A new oyster van to showcase the South Coast’s world class oysters was launched at the Narooma Oyster Festival today. The oyster van is thanks to a $55,000 grant from the Business Council's bushfire recovery charity BizRebuild.
The grant has helped Narooma Rocks, the not-for-profit company that delivers the Narooma Oyster Festival, design a special food van that will attend food and wine events showcasing oysters from the estuaries of the South Coast. It gives local farmers the chance to take their oysters directly to consumers and also boosts the profile of the region as a place to visit year-round for a range of local produce.
Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott (below left) unveiled the new food van at the Narooma Oyster Festival, saying the funding would boost the benefits of the regional event and help local efforts to breathe new life into the region following the black summer bushfires.
“We’re thrilled to be contributing to help supercharge the impact of the festival and inject some hope and confidence back into the community. “BizRebuild will continue to work with communities across the country to keep their local businesses open, bounce back and give them the hope they need to come out stronger on the other side,” Ms Westacott said. “For the first time in the festival’s history we have sold out,” said Narooma Rocks chair Cath Peachey. “This speaks volumes to the current levels of confidence in the NSW South Coast. It also shows that Covid has changed the way travel, eat, and have fun, with more people than ever seeking out regional events and supporting local producers. “The Narooma Rocks oyster van will enable us to continue the momentum and tell the story that Narooma is the heart of Rock oyster country and a serious food destination,” Ms Peachey said. Ms Westacott cut the red ribbon declaring the oyster van open in a small ceremony at 3.50pm today.
