One of Australia’s favourite seafood’s, oysters are grown right around Australia’s massive coastline. Being the largest island in the world Australia is spoilt with the freshest, cleanest oysters you can find.
There are many regions of Australia’s coast that specialise the many different species of oysters, some specifically local and then we have the extremely popular Sydney Rock Oyster and Pacific Oysters, both of which are cupped oysters.
Oysters gain a taste from their surrounding environment as they are filter feeders, so mainly they are sold by location rather than species. Pacific’s grow in Tasmania and South Australia with a few growers at Port Stephens and the Hawkesbury River, being an introduced species.
Sydney Rocks are grown along the NSW coast and around south WA. In this issue we have profiled some growers from the NSW South Coast.
Our grey nomad readers love to pop in for a dozen fresh oysters when they are on the road and Jim Wild’s Oyster Service is one place they love to visit where oysters are shucked expertly by friendly staff. Just near Nowra at Greenwell Point, full of flavour with a taste of lemon, Jim’s Oysters have been popular with travelling greys for decades. Eat them by the waterfront, nearby with a nice wine and you will be experiencing oyster heaven on the road. It’s all past of the fun Oyster Trail down the south coast.
To get a close up front view of what oyster farming is about, the unique Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tours, takes you away, for the real oyster farm experience, roll up to the Oyster Tour for tasting and shucking pure Pambula Lake Sydney Rock Oysters, just south of Pambula as you cruise the magnificent water ways on an oversized punt. You’ll learn how to shuck like an expert and hear about the local secrets of this amazing area. This is a truly original concept in learning about oyster husbandry, the native Angasi Oyster, Sydney Rock Oyster all while taking in the scenery on the Pambula River. One and a half hours of super fun with your oyster farming Captain, The Magical Oyster Tour is coming to take you away, groups up to 23 welcome got to www.magicaloystertours.com.au for all the info.
Further down the coast on the grey nomad hit list is the very peaceful village of Pambula, a gem on the Sapphire Coast. Once famous as a gold rush town, Pambula has become a travellers dream destination with beaches, a national park and great local grown food. Pambula is a prime spot for our oyster hunters and spotters on their journeys around our coastline.
The crisp waters of Pambula Lake are home to some of our finest oyster growers, many of whom sell the Sydney Rock Oysters to restaurants and retailers in Sydney and Melbourne. Some welcome visitors to taste, shuck and experience at working oyster farm. Here are a few:
Broadwater Oysters welcomes visitors to their farm gate for freshly opened Sydney Rock Oysters to enjoy while sitting beside the pristine Pambula Lake, take in all the surroundings or take away the freshest oysters to eat at home check them out at www.broadwateroysters.com.au our seasonal opening hours.
You may also like our article on the South Coast, click here to read.
