Oysters need the clearest, cleanest waters to thrive, and the waters around the Sapphire Coast, are some of the most pristine in the state. For that reason, the southern New South Wales region, just north of the border with Vicotria, is known as one of the best oyster regions in the country. Get to the coast during the season – October to June – to try the best.
Taste the famous Tathra Oysters Just outside the seaside town of Tathra, Gary and Jo Rodely, along with their son Sam, own and run Tathra Oysters, a humble oyster farm and shop that has been lauded as one of the best Sydney rock oyster farms in the country. The oysters are grown with a minimal intervention philosophy in the pristine waters of Nelson Lake, which lies just north of Tathra in the Mimosa Rocks National Park. They’re so prized you’ll find them on the menus of some of the most renowned, award-winning restaurants in Sydney. But when you’re in Tathra, you can just walk into the farm’s shop and have them freshly shucked in front of you. To guarantee availability and maximum freshness, visit during the season – December to July.
Go organic at Wapengo Rocks Also in Mimosa Rocks National Park, Wapengo Lake is home to the spectacular organic produce of oyster wrangler Shane Buckley. His farm, Wapengo Rocks, has picked up numerous awards (check their run at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show) as well as praise for its sustainable farming practices, like using only recycled materials and a floating platform that encourages the growth of native seagrasses, which can be limited by the shade produced by traditional fixed oyster farms. If you’re there during the season, late October to late June or early July, you can pick them up straight from the farm, just make sure to call before you go to ensure someone can be there to help.
On the edge of the clear sapphire waters of Merimbula Lake, lies a cute barn with a weathered sign displaying the day’s catch, and a deck overlooking an oyster farm. Order a platter of oysters and a plate of prawns, sit with the sun on your face and watch the quiet happenings of the lake. It’s called The Oyster Barn and it’s the farm gate shop and oyster bar by Pip and Dom Boyton of Merimbula Gourmet Oysters.
Pambula Lake’s finest, shucked, unshucked or bottled at Broadwater Oysters A half-hour drive south of Tathra, Pambula Lake has been home to oyster growers for more than 100 years. Here, the clean waters of the Pambula and Yowaka rivers combine with the tides of the Pacific Ocean to produce perfect conditions for a quality-focused farm like Broadwater Oysters. Owners Greg Carton and Sue McIntyre have been running the farm for more than two decades, and are rightly proud of their award-winning oysters, which you can buy shucked, unshucked or bottled, direct from the source. Or book in for a farm tour and shucking course, and learn to do it yourself.
Tour the river and the farm with Captain Sponge Go behind the scenes on Pambula Lake, between Eden and Merimbula, with Captain Sponges Magical Oyster Tours. Brett Weingarth, AKA Captain Sponge, will take you out on a fun (as well as educational) two-hour tour in which you’ll learn all about oyster farming from someone in the business, and get to shuck and taste Sydney rock oysters fresh from the lake. You’ll then cruise down the Pambula River, where ancient Aboriginal middens — distinct concentrations of shell remnants — offer evidence that oysters have been popular here for a very long time.
Wonboyn Lake, a 30-minute drive south of Eden, is one of the most remote Sydney rock oyster estuaries on the New South Wales South coast. Kel and Caroline Henry have been farming oysters here for over 30 years, and place a big emphasis on environmentally sustainable practices. Their award-winning Wonboyn Rock Oysters are available from their oyster shed, where you might get a shucking lesson too. To ensure a fresh farm gate experience, drop in during the season and call before you go.
Sample the best at Sapphire Coast’s top restaurants and bars After a farm visit or a river tour, settle on a bar stool or a luxe dining room where the Sapphire Coast’s best chefs will deliver their favourite oysters from the region. If you’re coming down from Sydney, stop by Tuross Boatshed and Cafe for a cuppa and a half dozen on the water (and maybe even a swim) in Tuross Head. Just further down, in Narooma, The Oyster Farmer’s Daughter delivers exactly what it promises with farm-to-table oysters served to a sunny courtyard alongside cocktails and water views.
Heading south, stop in Bermagui for a fine dining lunch including Wapengo oysters at Mimosa Wines or grab a takeaway box from the 50+ year old fish and chipper Blue Wave Seafood. If you’re staying in Tathra, local institution Tathra Hotel has a sunny deck and options for natural or Korean-style (gochujang and garlic butter dressing) oysters.
Merimbula and Pambula have a diversity of options, including stylised Mediterranean award winner Valentina which plates up both mignonette and natural, and modern Asian Kitty’s Bar and Dining is the only place on the coast to get half a dozen dressed in Chinese red vinegar. For a more relaxed setting, head to the Merimbula Wharf and have your dozen delivered to a table overlooking the bay. Just over the bridge in Pambula, Wheelers Seafood serves up the local delicacy three ways – natural, with finger lime and pepper, or Kilpatrick style.
Glamp and stay on the bay Base yourself in the Tathra area for a quick trip to Wapengo or easy access to the town’s famous oysters. Glamp by the water at Tathra Beach Eco Camp or the secluded Tanja Lagoon Camp. In town, the Tathra Hotel has humble rooms with spectacular ocean views. Or settle closer to the sustainable oyster farms around Merimbula and Pambula at The Hillcrest Motel, a stylish motel refurb with a retro 1970s touch. Further south, closer to oysters of Wonboyn Lake, bunk in Eden at Hotel Australasia, a century-old build with a colourful renovation, or Seahorse Inn, an 1840 manor transformed into a boutique bay-side hotel. If you’re travelling with a big group ready for a unique weekend, book the heritage cottages at the Green Cape Lightstation – you’ll be rewarded with the best view on the coast.
