Narooma Oyster Festival

Love oysters? Then make your way to this south coast NSW festival, celebrating the briny bivalve.

MASTERCHEF Julie Goodwin will join a stellar line-up of professional chefs for a celebration of south coast produce, culture and artisans at the Narooma Oyster Festival this May.

An ideal combination of fresh and tidal water flows means the four million Sydney Rock Oysters sold each year out of this scenic NSW town are of exceptional quality - the inspiration for three days of feasting and fun from Friday 13 - Sunday 15 May.

This year, Julie will be judging the best recipes in a fiercely contested amateur seafood recipe cook-off, and Cory Campbell of Melbourne's Vue de Monde restaurant will put the chefs through their paces in the professional category of the competition.

Cooking demonstrations will feature Julian Lloyd, head chef of Rick Stein at Bannisters, and a team from the three-hat-winning Vue de Monde.

And children will get in on the action with a "Kids in the Kitchen" master class from one of our luminary visiting chefs.

Dragon boats and floating sculptures will stir the tranquil waters of the Wagonga Inlet and golfers can putt out for the chance to win $20,000 - only fitting for a town boasting one of Australia's top public golf courses.

After all that exertion, boutique beer sampling and refreshments from a raft of waterside food and wine stalls will be on hand to provide some sustenance, while a vast oyster bar will be serving freshly-shucked oysters all weekend alongside a selection of chilled whites.

But while the food and drink may be abundant and beautiful, the festival is not solely about satisfying one's stomach.

It also gives focus to the south coast's Aboriginal culture with an opening Welcome to Country by the region's traditional owners on the evening of Friday 13 May. Children have a ball pretending to be the trees, kangaroos and varied living things breathed into life, before fireworks light up the sky accompanied by the sound of a lone didgeridoo.

With live music, oyster races, boat tours, complimentary tastings and a big selection of children's amusements, the weekend's daytime line-up is busy and impressive.

And by night there's a chance to frock up and party on down at Saturday's glittering Oyster Ball, accompanied by live music, fine wines and a sumptuous festival menu created by the multi-awarded Michael Stokes.

The Narooma Oyster Festival runs from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 May.

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