Tuross Boatshed & Cafe, Tuross HeadCredit: Destination NSW
Enjoying fresh oysters and wine at Tuross Boatshed & Cafe at Tuross Head, on the NSW Sapphire Coast.
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Some of the world’s best oysters are grown in the waters around Tathra, Merimbula, Pambula and Eden, on the New South Wales Sapphire Coast south of Sydney. Here’s where to try them.
Taste the famous Tathra Oysters
Just outside the seaside town of Tathra, a six-hour drive south of Sydney, Gary and Jo Rodely, along with their son Sam, own and run Tathra Oysters, growing multi-award-winning Sydney rock oysters in the pristine conditions of Nelson Lake. The lake is in the middle of Mimosa Rocks National Park, connected to the ocean via a sheltered lagoon. The oysters are simply spectacular, offering a crunchy creaminess and that lingering aftertaste for which Sydney rock oysters are revered. You could taste these beauties in high-end Sydney restaurants Bennelong, Saint Peter or Cafe Sydney. Or you can buy them from the farm’s shop in Tathra, freshly shucked in front of you.
Go organic at Wapengo Rocks
Also in Mimosa Rocks National Park, Wapengo Lake is home to spectacular certified organic oysters grown by Shane Buckley. His Wapengo Rocks Wild Organic Oysters have picked up numerous awards, and are produced using sustainable practices. These include stress-free and low-impact growing techniques and the use of recycled and recyclable materials. Plump and creamy, the oysters are big favourites with chefs, but can also be bought on site, fresh from the lake.
Try the subtle flavours of 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 the smooth, subtle flavour of Broadwater Oysters. Owners Greg Carton and Sue McIntyre are rightly proud of their award-winning oysters, which you can buy opened, unopened or bottled, direct from the source.
Tathra Oysters, Tathra Credit: Destination NSW
Freshly opened Sydney Rock Oyster at Tathra Oysters.
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Tathra Oysters, Tathra Credit: Destination NSW
Freshly opened Sydney Rock Oyster at Tathra Oysters.
The historic Tathra Wharf. Credit: Destination NSW
Tathra Wharf with coastal views across Boulder Bay, Tathra.
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The historic Tathra Wharf. Credit: Destination NSW
Tathra Wharf with coastal views across Boulder Bay, Tathra.
Take a tour with Captain Sponge
Go behind the scenes on Pambula Lake, between Eden and Merimbula, with Captain Sponge’s 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, 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 — piles of shells — offer evidence that oysters have been popular here for a long time.
Taste creamy and sweet Womboyn Rock Oysters
Womboyn 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 since 1990, and place a big emphasis on environmentally sustainable practices. Their award-winning Womboyn Rock Oysters, creamy and sweet, with a mild aftertaste, are available from their oyster shed, where you might get a shucking lesson too.
Captain Sponges Magical Oyster Tours, Pambula Credit: Destination NSW
Freshly farmed in Merimbula by Brett Weingarth, owner and captain of Captain Sponges Magical Oyster Tours.
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Captain Sponges Magical Oyster Tours, Pambula Credit: Destination NSW
Freshly farmed in Merimbula by Brett Weingarth, owner and captain of Captain Sponges Magical Oyster Tours.
Captain Sponge's Magical Oyster Tour, Pambula River Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a tour with Captain Sponge's Magical Oyster Tours on Pambula River, Pambula.
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Captain Sponge's Magical Oyster Tour, Pambula River Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a tour with Captain Sponge's Magical Oyster Tours on Pambula River, Pambula.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, CorowaCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa.
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Feast on the riches of one of Australia’s most important food bowls on a road trip through the Murray, named after the mighty river that flows through this southwest area of New South Wales. Float down the river on a historic paddlesteamer wine cruise, stop by farm gates to sample incredible fresh produce, and dine at chic restaurants and bars in this unique culinary playground.
Take the back roads for gourmet treats
Head off the beaten path along The Backroads Trail, a 250km driving route that passes through the small pastoral towns of Barham, Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin on the upper reaches of the Murray River. Sink your teeth into fresh olives, avocados, free-range pork, honey and citrus fruit from farm gates along its loops and trails, and taste the region’s wines at vineyards such as Restdown Wines. While you’re at this winery, venture out along the Restdown Wetland Walk to encounter Aboriginal cooking hearths and an old sheep camp.
Cruise along to The Old School Winery & Meadery in Womboota to pick up wine, pottery and honey mead. Or seek out Ivy Joyce in Barham to indulge in a warm space, offering local produce from farms for a truly paddock to plate experience in the heart of Murray River country. For more snacks and meaty fare such as British-style pork pies and sausages, head to Pacdon Park’s factory shop in Moama.
You can work up an appetite as you build your own itinerary on the theme of food, paddocks and produce, and find suggested routes and maps to Murray River farm gates, at the Echuca Moama Visitor Centre.
Wine and dine along the river
Embark on a wine tour by water in Moama, where the first steamboats made their way up the Murray in 1853. Take a Murray River Paddlesteamers Wharf to Winery Cruise from the town to Morrisons Riverview Winery for a leisurely lunch. Or drive along the river, stopping in at Three Black Sheep for risotto and woodfired pizzas, and tasting crisp dry whites and full-flavoured reds at St Anne’s Vineyards, where you can nibble on a cheese platter overlooking a scenic lake.
Head east along the riverside roads to rest and recharge in the town of Tocumwal, known for its riverside beaches, golf courses, glider flying and iconic Big Murray Cod statue. Start the following day with a solid foundation of breakfast pizza (topped with bacon, eggs and a hash brown) at The Old Bank and indulge in a scoop of ice-cream or sorbet from Tocumwal Ice Creamery – flavours include rocky road, green apple or macadamia. If you’re in town on a Saturday, pick up honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dressings and other condiments made by local producers at the Tocumwal Foreshore Markets.
Continue your odyssey along the river to Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation. Immerse in the town’s rich turn-of-the-20th-century colonial heritage as you make your way to the former 1920s flour mill housing Corowa Distilling Co. Here you can book a whisky tasting and behind-the-scenes tour and buy locally made chocolates and sweets from sister shop Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Work off an indulgent afternoon with a walk along the river before settling into the stylish Circa 1936 hotel, which is housed in an Art Deco former bank on the main street of Corowa.
Celebrate regional ingredients in Albury
From Corowa, follow the Riverina Highway eastward to the city of Albury, a food, wine and culture hub. Taste how seasonality and locality are expressed at The Proprietor, a former butcher shop turned cafe offering brunch treats such as fruit toast with Beechworth honey and whipped ricotta, and banana waffles with Gundowring vanilla ice-cream. Or try the all-day breakfast offering at Mr Benedict, from cheesy bacon waffle with popcorn chicken to one of its signature eggs benedicts, including one with cider-braised ham hock.
At The River Deck restaurant, local ingredients are celebrated alongside stunning river views, and dishes may include chicken Caesar salad with Milawa eggs or beef brisket braised in coffee by Albury roaster The Brothers Cup. At tiny and elegant Bistro Selle, complement warm Gooramadda olives with a buttery Australian chardonnay and fresh market fish. Yardbird offers a bold-flavoured menu featuring dishes like scorched Albacore tuna, along with meats grilled in a Spanish woodfired oven.
In between meals, stroll along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk and take in the contemporary artworks by Aboriginal artists that line the Wagirra Trail. Meander through the Murray Art Museum Albury’s contemporary photographic collection, Aboriginal art and works by renowned Australian artist Sir Russell Drysdale. Afterwards, order lunch or dinner at the museum’s excellent Canvas Eatery – try the saltbush lamb rump or one of their Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
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The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
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Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.
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Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.