharing.

Held just down the road at Merimbula, the 2026 event includes farm tours, a trade show, and workshops; culminating in the prestigious NSW Oyster Industry Awards on Thursday night.

We are especially excited to co-sponsor Thursday morning's Women In Seafood Australasia - WISA Breakfast with Australia's Oyster Coast. Themed 'Women shaping the future of oyster farming – leadership, innovation and the next generation', the panel discussion is set to be insightful and inspiring, as well as supporting the vital work being done by WISA to support, connect, and champion women across the Australian seafood sector. Tickets are available, and all are welcome!

We are looking forward to deepening our knowledge, sharing experiences, and celebrating the people driving a strong, sustainable future for the oyster industry and our waterways.

22/05/2026

This was a Sunday to remember!

Narooma's Biggest Breakfast was a fantastic morning with a mix of all our favourite things - wellness, indulgence, music, dance and ... Rock Oysters and bubbles!

The day began gently with a sunrise cruise aboard Nar-Oo-ma Aboriginal Cultural Tours with Walbunja man Wally Stewart, and a yoga class with Tilba's Georgina Eve. A visit to Good Sauna and a dip in the inlet was a fabulous combination too, and there was a spot in the sun for everyone to sit on the foreshore and enjoy each other's company over a relaxed breakfast.

Local charity groups pampered some 300 guests with pancakes by Sea Stars Drama, sweet treats by Bodalla Public School, hearty rolls with Narooma Rotary, granola and yoghurt tubs by Tilba Public School, with Narooma Rocks donating 50% of the mornings tickets to bolster their day's takings.

The Sparkling Oyster Bar was kept busy shucking to order and pouring Borrowed Cuttings Picpoul and Petersons Wines, while entertainment flowed all morning. The Dalmeny Wahines made a welcome return after their inaugural show at last year's breakfast, and were joined by talented Narooma High School music students and local star Cherie, who had many of us singing along. WIRES also popped along to share information about the rescue and care of local wildlife. The morning also saw the raffle draw for a new MG, with the winning ticket 1592 held by Lindy Turnbull of Batemans Bay.

Narooma's Biggest Breakfast was proudly supported by Airbnb.

21/05/2026

66,000 Oysters. 10,500 Oyster lovers. One unforgettable weekend!

The Narooma Oyster Festival remains a firm favourite on the national culinary calendar after 10,500+ oyster lovers flocked to Wagonga Inlet from May 1-3. Australia’s greatest shellar door saw a record 66,000 Rock Oysters shucked and savored. Read the full event wrap-up here

19/05/2026

🦪✨ A huge thank you to our Volunteer legends! ✨🦪

There’s a very special group of people we want to celebrate for National Volunteer Week - our incredible team of 111 volunteers!

Wearing their signature blue tees, this amazing crew brought a special kind of magic that stays with everyone who visits the festival. From oyster lovers and top chefs to performers like Sarah McLeod, everyone felt their vibe.

They helped put the first, and the finishing, touches on every part the festival, they gave thousands of welcoming smiles and served fantastic plates and pours all weekend. They travelled from as far afield as Brisbane and Wagga, to join our amazing local crew.

To every one of you - thank you for your support, your knowledge and your energy. We couldn’t do it without you! 💛

17/05/2026

Congratulations to Lindy Turnbull of Batemans Bay, winner of the Narooma Oyster Festival and Batemans Bay MG car raffle!

Lindy is already off and cruising in her new MG ZX Vibe, after Rachel and Michael presented her with the keys this week at Coastal Auto Group.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported the raffle. Every ticket sold helps our community-run, not-for-profit festival continue to celebrate the Rock Oyster and its growers, while showcasing the people, produce and places that make this region so special.

And the lucky ticket number? #1592!

07/05/2026

So we took a few snaps...

A huge thank you to everyone who made the Festival a such a great success! From the growers to the groovers, the chefs and producers and an incredible group of 111 volunteers - you really brought the magic!

Stay tuned for chef's recipes and more pics!

📷 Timothy Grey & David Rogers Photography

04/05/2026

That’s a wrap on our 19th Narooma Oyster Festival!

A huge thank you to everyone who came along to celebrate the Rock Oyster, our wonderful community, travellers from near and far, the producers, chefs, more than 100 volunteers, and of course, the farmers.

We’ll be sharing more stories and photos soon, but here are a few highlights you might have missed:

🌟🏆🌟 Our new Australian Oyster Shucking Champion is Zoe Jacobson, taking out the title with the best combined score for speed and presentation from an incredibly talented field of 17 competitors. Hailing from Tasmania, where she holds consecutive State titles, Zoe also won the Women’s Championship. Congratulations to Sally McLean (Jim Wild’s Oysters, Shoalhaven) for silver and Sue McIntyre (Broadwater Oysters, Pambula) for bronze.

🏆 After a few years of coming close, Graeme Rush (Burrill Lake) not only made his first final, but took the win. Congratulations Rushy. Greg Carton (Broadwater Oysters), our 2025 champion, placed second, with Dom Boyton (Merimbula Gourmet Oysters) taking bronze.

🦪 The honour of Australia’s Biggest Oyster went to Pride of the Clyde at 2.66kg, now happily back in its briny bed on Bernie and Sharryn Connell’s leases on the Clyde River.

Save the date for the next Festival: May 7–9, 2027!

📷

02/05/2026

Say hello to the 2026 Australian Oyster Shucking Champion - Zoe Jacobson!

With what could be considered somewhat short shucking career of just seven years, Zoe earnt her place as Tasmania's top competitive shucker at the Wooden Boat Festival in 2023, and has held it, with a dedication to the craft that on Saturday saw her officially become the best in the nation. She is the first woman to do so.

In September, she will represent Australia at the World Oyster Opening Championships in Galway, Ireland, taking on a species of oyster she won't get to meet until she arrives, the Galway Flat.

Pictured:
Women's Championships
Bronze medalist Sue McIntyre (Broadwater Oysters, Pambula) Zoe (Yumbah, Tasmania) and Silver Medalist Sally McLean (Jim Wild's Oysters, Shoalhaven)

Men's Championships
Pictured: Silver Medalist Greg Carton Broadwater Oysters, Bronze Medallist Dom Boyton Merimbula Gourmet Oysters and Gold Medallist Graeme Rush.

Judges James White of Olssons Salt and Mike Hul of Sydney Fish Market

MC John Susman AM

Much, much more to come!

The Australian Oyster Shucking Championships is proudly supported by