While 60 million oysters are produced across NSW every year, 60,000 were shucked and eaten over two days at Wagonga Inlet.
The Narooma Oyster Festival celebrated it’s 17th year over the weekend.
Chair of Narooma Rocks, Cath Peachy told ARN while the team of over 120 volunteers are tired, they are really happy with how the event went.
“We are still crunching the numbers but we think somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000 people were at the festival over the weekend, which is an amazing turn out given we had showers intermittently,” Ms Peachy said.
“People were there to have a great time, they put their raincoats on, they danced, they ate oysters and enjoyed everything the festival had to offer, it was an amazing weekend.”
Gerard “Doody” Dennis is heading back to Ireland!
The Batemans Bay speed machine, defending his Oyster Shucking Championship Crown at the Narooma Oyster Festival over the weekend.
Graeme Rush from Pinnacle Oysters came in second ahead of Greg Carton of Broadwater Oysters in Pambula which took out the women’s event.
Sue McIntyre of Broadwater Oysters topped the ladies field with the perfect plate of 30 oysters shucked, ahead of last year’s champ, Sally McLean of Jim’s Wild Oysters, and Jade Norris of the Wray Street Oyster Shed in Batemans Bay.
“It was a very exciting final among the women and while Sally has won it over the last few years, it was really nice to see Sue, who has been the bridesmaid a few times, get up and have a win,” Ms Peachy said.
Mr Dennis will represent Australia in the World Oyster Opening Championships at Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival in September.
This year’s Festival has seen Australia’s Biggest Oyster celebrate a world record!
Bernie Connell and the Clyde River Estuary of Batemans Bay presented the biggest oyster ever recorded in the festival’s 17-year history.
“He presented Jill, and that oyster weighed in at a whopping 3.01kg, putting on 250 grams since last year, so an amazing effort,” Ms Peachy said.
Narooma Rocks and the Narooma Oyster Festival picked up a gong at the NSW Seafood Excellence Awards in Sydney just a few weeks ago.
The awards showcase the seafood industry’s top players across 11 categories for their contribution to the economy, professionalism and commitment to supplying high quality seafood.
Narooma took home the ‘Promotion Award’ which recognises the enormous efforts of the committee and the community to deliver the iconic festival, which is now regarded as the biggest food and wine event in southern New South Wales.
The National Awards will be held in Hobart in September.
Images: Narooma Oyster Festival
