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A Yuin native food exploration will be one of the highlights of the 16th Narooma Oyster Festival to be held from May 5-7. Alongside thousands of oysters from growers across the NSW coast, there will be a dedicated precinct and program celebrating the First Nations' culture of the South Coast. The program kicks off on Friday night with a three-hour, cocktail-style gathering, with contemporary food fusions that showcase Indigenous ingredients like lemon myrtle, strawberry gum, native ginger, saltbush and lilly pilly, paired with blackfish, pork and chicken on a menu from Indigenous caterers Dwayne and Amelia of Miritya Mundya. Read more: Symbio Wildlife Park pygmy marmosets have twin babies Cath Peachey has been the chair of the festival since 2012 and loves how the weekend takes a different turn each year. "We're excited by the focus of the native food, alongside the oysters of course," she says. "There's a full program of food, music and storytelling across the weekend in the new Yuin tipi." Peachey said she's also excited by the top-line chefs on the program, from the Merrivale Group's Hussein Sarhan (Freds on Oxford St), to Corey Costelloe (Neil Perry's Rockpool Bar and Grill) and Martin Bosley, who is chef ambassador for New Zealand. "Martin's hanging around after judging oysters at the Sydney Aquaculture Show and he's a firm believer in the whole seasonality and sustainability ethos," she says. On the Saturday one event not to be missed is the shucking competition where the special guest will be Zoe Jacobson who won the recent Tasmanian state titles. "There's a bit more this year about learning to shuck and oyster integrity in Oyster Farmers Alley," Peachey says. "We'll have the farmers there and while they've had a relatively good season the past few years with fires and floods are starting to catch up with them. But they're confident there'll be plenty of oysters available, last year's festival we served up 17,000 oysters and we're looking at that again." General admission tickets are $30 which includes access to cooking demonstrations, tastings and admission to the Yuin Bunaan area and the kids' zone. Other feature events are ticketed separately. Details naroomaoysterfestival.com

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