Local produce & seafood on the Sapphire Coast

Shuck it to me

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. 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.  

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. Or join Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tours and learn about oyster farming, while shucking and slurping these delectable mollusc morsels as nature intended. 

Captain Sponge's Magical Oyster Tour, Pambula River, 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 to see how cheese is made, learn about the history of the company, and to taste and buy cheeses, fudge and delicious milkshakes. 

Streetscape, Bega - Credit: David Rogers Photography

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.

Gin tastings at North of Eden Gin, Stony Creek

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 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.