Australia's Best Seafood Experiences

Australia is renowned throughout the world as a seafood lover’s paradise. Diverse and bountiful marine environments surround the continent, and its islands, providing an abundance of opportunities to sample Australia’s world-famous seafood.

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New South Wales
The Sydney Seafood Market is the second largest seafood market in the world and the ideal place to begin a journey of discovery into Australian seafood. The onsite seafood school provides a regular timetable of classes for enthusiastic cooks while in the market place below, oysters are freshly shucked, crabs freshly dressed and the tastiest fish and chips served, to enjoy at the water’s edge.

Three hours from Sydney in Mollymook on the south coast, celebrity chef Rick Stein celebrates the best local seafood at his restaurant at boutique hotel Bannisters.

Australian Capital Territory
Despite being Australia’s only landlocked state or territory, the ACT can still offer a wealth of opportunities to dine on Australian seafood. With a waterfront location in the heart of Canberra, the C Seafood & Oyster Bar is an award-winning Seafood Restaurant and Oyster Bar having recently received the "Australian Good Food Guide" People’s ChoiceAward for Best Seafood Restaurant 2016 as well as the "Savour Award" for Best Seafood Restaurant 2016.

Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is most famous for wild barramundi, which comes into season between March and November. For keen fishermen, the "Run Off" in the Top End of the Northern Territory (when the floodwaters of the wet season begin to subside) is the most aggressive feeding period. Bamurru Plains luxury safari camp provides a spectacular venue on the edge of this great fishery with first class food and wines.

For a less energetic exploration into the seafood of the region, the Darwin Fish Market supplies customers with a variety of Australian ocean-caught species, from the renowned barramundi to red emperor, crimson snapper, mud crabs, squid and a prawns.

South Australia
From the billion-dollar tuna industry in Port Lincoln to the famous Coffin Bay Oyster Farm, the opportunities to learn about and sample South Australian seafood are endlessThe Eyre Peninsula Seafood Trail from Whyalla to Streaky Bay is a path well-trodden by lovers of seafood while on True North’s ‘Southern Safari’ the South Australian coast is explored on a stylish journey of discovery and gourmet delight – sample southern bluefin from Port Lincoln, Coffin Bay oysters, King George whiting and blue swimmer crab from beautiful Streaky Bay.

Tasmania
Tasmania is renowned for lobster, Pacific oysters, octopus and abalone. Luxury lodge SaffireFreycinet gives guests the opportunity to enjoy oysters while standing thigh-deep in Tasmanian waters at the Freycinet Marine Farm where it is also possible to undertake a land-based tours with oyster shucking demonstrations and tastings.

In the Huon Valley, along with fine wines, the trout fishing is spectacular. At Josef Chromy Winery a short drive from Launceston, visitors can try their hand at fly fishing in front of the cellar door restaurant before enjoying a tasting and lunch.Bruny Island, off the South East corner of Tasmania, has also become renowned for its quality produce including oysters, salmon, cheese, wine and confectionery. Take a boat tour around Bruny Island and enjoy rock lobster, abalone and sea urchin straight from the sea.

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Queensland
The climate of far north Queensland is perfectly suited to saltwater barramundi, along with tiger and Crystal Bay prawns. Here is the home ofBalmain and Moreton Bay bugs, as well as the spanner, blue swimmer and mud crab.

Travelling south, the Whitsundays offer myriad fishing and seafood sampling opportunities. For freshly caught seafood, Bowen's marina situated 80km north of Airlie Beach is where boats regularly arrive full of fresh stocks of live caught seafood. On Hamilton Island, at Qualia, a variety of food and wine experiences are on offer, among them the ‘Sake and Sashimi’, showcasing some of the finest Sakes and Sochus individually matched with Australia’s highest sashimi grade fish; and 'Champagne and Oysters', a unique tasting experience where different styles of oyster are paired with top Australian and French champagnes.

Victoria
Fishing is a highly popular pastime in Victoria and understandably so. 2,000km of coastline offers a variety of locations to throw a line in, participate in a guided fishing trip or just enjoy the freshest seafood from the comfort of one of the many fine seafood restaurants.On the Great Ocean Road, spend some time fishing from the pier at Lorne and Apollo Bay. On the Bellarine Peninsula, Queenscliffis a well-known seaside resort with a regular ferry service across Port Phillip Bay to Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula. From here, a fishing charter during the Crimson Tide, the annual snapper migration, is a highly rewarding experience.

Western Australia
On Western Australia’s Coral Coast, Reefwalker Charters runs a dedicated rock lobster experience where travellers are taken out on the water in the early morning to collect the crustaceans from craypots. The Lobster Shack in Cervantes also runs tours of its lobster processing facility along with lunches of freshly grilled lobster.

A cruise in the incredible Kimberley region provides an unparalleled proximity to a diverse range of marine environments and access to a range of seafood experiences, from onboard seafood buffets to beach barbecues, the rich variety of seafood sourced from this part of Australia is best enjoyed at its origin.