NAROOMA OYSTER FESTIVAL 1-3 MAY 2026
Join growers, chefs, and shuckers to celebrate the unique, rare, and oh-so-tasty Rock Oyster from May 1 – 3. It’s Australia’s iconic oyster celebration!
Narooma Oyster festival: celebrate Rock Oyster Country
Merroir, exceptional oysters and culinary culture are on the itinerary this May when the Narooma Oyster Festival returns for its 19th celebration of the Rock Oyster.
Held on the foreshore of Wagonga Inlet from May 1 – 3, Australia’s iconic oyster festival brings together farmers from NSW’s estuaries, pairing their harvest with a dynamic program of culinary experiences and cooking demonstrations, live music headlined by Sarah McLeod, the Australian Oyster Shucking Championships, Australia’s Biggest Oyster and Oyster Farmers Alley.
The 2026 line-up features acclaimed chefs including Courtney Roulston (Farm to Fork), Adi Jesus-Davis (@theflipchef), Brendan Boothroyd (Duxton Pubs SA) and Jeff Razon (The Oyster Cove), alongside celebrated brewers, distillers, vintners and local producers.
New experiences in 2026 include Master the Shuck classes, daily cruises on Wagonga Inlet and premium viewing options such as Friday’s Sipper Club and Saturday’s Cook’s Corner at the Betta Cooking Demonstrations.
Festival favourites return, including the signature Ultimate Oyster Experiences, led by seafood authority John Susman AM, the Rock Oyster Lounge and Seared & Salty Dinner supported by Olsson’s Salt inviting guests to further explore merroir and local produce with chefs, sommeliers and growers.
Friday night kicks off from 4pm with oysters, live music and fireworks, before Saturday delivers a full day of flavour, culture and competition. Sunday brings Narooma’s Biggest Breakfast and the raffle draw for a new MGZS Vibe (tickets available online and at the festival), with optional yoga and a new sunrise breakfast cruise.
Children under 17 enter free. A free shuttle bus operates around Narooma and Dalmeny on Friday and Saturday, with ticketed coaches from Batemans Bay, Bermagui and Merimbula on Saturday.
Arrive a little earlier to explore during Rock Oyster Week from April 26, a curated program of food, farm gate and on-water experiences spanning the South Coast from the Shoalhaven River to Pambula Lake.
Tickets are on sale now. Visit the official website for more information.
Leave the car at home, there’s a free shuttle bus round town and coaches from Batemans Bay to Bermagui.
Narooma Oyster Festival Program
Friday Night 5 May
Narooma Oyster Festival warm up
From 4.00pm to 8.30pm
Tickets at the gate
A twilight affair that ends with fireworks over the water.
- Club Narooma Main Stage
- Narooma Rocks Oyster Bar
- Festival Oyster & Liquor Bar
- River of Art projections
- Selected food vendors
- Long Table Dinner
- Yuin Native Food Exploration
- Fireworks at 8.30pm
Saturday 6 May
Oyster Festival Celebrations
From 10.00am to 5.30pm
Tickets at the gate
- Oyster Farmers Alley
- Australia’s Oyster Shucking Championships
- Australia’s Biggest Oyster
- Yuin Bunaan Cultural Program
- Betta Cooking Demonstration Program
- Narooma Plaza Kids Zone
- Live music on two stages
- Producers, distillers, brewers and winemakers
- River of Art
- Food and Market stalls
- Ultimate Oyster Experiences
- Champagne and Oyster Cruises
- Rock Oyster Lounge
- Salty Festival Fiesta, by Olssons
- Free shuttle bus in Narooma
- Coaches from Batemans Bay to Bermagui
Sunday 6 May
Inaugural breakfast- a Hangtown Fry!
From 9.30am to 12.00pm
Start the day right with a hearty Hangtown Fry at Club Narooma, our inaugural Sunday breakfast!
A dish born on the Californian Goldfields, the Hangtown Fry combines crumbed oysters and bacon inside a soft pillow of fluffy eggs. These were expensive ingredients to buy and transport to the goldfields, and so the Hangtown Fry was a dish usually reserved for the rich and for the condemned, who often chose it for their last meal.
Settle in on the lawns or inside with a reviving beverage and fill your belly, there will also be live tunes and full club facilities.
Discover more on Sunday
Explore Narooma and surrounds
Narooma is one of the most spectacular and picturesque towns on the NSW south coast, with a series of sweeping bends leading you to the stunning aquamarine waters of the estuary and old steel bridge. The Wagonga Inlet and bay waters are instantly inviting, and the urge to pull over and immerse yourself in the landscape is hard to resist.
When the festival is over, take some time out to explore the stunning coastline, landmarks and precincts of Narooma and nearby localities.
Discover the beauty of Mystery Bay, the heritage villages of the Tilba District and historic Bodalla.
There are plenty of reasons to stay longer in Narooma.
Read more about about the fascinating world of oysters in these feature articles Merroir and Oysters and Guardians of the sea