It’s World Oyster Day on 5 August and the NSW hospitality industry, oyster farmers and agritourism operators are celebrating across the state.

The NSW oyster trail stretches from the Tweed River on the North Coast to Wonboyn Lake on the South Coast. NSW is home to more than 280 oyster farming businesses, spread across 32 coastal estuaries.

The oyster sector is the fastest growing seafood segment in the state, increasing in farm gate value by 30 per cent in 2022/23 to $78 million.

In addition, the oyster industry contributes more than $30 million to the NSW economy by employing thousands of people across production, wholesale, processing, retail and agritourism.

Three species of oysters are grown in NSW, the Sydney rock oyster, Pacific oyster and the native, flat oyster.

The Sydney rock oyster and native flat oyster are endemic to Australia, while the Pacific oyster was introduced from Japan in the 1940's.

West HQ launches Western Sydney Oyster Festival

World Oyster Day celebrations in NSW will launch this year during the inaugural Western Sydney Oyster Festival at West HQ.

Sydney Rock Oysters will be showcased at four West HQ restaurants, with each venue offering its own unique cultural interpretation.

Visitors will enjoy 13 East33 Sydney Rock Oysters for $18 (or six for $9) with distinctive preparations: CHU Restaurant by China Doll's delicate soy ponzu, Pizzaperta by Stefano Manfredi's Italian vinaigrette, Steak & Oyster Co's classic red wine vinegar dressing, and New Town Thai's chilli & lime creation.

Special educational sessions will also be held each Sunday throughout August, featuring oyster specialists and farmers sharing industry expertise, professional shucking demonstrations and preparation techniques.

Learn more about Western Sydney Oyster Festival here.

Supporting oyster industry growth

The NSW Government has committed to working with industry to double the farm gate value of the NSW aquaculture sector to $300 million by 2030 through innovative research, continual investment in breeding programs and a commitment to water quality improvements.

The NSW Aquaculture Vision Statement, which outlines an overarching approach to the development of the state’s aquaculture industries, was launched at the 2024 NSW Oyster Conference in Port Macquarie, supported proudly by Destination NSW.

Destination NSW is also driving oyster agritourism growth by providing tools, knowledge and resources via its NSW First Program to help businesses promote their experiences in Australia and beyond.

Oyster tourism gives visitors the opportunity to experience oyster farming and enjoy fresh oysters directly from the source. This can involve boat tours, in-water dining and learning about oyster cultivation. Popular experiences include tours of oyster leases, hands-on activities such as shucking oysters and tasting fresh oysters paired with local beverages.

Among oyster agritourism experiences on offer in NSW are the Sydney Oyster Farm Tours in Mooney Mooney, where visitors can don waders and try oysters right in the water; Region X’s Oyster Tasting Kayak Tour in Bateman's Bay, where, over a two-hour tour, visitors kayak the river, sample delicacies and meet a fourth-generation oyster farmer; and Navigate Expeditions’ Kayak and Shuck tour where visitors paddle the Pambula River and learn about oysters and how to shuck them at Broadwater Oysters.

Among new experiences is Merimbula Oyster Tours, which offers an in-water oyster tasting experience set on Merimbula Lake. The tour begins with a short boat ride across the estuary through the working oyster leases. Once anchored, visitors wade into the shallows and gather around a floating table to learn the art of shucking, the story behind the Sydney Rock Oyster and the history of Merimbula’s long connection to the tides.

Destination NSW has produced a guide to the best oysters along the NSW coast. View it here.

NSW is also home to the annual Narooma Oyster Festival, which features dining experiences, masterclasses, cooking demonstrations, Australia's Biggest Oyster competition and the Australian Oyster Shucking Championships.

Supported proudly by Destination NSW, the 2025 Narooma Oyster Festival attracted around 9600 people, with 67,000 oysters eaten on the festival site.