Narooma Oyster Festival 2024

Saturday's visiting chefs include Hao Chen (Raku, Canberra), Serif Kaya (The Ottoman, Canberra), Elodie Marion (Mimi's, Sydney), Corey Costelloe (formerly Rockpool Group), Courtney Roulston (Farm to Fork) and Belinda Dorsett (Mossy Group).

Join growers, chefs and shuckers in the heart of Rock Oyster Country on the first weekend in May to celebrate the marvellous oyster. It's Australia's premium oyster festival!

Discover the merrior of rock oyster estuaries in Oyster Farmer's Alley, taste sustainable South Coast seafood and produce and sip celebrated beers, wines and spirits. Learn from celebrated chefs Hao Chen (Raku, Canberra), Serif Kaya (The Ottoman, Canberra), Elodie Marion (Mimi's, Sydney), Corey Costelloe (formerly Rockpool Group), Courtney Roulston (Farm to Fork) and Belinda Dorsett (Mossy Group) in the Narooma Betta Home Living Cooking Demonstration Program. Cheer on the farmers in Australia's Oyster Shucking Championships & you won't believe how big an oyster can grow until you see see Australia's Biggest Oyster, supported by Australia's Oyster Coast. Elevate your festival experience in Friday's Sunset Social supported by Merivale, Saturday's Rock Oyster Lounge supported by Olsson's Salt, take a deep dive in to the world of oysters in the Sydney Royal Ultimate Oyster Experience and explore the inlet aboard a Moet Champagne Oyster Cruise.

Across Friday night and all day Saturday, the festival combines cosmopolitan and Indigenous food experiences with music across two stages and food and produce markets.

Narooma, land of the 'clear blue water' is a 3 hour drive from Canberra, and a 4.5 hours drive (or one hour flight) from Sydney. 

Leave the car at home and take the free shuttle bus around town on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, ticketed coaches travel from Bermagui and Batemans Bay, stopping at Moruya, Tuross Heads and Broulee turn-offs, Bodalla, Bermagui, Cobargo and Tilba. 

Friday Night Warm-Up

Friday, May 3 | 4pm to 8.30pm

If you have never been to the Friday Night Festival Warm-up before - this is your year!

It's set to be bigger than ever and we hope you can join us as we gather round the MG Main Stage for live music along, feast from the Oyster and Liquor Bars and food stalls, watch the fireworks over the inlet and enjoy an intimate night ahead of the big day on Saturday. Plan to leave the car at home, there’s a free shuttle bus around Narooma.

Friday General Admission:

• MG Main Stage live music from 4pm to 9.30pm
• Street theatre and community performances
• Narooma Rocks Oyster Bar
• Borrowed Cuttings Festival Bar
• Selected food vendors
• Whale Coast Realty Fireworks Show at 8.30pm

Friday Premium Experience:

• The Sunset Social supported by Merivale. A new twilight premium experience that celebrates the finest food and drink in a relaxed but sophisticated waterfront marquee.

Please note:

• Pets are prohibited
• Children under 16 require a free ticket
• Free shuttle bus around Narooma
• This event is cashless

Saturday - The BIG day

Saturday, May 4 | 10am to 5.30pm

A huge day of tastings, oyster competitions and exploring the foreshore festivities.

Taste oysters fresh from leading farmers and estuaries across Rock Oyster Country. Cheer the farmers on in Australia’s Oyster Shucking Championships and Australia’s Biggest Oyster sponsored by Australia’s Oyster Coast.

Expand your culinary skills in Betta Home Living Cooking Demonstrations with local and visiting chefs, explore the markets and groove to live tunes on two stages, with the MG main stage headlining The SunBears and Dom Turner & the Rural Blues Project. Pack a picnic blanket and leave room for market treats! 

Plan to leave the car at home, there’s a free shuttle bus around Narooma and ticketed coaches operating between Bermagui and Batemans Bay.

Saturday General Admission

• Oyster Farmers Alley
• Australia's Oyster Shucking Championships*
• Australia's Biggest Oyster*
• Betta Home Living Cooking Demonstrations
• Narooma Rocks Oyster Bar
• Borrowed Cuttings Festival Bar
• Brewers, distillers and wine makers
• Producers
• Food vendors and markets
• MG Main Stage headlined by The SunBears and Dom Turner & the Rural Blues Project
• Support acts Los Zafiros Band, Jackson Caroll and Dan Cully
• Narooma Plaza Community Stage
• Street theatre.

Saturday Premium Experiences

• Rock Oyster Lounge supported by Olsson's Salt.
• Sydney Royal Ultimate Oyster Experiences.
• Moet Champagne Oyster Cruises - SOLD

Please note:

• Pets are prohibited
• Children under 16 require a free ticket
• Free shuttle bus around Narooma
• Coaches from Batemans Bay to Bermagui (ticketed)
• This event is cashless

PREMIUM EXPERIENCES

*Please note these experiences are designed for people aged 18 and over and are not suitable for children.

The Sunset Social supported by Merivale

Friday, May 3 | 5.30pm to 8.30pm

An exclusive, twilight experience that celebrates the finest foods in a relaxed but sophisticated waterfront marquee.

Mingle with our guests as the sun sets over Wagonga Inlet while you enjoy the elegance of a glass of Mumm Terroir and indulge in exquisite Rock Oyster tastings curated by Australia’s Oyster Coast. Merivale’s talented chefs have crafted a bespoke menu of small and medium bites that highlight the finest seafood and produce of the south east regions and beyond. As the Festival's opening night closes with a display of fireworks over the inlet, the feast concludes on a sweet note with ice cream treats from Bodalla Dairy.

It's the ultimate way to warm up for the big day on Saturday.

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 and outdoor area
• Music by Jakob Poyner local star and Australian Idol contestant 2023 
• Private amenities
• Please note this event is not suitable for children under 18 years of age.

Champagne & Oyster Masterclass

Celebrate the relationship between the terroirs of Champagne and the merroirs of Rock Oyster Country in a tasting with the very best guides and produce.

Presented by Champagne Bureau director John Noble and a Rock Oyster grower, you will discover how unique environmental conditions and cultivation techniques impart distinctive characteristics to each and create a taste sensation when paired. This experience is a terroirs-driven tasting of six Champagne cuvees which represent a cross-section of the diversity of Champagne wines, presented with 2024 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show Gold Medallist Rock Oysters from Wapengo Lake, Wallis Lake, Pambula Lake and Nelson Lagoon.

Inclusions: 

• 6 Champagne cuvee and Rock Oyster tastings
• Please note this event does not include Saturday General Admission, please purchase this ticket separately
• This experience is not suitable for children under 18

Sydney Royal Ultimate Oyster Experience

Saturday, May 4 | 3 sessions

A transformative tasting experience showcasing the best oysters from the South Coast and the Sydney Royal Fine Food Aquaculture Competition. This experience is a rare opportunity to dive deep into the world of oysters with John Susman, Sydney Royal Aquaculture Chair of Judges. Discover the merrior of the native rock oyster from various key estuaries, the native angasi and the pacific. No tasting is complete without a pairing, and you will also receive a glass of sparkling wine on arrival with matched wine included with each tasting. By the end you’ll be an expert in oyster gastronomy and understand the importance of shucking your own oysters - we believe it's a life skill! Sessions run for 45 minutes.

Please note:

• This event does not include Saturday General Admission, please purchase this ticket separately.
• This experience is not suitable for children under 18

Rock Oyster Lounge supported by Olsson's Salt

Saturday, May 4 | 11am to 4pm

Indulge in an exclusive retreat designed for those seeking an elevated experience amidst the festivities.

Located close to the heart of the action, the Lounge offers more than just a prime vantage point. Enjoy special tastings throughout the day and bask in exclusive access to a waterfront lawn, a cozy indoor area, private bar and amenities, featuring live music with Country award winner Corey Legge.
You’ll be well catered for with the Lounge boasting a shucking station hosted by Australia’s Oyster Coast, presenting the freshest Rock Oysters. There’s all day gourmet bites including a pop-up with culinary genius Corey Costello, a Festival Friend and the executive chef of Sydney’s hatted Rockpool Bar & Grill.
But that's not all—indulge in Oyster Gin cocktails crafted by Gavin from North of Eden Artisan Distillers, and savour a selection of exquisite concoctions featuring Altos Tequila. This exclusive retreat is the ultimate haven to refresh and recharge between your festival adventures, offering a seamless blend of sophistication, comfort and indulgence.

Inclusions:

• Saturday General Admission
• 3 complimentary drinks and freshly shucked oysters
• All day gourmet bites
• Meet the producer sessions
• Exclusive waterfront indoor and outdoor area
• Live music with Corey Legge, winner of Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards in Tamworth
• Private bar to purchase additional drinks
• Private amenities

Please note this event is not suitable for children under 18 years of age.

Moet Champagne and Oyster Cruises - SOLD

Saturday, May 4 | 5 cruises 

Cruise the Wagonga Inlet from the festival fringe, with bubbles and Rock Oysters!

 Glide by the oyster leases while you delight in freshly shucked rock oysters and sip on champagne or a craft beer. Learn more about the world of oysters from a local farmer and experience the natural features of this stunning inlet. The Wagonga Princess was built in 1905 of Huon Pine and sports whisper quiet solar electric engines. Cruises run for 50 minutes and depart from the southern end of the Festival.

This event is proudly supported by Moet Hennessy, where heritage and innovation, authenticity and creativity converge.

Please note:

• This event does not include Saturday General Admission, please purchase this ticket separately.
• This experience is not suitable for children under 18

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