Australia's iconic oyster shellabration!
Set in the heart of Rock Oyster Country, the Narooma Oyster Festival is Australia’s iconic rock oyster shellabration!
A tribute to Rock Oysters and their dedicated growers, join chefs, shuckers and producers on the shore of Wagonga Inlet from May 2-4.
Guest chefs include Frank Camorra (MoVida Melbourne/Singapore), Tasmania’s Analiese Gregory (How Wild Things Are), New Zealand’s Al Brown (Depot Eatery), Narooma’s own Al Newbold (Mr Bold), Courtney Roulston (Farm to Fork) and more!
Arrive a little earlier for Rock Oyster Week from April 26, full program out in March!
Tickets on sale from Wednesday, February 5
Program Highlights
FRIDAY, MAY 2
Join us as we gather at Quota Park for a night of oysters, performance and live music headlined by Gang of Brothers and Bek Jensen on the eve of the festival’s biggest day.
General Admission
- $25 | 4pm – 8.45pm
- Narooma Rocks Champagne Oyster Bar
- Narooma Rocks Oyster Bar
- Borrowed Cuttings Festival Bar
- Bioluminescence Project & River of Art
- MG Stage with Gang of Brothers, Bek Jensen and more
- Roving performers
- Selected food stalls
- Whale Coast Realty Fireworks show at 8.30pm
- Free entry for children under 16
- Free shuttle bus around town
Seared & Salty Premium Dining
We’re teaming up with Olsson’s Salt to host an indulgent twilight feast on the foreshore at Quota Park. Think exceptional produce treated with masterful simplicity in collaboration with Terra Firma Dining and beverages by Glandore Wines, SoHi Spirits and more!
SATURDAY, MAY 3
A huge day of tastings, oyster competitions and exploring the festivities on the shore of Wagonga Inlet at Quota Park.
Buses travel from Batemans Bay, Merimbula and Bermagui and there’s a free shuttle around Narooma.
General Admission
- $45 | 10am – 5.30pm
- Oyster Farmers Alley
- Australian Oyster Shucking Championships
- Australia’s Biggest Oyster
- Betta Home Living Cooking Demonstrations with Tasmania’s Analiese Gregory (How Wild Things Are), Nornie Beru (Mabu Mabu), New Zealand’s Al Brown (Depot Eatery) Narooma’s own Al Newbold (Mr Bold) and host Courtney Roulston and more
- Narooma Rocks Oyster Bar
- Narooma Rocks Champagne Oyster Bar
- Borrowed Cuttings Liquor Bar
- 20+ Brewers, distillers and wine makers
- 70+ Producers, food vendors and market stalls
- Yuin Cultural Markets & Bushtucker
- MG Stage with Whisky Dram, Bek Jensen, Riff and more
- Roving performers
- Free entry for children under 16
Premium Experiences
- Rock Oyster Lounge
- Ultimate Oyster Experiences
- Beer, bubbles & gin masterclasses (with oysters!)
- Champagne Oyster Cruises
SUNDAY, MAY 4
Narooma’s Biggest Breakfast
Entry is free with a complimentary ticket. By joining us for breakfast, you’ll be supporting the local groups who volunteer their time and expertise to make Narooma such a great place to live.
This breakfast is more than eggs and bacon and great coffee! The Narooma Rocks Oyster Bar will be serving up freshly shucked and whole Rock Oysters, served with a side of live music and plenty of great vibes. Plus, we’ll be drawing the car raffle winner of the brand-new 2024 MG ZS Excite!
There will be plenty of family fun and some limited seating under cover. Bring a picnic blanket and your coffee cup, and settle in for a morning of fantastic food and local hospitality.
Sydney Royal Ultimate Oyster Experiences
Saturday, May 3 | 10.30am, 11.45am, 1pm | $130 | Less than 10 left
Narooma Oyster Festival’s signature experience, an Ultimate Oyster Experience is a transformative tasting with the best oysters from the South Coast and the Sydney Royal Fine Food Aquaculture Competition.
It is a rare opportunity to dive deep into the merroir, or the ‘taste of place’ with leading Australian seafood authority John Susman, Sydney Royal Aquaculture Chair of Judges.
Matched with celebrated wines, bread and butter, by the end you’ll be an expert in rock, angasi and pacific oyster gastronomy and understand the importance of fresh shucked oysters – it’s a culinary necessity!
Please note:
- Sessions run for 45 minutes
- Includes a glass of sparkling wine on arrival and matched wine or craft beer during the tasting
- This event does not include Saturday General Admission, please purchase this ticket separately
- This experience is not suitable for children under 18
Champagne Oyster Cruises
Saturday, May 3 | 10.30am, 11.45am, 1pm, 2.15pm, 3.30pm | $95 | SOLD
Cruise the Wagonga Inlet from the festival fringe, with bubbles and Rock Oysters!
Wagonga Inlet is one of the largest producers of Rock Oysters and one of the most beautiful on the South Coast. Glide by the oyster leases while you delight in freshly shucked Rock Oysters and sip on bubbles or a craft beer.
Learn more about the fascinating world of oysters and the Wagonga Princess, a 1905 Huon Pine vessel steeped in old-world charm and equipped with solar electric engines. Cruises run for 50 minutes and depart from a jetty at the southern end of the Festival.
Please note:
- This event does not include Saturday General Admission, please purchase this ticket separately.
- This experience is not suitable for children under 18.
Vintage Champagne & Oyster Masterclass
Saturday, May 3 | 2.15pm | $95 | SOLD
Celebrate the relationship between the terroirs of Champagne and the merroir of Rock Oyster Country.
Join Champagne Bureau Australia director John Noble as he guides you through an exclusive tasting of five exceptional Vintage Champagnes, expertly matched with the finest oysters from the pristine waters of the heart of Rock Oyster Country.
Discover how these two unique environments shape exquisite flavours and create a harmonious tasting experience. This is a rare opportunity to explore Champagne’s diversity and its synergy with Australia’s finest oysters.
Please note:
- This session runs for 45 minutes
- Includes five Vintage Champagnes with Rock Oyster tastings
- This event does not include Saturday General Admission, please purchase this ticket separately
- This experience is not suitable for children under 18
Drinks Masterclasses
Gin Lovers Masterclass with Rock Oysters
Saturday, May 3 | 3.30pm | $95
Explore the journey of this celebrated spirit from grain to glass.
Hosted by the makers from Nine Circles Distillery and North of Eden Artisan Distillery and paired with a half a dozen Rock Oysters, you will gain a greater understanding of distillation, tasting techniques, botanical profiling and why spirits of the South Coast are becoming so revered.
Crafty Brews Masterclass with Rock Oysters
Saturday, May 3 | 4.45pm | $95
Get ready to deepen your appreciation for the craftsmanship behind every pour.
Hosted by Far South Coast NSW hop growers Ryefield Hops, along with the brewers themselves, Big Niles Brewing Co (Dalmeny) and Breakwall Brewing Co (Narooma) and paired with a half dozen Rock Oysters.
You’ll gain a greater understanding of beer styles, tasting techniques, flavour and aroma profiling, and the essential role ingredients play in creating great beer.
Please note:
- Sessions run for 45 minutes
- Includes four tastings and half dozen Rock Oysters
- This event does not include Saturday General Admission and is not suitable for children under 18
Seared & Salty, supported by Olsson’s Salt
Friday, May 2 | 5.30pm – 8.45pm | $250 | SOLD
An intimate twilight feast where fire, flavour, and the finest local produce take centre stage.
As the sun sets over Wagonga Inlet, gather for an exclusive waterfront dining experience, where the bounty of Narooma and the South Coast is seasoned, smoked, and seared over coals. Prepared by Charly Pretet of Terra Firma Dining and fire pit master Marco, this culinary experience is a celebration of elemental cooking at its finest.
Start the evening with a cockail by SoHi Spirits or a glass of Glandore Wines Blanc de Blanc. Visit the oyster bar an exquisite Rock Oyster tasting curated by Appellation Oysters. As the night unfolds, enjoy a fire-cooked feast paired with exceptional Glandore wines, before the Festival’s opening night closes with fireworks over the inlet.
Please note, this event is not suitable for children under 18 years of age.
Inclusions:
- Friday General Admission
- All food and drinks
- Exclusive waterfront indoor & outdoor dining
- Welcome cocktail by SoHi Spirits
- Glandore Wines (Hunter Valley) including Black Label blanc de blanc, 2023 Pinot Gris, 2023 Tempranillo, 2022 Chardonnay or Semillon
- Live music
- VIP Amenities
Rock Oyster Lounge, supported by Mystery Bay Cottages
Saturday, May 3 | 11am to 4pm | $250 | SOLD
An exclusive retreat for those seeking a sophisticated, indulgent experience amidst the festival buzz.
Set on the grassy shore of the Inlet, yet close to the heart of the action, the Rock Oyster Lounge blends comfort, exclusivity, indulgence and culinary craftsmanship.
As a Lounge guest, you’ll have the opportunity to watch and chat with chefs and shuckers as they prepare your next tasting. Terra Firma Dining’s fire-pit masters will serve up exquisite small bites, slow-roasted, grilled, smoked, and seared over the flames – celebrating the best of local seafood and produce.
Visit the Rock Oyster Raw Bar, or meet our roving shuckers for a selection of dry-shucked Rock Oysters – the purest way to experience merroir, featuring premium selections from Oyster Smiths.
At the liquor bar, sip on a G&T crafted by award-winning artisanal distillers North of Eden, enjoy a Talisker ‘Made by the Sea’ single malt whisky cocktail, or choose from a selection of celebrated beer, wine, and bubbles.
Throughout the day, relax in this exclusive space, with access to a private lawn, cozy indoor areas, ample seating, and amenities – the perfect way to elevate your festival experience.
Inclusions:
- Saturday General Admission
- Three complimentary drinks and one dozen freshly shucked oysters
- All day gourmet bites
- Exclusive waterfront indoor and outdoor area
- Live music
- Private bar to purchase additional drinks
- Private VIP amenities
- Please note this event is not suitable for children under 18 years of age.
Cooking Demonstrations
Saturday, May 3 | General Admission
Join our host Courtney Roulston, chef Analiese Gregory (How wild things are), chef Al Brown (NZ) and others soon to be announced, in a series of seafood focussed cooking demonstrations that will supercharge your culinary skills.
These sessions are included in General Admission and always a hit with both the chefs and the audience. Get in early to grab a tasting and a recipe card.
Over the years, we’ve welcomed culinary greats Colin Fassnidge (MKR), Julie Goodwin (Masterchef), Corey Costelloe (20Chapel), Hao Chen (Raku), Serif Kaya (The Ottoman) and Mark Olive (The Black Olive).
Champagne Oyster Cruises
Saturday, May 3
10.30am, 11.45am, 1pm, 2.15pm, 3.30pm
Cruise the Wagonga Inlet from the festival fringe, with bubbles and Rock Oysters!
Wagonga Inlet is one of the largest producers of Rock Oysters and one of the most beautiful on the South Coast. Glide by the oyster leases while you delight in freshly shucked Rock Oysters and sip on bubbles or a craft beer.
Learn more about the fascinating world of oysters and the Wagonga Princess, a 1905 Huon Pine vessel steeped in old-world charm and equipped with solar electric engines. Cruises run for 50 minutes and depart from a jetty at the southern end of the Festival.
Please note:
- This event does not include Saturday General Admission, please purchase this ticket separately.
- This experience is not suitable for children under 18.
Ticketed coaches
Saturday, May 3 | Batemans Bay – Merimbula – Bermagui | $15
Staying outside of Narooma? Book your spot and leave the car at home! Ticket sales close 7pm Wednesday, April 30.
Free Shuttle Bus
Friday & Saturday | Narooma – Dalmeny
The Shuttle Bus travels on a 20-minute loop around Dalmeny and Narooma.
Please note:
- Pets are prohibited
- Children under 16 require a free ticket
- Ticketed Coaches from Batemans Bay, Bega and Bermagui on Saturday May, 3
- Free shuttle bus around Narooma on Friday and Saturday
- This event, including festival bars, is cashless. There are no ATMs onsite. Stallholders may accept cash at their discretion.
See more in our FAQs
