Local Produce and Seafood

For the freshest and best oysters, prawns and fish, the Sapphire Coast on the NSW South Coast, is heaven for seafood connoisseurs. Then there are the acclaimed dairy products, incredible artisan cheeses, and some fine beverages to complement any meal.

Fresh Sydney Rock Oysters at the Tathra Hotel, on the Sapphire Coast on NSW

Shuck it to me

With so many lakes and estuaries, oyster leases are plentiful and the harvest rich. Wapengo, Nelson Lake, the Broadwater and Merimbula Lake are just some of the prime oyster locations. Oysters are top of the food chain in this part of the world which is why you will find them on the menu of the top restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne.

Tathra Oysters are particularly prized and multi award-winning. You can taste freshly shucked oysters at Broadwater Oysters and Wheeler’s Oyster Farm near Pambula. You can also join Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tours and learn about oyster farming, while shucking and slurping these delectable mollusc morsels as nature intended.

Mussels dish available from Merimbula Aquarium and Wharf Restaurant in Merimbula, Sapphire Coast

Say cheese

Lovers of dairy can discover why Bega is on the world cheese map. Bega Cheese was established in 1899 in the verdant Bega Valley and has grown to be a dominant force in the dairy industry. Call into the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre in Bega to see how cheese is made, to see the history of the company, and to taste and buy cheeses and fudge, complemented by delicious milkshakes.

Outdoor bar area at Longstocking Brewery in Pambula, Sapphire Coast

Quench your thirst

Mimosa Wines is located between Tathra and Bermagui and its wines are available at many restaurants on the coast, including its own restaurant. If wine is not your thing, visit North of Eden Gin located in pretty countryside north of Bega. This distillery makes true London style dry gins in a copper alembic still. There are some excellent breweries on the Sapphire Coast as well, including Camel Rock at Wallaga Lake near Bermagui, the Humpback Brewery at the heritage-listed Tathra Hotel and the Longstocking Nano Brewery in Pambula.

Freshly caught fish being packed at Bermagui Fishermens Co-Op Ltd., Bermagui

Fresh is best

Shop for fresh local produce at the Candelo Markets, on the first Sunday of every month. In Eden, take a picnic hamper and pack it with award-winning products from Eden Smokehouse, fresh Twofold Bay mussels from Snug Cove, and local farm produce from Sprout Eden grocer and cafe.

For a catch-and-eat fishing tour, Bermagui Bait and Tackle can arrange everything from game fishing off Montague Island to a half-day reef fishing trip. And for a combination of all the wonderful produce of the area, visit Eat Merimbula, the premium food festival of the Sapphire Coast.