Rock Oysters top South Coast showcase
Narooma Oyster Festival remains a firm favourite on the national culinary calendar, after more than 10,500 oyster lovers flocked to Wagonga Inlet for the festival’s 19th celebration on May 1-3.
Australia’s greatest shellar door saw some 66,000 of the nation’s best oysters sourced from 11 estuaries and 14 oyster farms for the festival weekend. Thousands more were quaffed outside the festival as travellers from Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and the South Coast foraged their way to Eurobodalla, joining Rock Oyster Week experiences held between Gerringong and Pambula.
“Over the past 10 years, the size of the oyster harvest for the festival has more than tripled, and it’s a huge effort by the farmers,” said Renee Pearce, Narooma Rocks General Manager.
“They are all brilliant cultivators, passionate ambassadors for the industry and collaborative stewards for the estuaries and waterways, and they love to share their stories and their oysters.”
“There is nowhere else you can experience such a diversity of Rock Oyster merroir direct from the farmer, and pair it with the region’s best produce.”
Sustainable wild caught seafood, Australian aquaculture and seasonal local produce were also on the menu, paired with wines, spirits and brews from more than 60 local and regional producers.
Signature events were fully booked, starting with Friday’s fire cooked Seared and Salty with Olsson’s Salt and flowing into Saturday with the full moon tide. Ultimate Oyster Experiences with John Susman AM and Adi Pinkerton of Sandingroove Oysters were a masterclass in the merroir of Sydney Royal champions – featuring Adi, Tathra Oysters, Wapengo Organic Rocks and Appellation Shoalhaven.
The Festival’s new shucking classes followed, with devoted punters booking a seat at both tables to deepen their appreciation for oysters. Out on the water, Sparkling Oyster Cruises with Walbunja man Wally Stewart and retired grower David Maidment captivated folks as they enjoyed oysters from the very leases they glided by.
Festival favourites were just as popular with visiting chefs and musicians, including headliner Sarah McLeod, as they were for festival goers. Oyster Farmers Alley and the Oyster Bars were the top billing, joined by five chefs sharing their skills in the packed Betta Cooking Demonstrations with Courtney Roulston, the Yuin Cultural Markets and Bushtucker and a myriad of celebrated local products and items made with love in the markets.
On Sunday, Narooma’s Biggest Breakfast began with yoga and a sunrise cruise before local charities and performers shared their hospitality with almost 300 guests. The morning also saw the raffle draw for a new MG, with the winning ticket 1592 held by Lindy Turnbull of Batemans Bay.
Volunteers form the foundational pillar of the festival, with 111 supporting the planning and delivery of the event, from infrastructure, hospitality and dining experiences to welcoming guests and sharing local knowledge.
“They are an incredibly generous and resourceful group and our guests and attendees continuously sing their praises and magic vibe they bring to everything they do,” said Renee.
The festival also highlighted local and regional musicians and performers, and was backed by dozens of local trades and services, from cheese makers and bakers to plumbers and printers.
“It is a key driver for regional tourism and the local economy, and a showcase of the best of Narooma, Eurobodalla and the region” Renee said. “We will know the full economic impact the coming months, but we know in 2025 the festival brought over $4.7 million into the local economy, plus $1 million in discretionary spend, which topped the previous year by 123%.”
“Accommodation bookings and planning are already are underway to celebrate the 20th festival in May 2027, a huge milestone and a wonderful achievement for our community.”
Historic win in Australian Oyster Shucking Championships
Tasmanian self-taught shucker Zoe Jacobson topped an outstanding field of 17 to become the 2026 Australian Oyster Shucking Champion. Making festival history as the first woman to hold the title, she will now represent Australia at the World Oyster Opening Championships in Galway, Ireland on September 26. Her winning time to shuck 30 Rock Oysters was two minutes and fifty three seconds.
The Australian Oyster Shucking Championships test both speed and presentation; time penalties added for shell grit, broken shells, damaged oysters and unturned oysters. The championship format includes dedicated heats and a final for both women and men, with titles awarded for each category. The grand title and the prestigious John Susman AM Award are presented to the shucker with the fastest, cleanest plate across the board. This year’s field included shuckers from Sydney, Canberra, and across the South Coast.
“Zoe was incredibly fast and clean with her knife in her heat and she showed no sign of slowing down in the final, even after opening oysters all day in Oyster Farmers Alley,” said Renee Pearce, General Manager of Narooma Rocks and Championship official.
“This was her fourth festival with us after her first visit as Tasmania’s Oyster Shucking Champion in 2022, and her previous times had all fallen just short to earn her a place in the women’s final, so to earn the national title this year is an enormous credit to her dedication and passion for the craft and the industry. It was a impressive field, with former champions Sally, Sue, Greg and the Yiannaros brothers all stepping up to the bench.”
Men’s Championship:
Gold: Graeme Rush of Burrill Lake for Australia’s Oyster Coast Batemans Bay. (3:06).
Silver: 2025 Champion Greg Carton of Broadwater Oysters, Pambula (3:14).
Bronze: Dom Boyton of Merimbula Gourmet Oysters (3:27).
Women’s Championship:
Gold: Zoe Jacobson of Yumbah, Bream Creak, Tasmania (2:53).
Silver: 2025 Champion Sally McLean of Jim Wild’s Oysters, Greenwell Point (3:44).
Bronze: Sue McIntyre Broadwater Oysters, Pambula (3:58).
The Field: Included fifth-generation growers Jade and Greg Norris (The Farm Gate on Wray Street), former champions Jim and John Yiannaros, Lachlan Bollard (Batemans Bay Oysters), industry icon Pip Boyton (Merimbula Gourmet Oysters), Gavin Chatfield, chef Mans Engberg (The Grotto, Sydney), and amateur Michael Weeks (Canberra).
Read more here.
Australia’s Biggest Oyster
Prior to the shucking competition, Australia’s Biggest Oyster saw a new contender from the Connell stable, Pride of the Clyde, take the title with a respectable weight of 2.66 kilograms.
Eight families from Shoalhaven and Clyde River estuaries brought their big pets along, with one of the youngest competitors Poppy Yiannaros earning second place with Georgie. One of the smallest oysters, Little Jim (1.41kg) was also discovered to be one of oldest at 14 years.
Each oyster was checked and weighed by Dr Elisabeth Newfield of Montague Vets, while host Sarah McLeod chatted to contestants. Both the Australian Oyster Shucking Championships and Australia’s Biggest Oyster are proudly supported by Australia’s Oyster Coast.
See the full results here.
Save the date for May 7-9 2027, with Rock Oyster Week from late April!
Whether you’re an oyster purist chasing merroir, a curious foodie keen on the autumn harvest from land and sea, or just looking for the ultimate coastal escape with a spot of adventure and arts, now’s the time to lock in the dates.
With accommodation in Narooma already filling fast and a new program already on the drawing board, Narooma and Eurobodalla make for the ultimate autumn getaway.
Thank you to our supporters!
Narooma Oyster Festival is proudly delivered by the not-for-profit Narooma Rocks, supported by Destination NSW, Eurobodalla Shire Council, Olsson’s Salt, Australia’s Oyster Coast, Borrowed Cuttings, Narooma Betta Home Living, Whale Coast Realty, Club Narooma, Merivale, MG Batemans Bay, Airbnb and local businesses.
